user15023: I'm running bitcoind on a debian web server. If I run in normal mode, i.e. "bitcoind -daemon," then it seems to work completely fine.
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind -daemon
Bitcoin server starting
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind getinfo
{
    "version" : 80600,
    "protocolversion" : 70001,
    "walletversion" : 60000,
    "balance" : 0.00000000,
    "blocks" : 184222,
    "timeoffset" : 0,
    "connections" : 1,
    "proxy" : "",
    "difficulty" : 1583177.84744401,
    "testnet" : false,
    "keypoololdest" : 1396494743,
    "keypoolsize" : 101,
    "paytxfee" : 0.00000000,
    "errors" : ""
}
[birdseye]$

but if I run it with "-testnet" (which I kind of need to), it starts up... but gives no response. Ever.
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind -daemon -testnet
Bitcoin server starting
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind getinfo
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind stop
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind help
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$

I'm kind of at a loss. What's going on here?
update 1:
recent .bitcoin/debug.log 
2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 000000000001ac70cc5a1d15886a46f56f45b9c58b7f1a01e83b9f29e11fc3ae limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101589 000000000001ac70cc5a1d15886a46f56f45b9c58b7f1a01e83b9f29e11fc3ae
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 000000000000043ad22dd84318ca2671e5b6046746056b6e87e231b725147a34
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=000000000000043ad22dd84318ca2671e5b6046746056b6e87e231b725147a34  height=184882  log2_work=68.274512  tx=4195579  date=2012-06-16 23:53:21 progress=0.044423
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED
2014-04-03 16:57:36 stored orphan tx f90973582dbd0843532d9f633fd9dfbd55415206e901e889d9cfa1a515ea075c (mapsz 44)
2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 00000000000161cdee61f93a1273ed30430a8dc291b39cff7b141a6e795732a6 limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101596 00000000000161cdee61f93a1273ed30430a8dc291b39cff7b141a6e795732a6
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 00000000000005206a91cb78e77786950eef356915fdfd65846c1bbdb95cc3c1
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=00000000000005206a91cb78e77786950eef356915fdfd65846c1bbdb95cc3c1  height=184883  log2_work=68.274539  tx=4195806  date=2012-06-17 00:00:59 progress=0.044426
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED
2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 000000000002d1c84a22fc060a77ab23e639901ba88799ba6967681e8963de58 limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101599 000000000002d1c84a22fc060a77ab23e639901ba88799ba6967681e8963de58
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 000000000000065eac0093fce961495df4af73a9c8dd5b85dbfe800fc76ef135
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=000000000000065eac0093fce961495df4af73a9c8dd5b85dbfe800fc76ef135  height=184884  log2_work=68.274567  tx=4196263  date=2012-06-17 00:25:44 progress=0.044431
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED

recent .bitcoin/testnet3/debug.log
2014-04-03 16:55:22 SetBestChain: new best=000000004360c981d6d3d03d1958387603756a8e81525f0fff3abdc07e4c3020  height=205584  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261027  date=2014-03-20 13:43:14 progress=0.996614
2014-04-03 16:55:22 SetBestChain: new best=00000000233a20dac8d9d2bc567cd0310c131d6c0e30f0303852bcc7acad94cf  height=205585  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261032  date=2014-03-20 14:03:28 progress=0.996617
2014-04-03 16:55:23 SetBestChain: new best=00000000c7e3c0ec5c9754255a5ef8fff30012cb9b41393515a2cb1582d5c563  height=205586  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261082  date=2014-03-20 14:24:16 progress=0.996621
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=00000000c004c6a0df7518bc7ed9e40c64dee5fd5a8368b5105c357504fbf04c  height=205587  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261175  date=2014-03-20 14:44:43 progress=0.996625
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=000000000003288e241b9a9728a7dd9944a24e8df7b7521a15254e0a46fb9bd7  height=205588  log2_work=58.170856  tx=1261207  date=2014-03-20 14:37:50 progress=0.996623
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=000000000004a9078edbc6c6634d77dad567c92264123e8c7037ff6f1a9b128f  height=205589  log2_work=58.170909  tx=1261219  date=2014-03-20 14:45:13 progress=0.996625
2014-04-03 16:55:30 SetBestChain: new best=00000000d52dff17b26e6e01e7617ce8799188560c89992bde146cb8dcf0f8b5  height=205590  log2_work=58.170909  tx=1261328  date=2014-03-20 15:05:17 progress=0.996628
2014-04-03 16:55:30 SetBestChain: new best=000000000001571e38ac949a3a81473548af9851c1244596beae02b061cfb842  height=205591  log2_work=58.170961  tx=1261343  date=2014-03-20 15:12:13 progress=0.996630

