This thread saved my node. Thank you all.
So what you left inside the the setting.json ?
{}
I was seeing the following error in the logs which was causing the Bitcoin node not to start:
Unable to parse settings file /data/.bitcoin/settings.json
Deleting settings.json using the following command after SSHing in the system and restarting the Bitcoin node fixed the problem:
rm ~/umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/settings.json
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Same problem : my bitcoin node is stuck starting.
This is after I pruned my node first and then changed back to reload the complete blockchain.
pruning did not cause a problem but after resetting to loading the complete blockchain the bitcoin node is stuck in the starting state… it seems not to be downloading missing blocks.
From the debug i’m getting:
bitcoin
Attaching to bitcoin_server_1, bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1, bitcoin_bitcoind_1, bitcoin_tor_server_1, bitcoin_tor_1, bitcoin_app_proxy_1
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:32:45@972/error - Tunnels: Can't select next hop for VFzo6gbm6H57JcHYTxTeGQYD2LdV0YgJ0DMc-r60CP8=
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:32:45@972/error - Tunnels: Can't create inbound tunnel, no peers available
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:32:45@972/error - Tunnels: Can't select next hop for VFzo6gbm6H57JcHYTxTeGQYD2LdV0YgJ0DMc-r60CP8=
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:32:45@972/error - Tunnels: Can't create inbound tunnel, no peers available
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:00@972/error - Tunnels: Can't select next hop for Rmt~sFCyQd88GKGrIrb6ozVhIIU1wVJCujQ4k-KNdNI=
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:00@972/error - Tunnels: Can't create inbound tunnel, no peers available
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:20@972/error - Tunnels: Can't select next hop for TQkP21LdjT9lQCy6o~ekk7k4Z46GhB5QCjk8Its5QF0=
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:20@972/error - Tunnels: Can't create inbound tunnel, no peers available
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:30@972/error - Tunnels: Can't select next hop for 1H89wzsHqYdztbXAddAaEplOBFz95UcNuMzEzlpkF5k=
i2pd_daemon_1 | 10:33:30@972/error - Tunnels: Can't create inbound tunnel, no peers available
I’ve tried removing the peers.dat file and reboot: no success
I’ve tried to empty out settings.jason and reboot: no success
I cannot find any other suggestions online :s
Hope someone can help me out here, thx!
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GM.
trying syncing since yesterday, but bitcoin node stuck on starting.
apparently nothing appears on debug console.
im using a VM on iMac (ubuntu 22.10)
help please.
GM. My Bitcoin node is also stuck on starting.
Also I can’t ssh into my umbrel (this is probably because I am a potato) - when I ssh umbrel.local in my cmd (windows) I get prompted for password - I give my umbrel password and get denied.
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Hi @sheepXcat
In regards to SSHing in, you’ll need to use ssh umbrel@umbrel.local so a user is specified.
After that, if you could please navigate to the settings dashboard on umbrel.local, select START under troubleshooting and share the resultant logs here.
I used ssh umbrel@umbrel.local and got inside, then removed json and peer.dat files, which resolved the issue.
Many thanks!
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I had this issue before, i had a bad SSD after i replaced it it worked fine
Followed your instructions and my node is back! thanks so much!
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Hi all, I’m having the same problem. Node is stuck “starting.” In the debug logs, I see this:
itcoin_bitcoind_1 | Error: Settings file could not be read:
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | - Unable to parse settings file /data/.bitcoin/settings.json
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:08:18@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t select next hop for 1-UVSh2f1pNZy9ao232tlECm69NiWw1foH4ow1JLdsM=
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:08:18@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t create inbound tunnel, no peers available
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:08:33@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t select next hop for ~QY6rr9c2ojUBAsWacITkJ-PD18a-8Y4mf7m9zwe6QM=
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:08:33@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t create inbound tunnel, no peers available
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:09:58@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t select next hop for QQV~UbwJ-ZRl4LpAoedoJ5SDpnopk8G6dgoptu2PDiQ=
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:09:58@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t create inbound tunnel, no peers available
bitcoin_i2pd_daemon_1 | 04:11:48@533/error - Tunnels: Can’t select next hop for ug1Qdg22FzBaR2wfvQY0UqvbIsSjObdxnKe2PvqBpHs=
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | Error: Settings file could not be read:
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | - Unable to parse settings file /data/.bitcoin/settings.json
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | Error: Settings file could not be read:
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | - Unable to parse settings file /data/.bitcoin/settings.json
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | Error: Settings file could not be read:
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | - Unable to parse settings file /data/.bitcoin/settings.json
bitcoin_bitcoind_1 | Error: Settings file could not be read:
And it keeps repeating. Can someone point me to the easiest method to ssh into my node and run the appropriate command to fix this please? This thread is really long and I got lost.
I’m a newb, I prob never would have got a node up and running in the first place if not for Umbrel making it simple.
Note: I’m on a M3 Macbook air, latest OS, and I recently moved, at which time I unplugged the node without shutting it down properly beforehand (again, newb). It hasn’t worked since I set it up again.
its not work for me, my node stuck on starting
I have the same problem on a Raspberry Pi 4 and have tried these three procedures without any change:
1)
nano ./umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/settings.json
It already has this text
{
“warning”: “This file is automatically generated and updated by Bitcoin Core. Please do not edit this file while the node is running, as any changes might be ignored or overwritten.”
}
Changed it to {} , but it changed back after a few seconds.
sudo mv umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/peers.dat umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/peers.dat.bak
sudo rm umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/peers.dat
3)
rm ~/umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data/bitcoin/settings.json
Restarts have been performed between all attempts.
I only had 61 GB free on the SSD and have now expanded it from 1 to 2 TB and burned a new SD memory card with umbrelOS 1.4.2
Nothing works and I need help 
I am attaching the log after the last reboot.
umbrel_bitcoin_2025-06-05_16-11.log (107.0 KB)
This was the solution:
cd ~/umbrel/app-data/bitcoin/data
cd bitcoin
sudo nano bitcoin.conf
add reindex=1 dbcache=2048
Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X
Took almost a week to finish.
NB! Remember to remove changes in config before rebooting. Otherwise it will run for another week.