Antminer X9
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1000KH
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This guide explains Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC in plain English. It shows what the command does, what its result means and what it cannot prove.
TL;DR
- What it is: Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 preciousblock treated a named block as though it had arrived before other blocks with the same accumulated work. A later call could override an earlier preference, and the effect disappeared on restart.
- Why it matters: preciousblock is a temporary local tie-breaker among equal-work valid branches. Safe use requires chainwork evidence, serialised action, restart awareness and full downstream reorg verification.
- Current position: Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 preciousblock treated a named block as though it had arrived before other blocks with the same accumulated work.
Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC in simple English
Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC: The effect models earlier receipt among competing blocks with equal work. It does not override the most-work rule.
Simple example
A miner is checking Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC. Pause deposits, withdrawals and mining templates and verify each dependent service after the call. Validate the 32-byte hash, known header and full block status before calling.
Key terms in plain English
- Bitcoin Core:
- Widely used software that validates Bitcoin and can provide wallet, network and operator tools.
- RPC:
- A command that software sends to a node to request information or a local action.
- Consensus:
- The shared rules full nodes use to decide whether blocks and transactions are valid.
- Mempool:
- A node’s changing local collection of valid, unconfirmed transactions.
- Node:
- A computer running Bitcoin software that checks data and communicates with other peers.
Block validation
Validate the 32-byte hash, known header and full block status before calling. An unknown or invalid block cannot become legitimate through preference. Record height, ancestry and chainwork for every candidate.
Equal-work scope
The effect models earlier receipt among competing blocks with equal work. It does not override the most-work rule. Clearly separate a tie experiment from a forced chain-selection misconception in runbooks and customer explanations.
Later overrides
A later preciousblock call can supersede the earlier preference. Serialise incident actions and retain operator, reason and before-and-after tips. Concurrent calls can make evidence confusing and wallet state flap.
Restart volatility
The preference is not retained across restart. If an experiment spans lifecycle events, expect default selection to return. Do not automate reapplication without fresh evidence and approval because the network view may have changed.
Downstream effects
Switching equal-work tips can change active block hashes, confirmations, mempool contents and wallet transaction state. Pause deposits, withdrawals and mining templates and verify each dependent service after the call.
Not a repair tool
The RPC does not repair corruption, invalidate bad blocks or resolve persistent consensus divergence. Diagnose peers, validation and chainwork independently. Use invalidateblock or reconsiderblock only under separate, carefully reviewed procedures.
How specialists test it
Operators test the command on a non-production node first. They check a normal reply, an invalid request, a timeout and a restart. This shows what the response means and prevents one local result from being mistaken for a network-wide outcome.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main point of Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC?
Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC: The effect models earlier receipt among competing blocks with equal work.
For Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC, what should a beginner know about block validation?
Validate the 32-byte hash, known header and full block status before calling.
For Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC, what should a beginner know about equal-work scope?
The effect models earlier receipt among competing blocks with equal work. It does not override the most-work rule.
For Bitcoin Core preciousblock RPC, what should a beginner know about later overrides?
A later preciousblock call can supersede the earlier preference. Serialise incident actions and retain operator, reason and before-and-after tips.
Conclusion
preciousblock is a temporary local tie-breaker among equal-work valid branches. Safe use requires chainwork evidence, serialised action, restart awareness and full downstream reorg verification.
Primary sources
Check the current specification status and the documentation for the exact implementation you operate before moving production funds or changing a mining node.
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