the testnet one is just setbestchain, setbestchain... over and over. Google isn't giving me very clear answers on what might be causing this.
UPDATE 2: this problem does not occur with Litecoind. My litecoin.conf file is almost identical to my bitcoin.conf, except the litecoin one has these lines included.
daemon=1
server=1
gen=0

UPDATE 3: I deleted my entire "testnet3" directory and re-ran ./bitcoind -testnet -daemon. It worked perfectly and responded to RPC calls UNTIL it downloaded the blocks to a point about 10mb beyond the point it was hanging up on previously... then it stopped responding again, and shortly after, stopped downloading blocks. Still no solution in sight.

user15023: Answering my own question. Apparently, at that point in the blockchain, the daemon started chewing up processor space and the server's resource watchdog promptly killed it. Starting it with 
nice --20 ./bitcoind -daemon -testnet

seems to have more or less made the entire problem go away.
I feel a bit stupid now.

user5757: You also need to use -testnet when connecting to the daemon. Try
 ./bitcoind -testnet getinfo


15023: <p>I'm running bitcoind on a debian web server. If I run in normal mode, i.e. "bitcoind -daemon," then it seems to work completely fine.</p>

<pre><code>[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind -daemon
Bitcoin server starting
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind getinfo
{
    "version" : 80600,
    "protocolversion" : 70001,
    "walletversion" : 60000,
    "balance" : 0.00000000,
    "blocks" : 184222,
    "timeoffset" : 0,
    "connections" : 1,
    "proxy" : "",
    "difficulty" : 1583177.84744401,
    "testnet" : false,
    "keypoololdest" : 1396494743,
    "keypoolsize" : 101,
    "paytxfee" : 0.00000000,
    "errors" : ""
}
[birdseye]$
</code></pre>

<p>but if I run it with "-testnet" (which I kind of <em>need</em> to), it starts up... but gives no response. Ever.</p>

<pre><code>[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind -daemon -testnet
Bitcoin server starting
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind getinfo
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind stop
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$ ./bitcoind help
error: couldn't connect to server
[birdseye]$
</code></pre>

<p>I'm kind of at a loss. What's going on here?</p>

<p>update 1:</p>

<p>recent .bitcoin/debug.log </p>

<pre><code>2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 000000000001ac70cc5a1d15886a46f56f45b9c58b7f1a01e83b9f29e11fc3ae limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101589 000000000001ac70cc5a1d15886a46f56f45b9c58b7f1a01e83b9f29e11fc3ae
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 000000000000043ad22dd84318ca2671e5b6046746056b6e87e231b725147a34
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=000000000000043ad22dd84318ca2671e5b6046746056b6e87e231b725147a34  height=184882  log2_work=68.274512  tx=4195579  date=2012-06-16 23:53:21 progress=0.044423
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED
2014-04-03 16:57:36 stored orphan tx f90973582dbd0843532d9f633fd9dfbd55415206e901e889d9cfa1a515ea075c (mapsz 44)
2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 00000000000161cdee61f93a1273ed30430a8dc291b39cff7b141a6e795732a6 limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101596 00000000000161cdee61f93a1273ed30430a8dc291b39cff7b141a6e795732a6
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 00000000000005206a91cb78e77786950eef356915fdfd65846c1bbdb95cc3c1
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=00000000000005206a91cb78e77786950eef356915fdfd65846c1bbdb95cc3c1  height=184883  log2_work=68.274539  tx=4195806  date=2012-06-17 00:00:59 progress=0.044426
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED
2014-04-03 16:57:36 getblocks 101541 to 000000000002d1c84a22fc060a77ab23e639901ba88799ba6967681e8963de58 limit 500
2014-04-03 16:57:36   getblocks stopping at 101599 000000000002d1c84a22fc060a77ab23e639901ba88799ba6967681e8963de58
2014-04-03 16:57:36 received block 000000000000065eac0093fce961495df4af73a9c8dd5b85dbfe800fc76ef135
2014-04-03 16:57:36 SetBestChain: new best=000000000000065eac0093fce961495df4af73a9c8dd5b85dbfe800fc76ef135  height=184884  log2_work=68.274567  tx=4196263  date=2012-06-17 00:25:44 progress=0.044431
2014-04-03 16:57:36 ProcessBlock: ACCEPTED
</code></pre>

