How to resolve "no block source available"?

I've got some trouble using bitcoin-qt.

It stays on: "No block source available... 242 weeks behind." And "Catching up ... Processed 0" etc... Map port using UPnP is activated, and proxy disabled and I have 7 active connections to the Bitcoin network. I tried without firewall or antivirus, but nothing happened. I went into log file and I saw this:

send version message: version 70001, blocks=0, us=1**.***.**.***:8333, them=*.**.****.**:8333, peer=*.****.***.****:8333
socket recv error 10054
disconnecting node 124.1

Don't take attention to the "*". For each send in the logfile there is a socket recv error...

Edit :

I'm running

bitcoin-qt v0.8.3-beta
OS - windows XP pro sp3
I tried to put it off / on -> nothing else

What can I do? Thank you for your help.

Postnop

Posted 2013-08-27T11:24:46.747

Reputation: 101

I believe I am ecountering the same issue. I am on a mac, & I've tried locating the "bitcoin" folder under the "Library Support" folder as I have read on another page to delete the program files to re-install it but I am unable to locate it. Says "No block source available" upon hover "Catching up... 180200 out of 225430 (estimated) blocks of transaction history last received block was 67 weeks ago... says I have "0 active connections to the bitcoin network" it has been at this state for more than 12 hours... any help? – nicholas – 2013-08-31T20:57:44.983

what is the posts 1 2 very helpful. – None – 2014-01-10T02:34:39.077

Answers

I was having this problem. I updated my client to the newest version (https://bitcoin.org/en/download) and it solved itself. I think the clients might stop communicating with other clients who don't update. Haven't read that anywhere or anything, just a guess.

The problem has returned, but updating the client is still a good thing to do.

morsecoder

Posted 2013-08-27T11:24:46.747

Reputation: 12 624

You could try to:

Download the blockchain as a file and import it
force your client to switch to other peers
have you tried turning it off and on again?
have you tried reinstalling it?
have you tried putting your computer into another network?

Otherwise more information about what you have tried would be helpful, and we could use a bit more information such as, which version of the client and what operating system you are using. :)

Edit: Just googled your problem again and found a bug report from 2012 where a person had "socket recv error: 10054". Somebody suggested the following (Please read the whole thing before applying!):

Take a look at (folder is hidden):

C:\ProgramData\boost_interprocess\Select LastBootUpTime from Win32_OperatingSystem

This one contains 2 files, 1 which consists of 32 "random" characters and looks like a hash and a BitcoinURL file of size 0. The files are there sometimes after a hard crash.

Delete the whole C:\ProgramData\boost_interprocess folder, restart the client, remove the database logs from the datadir and everything will work again.

It's related to stale files after a crash, which seem to come from a used lib in the Bitcoin client (some of the Boost ones).

To which the thread starter replied that it solved his problem.

MacOS

According to a comment on a similar question by Neil Neyman the respective folder can be found on MacOS at ~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/

To show your library directory in finder, hold the alt key while viewing the "GO" menu in the top menubar.

Murch

Posted 2013-08-27T11:24:46.747

Reputation: 41 609

How can i force the client to switch to other peers ? Thanks for your help ! – Postnop – 2013-08-28T07:13:12.093

You can create a configuration file in your Bitcoin folder, and you'll want to use addnode=ip.ad.dr.ess. You can find instruction here: Running Bitcoin: Configuration File Otherwise I wonder, whether it might be a Windows XP problem, I mean even Service Pack 3 is five years old by now. ;)

– Murch – 2013-08-30T13:50:25.660

You were probably right, changed it for W7 and no more trouble. Sorry for the delay, was on holidays. – Postnop – 2013-10-14T14:19:15.140

I had this same problem and I found these two posts 1 2 very helpful. What ended up working for me was going to preferences > Network, and turning off the SOCKS proxy, and then restarting the program. After that the network started to synchronize.

Loourr

Posted 2013-08-27T11:24:46.747

Reputation: 3 022

Loourr, You solution worked for me. Thanks. However, is it important that I have Socks Proxy turned on - on my own home network? – user1043582 – 2014-01-12T16:35:29.283