# Error connecting to Bitcoin Network

**URL:** <https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [May 19, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706 "2019-05-19T16:50:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![teddie](https://bisq.community/letter_avatar/teddie/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@teddie](https://bisq.community/u/teddie)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706/1 "2019-05-19T16:50:52Z")

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“Connection to the Bitcoin network failed because of an error: java.lang.NullPointerException”. Can’t load Bisq as I’m getting this error at startup. Recently updated to 1.11. Please help.

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**Author:** ![alexej996](https://bisq.community/user_avatar/bisq.community/alexej996/32/491_2.png) [@alexej996](https://bisq.community/u/alexej996)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706/2 "2019-05-20T14:44:15Z")

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Probably best to open issue on [GitHub](https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues).

Do you have any open trades or offers in Bisq currently?

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**Author:** ![teddie](https://bisq.community/letter_avatar/teddie/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@teddie](https://bisq.community/u/teddie)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 10:38am UTC](https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706/3 "2019-05-25T10:38:07Z")

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Unfortunately I don’t have a GutHub account. And no I don’t have any trades or offers open right now. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but same error at startup. Need to get this fixed asap so I can make some trades please.

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**Author:** ![alexej996](https://bisq.community/user_avatar/bisq.community/alexej996/32/491_2.png) [@alexej996](https://bisq.community/u/alexej996)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://bisq.community/t/error-connecting-to-bitcoin-network/7706/4 "2019-05-26T16:52:45Z")

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I would just start up with a new data directory then.  
If you have any funds inside Bisq, you can recover them with seed words.

To start with a new data directory you just need to delete (rename) the old one and let Bisq create a new one next time it starts up.

You can find the data directory locations [here](https://bisq.community/faq#datadir).