<p>recent .bitcoin/testnet3/debug.log</p>

<pre><code>2014-04-03 16:55:22 SetBestChain: new best=000000004360c981d6d3d03d1958387603756a8e81525f0fff3abdc07e4c3020  height=205584  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261027  date=2014-03-20 13:43:14 progress=0.996614
2014-04-03 16:55:22 SetBestChain: new best=00000000233a20dac8d9d2bc567cd0310c131d6c0e30f0303852bcc7acad94cf  height=205585  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261032  date=2014-03-20 14:03:28 progress=0.996617
2014-04-03 16:55:23 SetBestChain: new best=00000000c7e3c0ec5c9754255a5ef8fff30012cb9b41393515a2cb1582d5c563  height=205586  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261082  date=2014-03-20 14:24:16 progress=0.996621
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=00000000c004c6a0df7518bc7ed9e40c64dee5fd5a8368b5105c357504fbf04c  height=205587  log2_work=58.170804  tx=1261175  date=2014-03-20 14:44:43 progress=0.996625
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=000000000003288e241b9a9728a7dd9944a24e8df7b7521a15254e0a46fb9bd7  height=205588  log2_work=58.170856  tx=1261207  date=2014-03-20 14:37:50 progress=0.996623
2014-04-03 16:55:25 SetBestChain: new best=000000000004a9078edbc6c6634d77dad567c92264123e8c7037ff6f1a9b128f  height=205589  log2_work=58.170909  tx=1261219  date=2014-03-20 14:45:13 progress=0.996625
2014-04-03 16:55:30 SetBestChain: new best=00000000d52dff17b26e6e01e7617ce8799188560c89992bde146cb8dcf0f8b5  height=205590  log2_work=58.170909  tx=1261328  date=2014-03-20 15:05:17 progress=0.996628
2014-04-03 16:55:30 SetBestChain: new best=000000000001571e38ac949a3a81473548af9851c1244596beae02b061cfb842  height=205591  log2_work=58.170961  tx=1261343  date=2014-03-20 15:12:13 progress=0.996630
</code></pre>

<p>the testnet one is just setbestchain, setbestchain... over and over. Google isn't giving me very clear answers on what might be causing this.</p>

<p>UPDATE 2: this problem does <em>not</em> occur with Litecoind. My litecoin.conf file is <em>almost</em> identical to my bitcoin.conf, except the litecoin one has these lines included.</p>

<pre><code>daemon=1
server=1
gen=0
</code></pre>

<p>UPDATE 3: I deleted my entire "testnet3" directory and re-ran ./bitcoind -testnet -daemon. It worked perfectly and responded to RPC calls UNTIL it downloaded the blocks to a point about 10mb beyond the point it was hanging up on previously... then it stopped responding again, and shortly after, stopped downloading blocks. Still no solution in sight.</p>
 15023: <p>Answering my own question. Apparently, at that point in the blockchain, the daemon started chewing up processor space and the server's resource watchdog promptly killed it. Starting it with </p>

<pre><code>nice --20 ./bitcoind -daemon -testnet
</code></pre>

<p>seems to have more or less made the entire problem go away.</p>

<p>I feel a bit stupid now.</p>
 5757: <p>You also need to use -testnet when connecting to the daemon. Try</p>

<pre><code> ./bitcoind -testnet getinfo
</code></pre>
