Laptop vs Pi to run a BTC Node with StartOS

DIY Community Support
, ,
1

I am in the process of creating my first BTC Node. To say I am a novice would be a complement. I hope to also document the entire process I go through so that other newbies can avoid any pain.

First Question: What machine to use?
I have a Dell Inspire 7506 laptop that I was thinking of using as the node. However, I see many using Raspberry Pi 4 (not 5) machines. So as a newbie with limited OS and computer knowledge, which route would you recommend to at least start the learning curve?

Second Question, Pre-configuration of Inspire laptop?
It is running Win 10, has the memory and processing power. But, it also has a number of windows applications load and RegEdit for those apps. However, this machine will be dedicated just as a node without needing any Win apps (maybe my smartcard based password manager and logon program).

  • Do I completely scrub the Win OS off the machine and load StartOS as a virgin machine?
  • Do I need to do anything to pre-configure the computer to have a BTC node and if so can you point me to docs on what to do?

Thank you in advance for any direction and guidance you offer.
Cheers

2

You do not want to go with a RasPi as the specs are no longer suitable for a Bitcoin Stack. There is a list of known good hardware here [Known-Good Hardware Master List] Hardware Capable of Running StartOS - #148 by erzdorf

Recommended OS Requirements

If you intend to run Bitcoin or store any meaningful amount of data, we recommend the following:

  • Quad-Core CPU 2.5Ghz+ (boost)
  • 8GB+ RAM
  • 1TB+ Storage

For the windows machine, yes you will flash StartOS to a thumb drive boot from it and erase the hard drive. Here are some guides to help:
https://docs.start9.com/0.3.5.x/diy/index

https://docs.start9.com/0.3.5.x/flashing-guides/index

2 Likes
3

Thank you Rick. Your insight was very helpful.

After reading many of the DIY articles and watching the videos on StartOS, it caused me to rethink what my real goals are around having a BTC node. While building my own machine is interesting, I don’t plan to be a hardware developer. My goal is to understand the purpose and value of connecting another node to the blockchain,

Many say they can make money from their node. That’s great, but again it’s not my primary goal. So much is discussed about where all this tech is going and I want to be on one of the lower floors (not ground since many have gone before me).

So I think now, I will purchase the Start Server One device to speed up my learning curve and have assured compatibility.

Again, thank you Rick

1 Like
4

You’d definitely do well by learning from experimentation.

Some things to consider:-

  • You’re not a developer by installing StartOS on a machine you buy from the internet. It’s a process that isn’t too difficult and can be done by following out guides. Doing so would set you up well for the future, because even when buying a server from us, you still have a lot of follow and learn.

  • You can not make money from a Bitcoin node, that’s not how they work. The only benefit of running a node is to allow you to send and receive uncensored transactions. Running a node also has no real benefit to the Bitcoin network, the only benefit is to you as a user of Bitcoin.

Hope you enjoy your server and the learning experience!

1 Like