# Correct value for node.counter **URL:** \ **Category:** Operate a Stake Pool\ **Created:** [15 September 2022 11:50 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610 "2022-09-15T11:50:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Evochrome](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/evochrome/32/48115_2.png) [@Evochrome](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Evochrome)\ **Post date:** [15 September 2022 11:50 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610/1 "2022-09-15T11:50:39Z")
So I was just issuing a new `node.cert` and updated node.counter on my airgapped offline machine. Now the thing is that I am not sure what the value of `node.counter` should be for my system. ```auto cardano-cli query kes-period-info \ --${NODE_CONFIG} \ --op-cert-file node.cert ``` returns the following: ![Screenshot from 2022-09-15 13-44-26](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/uploads/cardano/original/3X/2/1/21607d4828a054adca2fed4cf1203d33a037fd28.png) It says that the ‘operational certificate counter agrees with the node protocol state counter’. I am still a bit icky though, as the `qKesNodeStateOperationalCertificateNumber` equals `2` and the `qKesOnDiskOperationalCertificateNumber` equals `3`, which have always been the same value until now. My `node.counter` value is `4`. Are these all correct values? (especially since vasil hard fork has required [OpCert + 1](https://docs.cardano.org/cardano-testnet/about/testnet-introduction)) Thanks a lot, ---
**Author:** ![georgem1976](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/georgem1976/32/38471_2.png) [@georgem1976](https://forum.cardano.org/u/georgem1976)\ **Post date:** [15 September 2022 13:39 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610/2 "2022-09-15T13:39:34Z")
You did not mint any certificate so far with the certificate with the counter 3. Then you created the certificate with the counter 4. If you don’t mint any block before the hard fork, then it is NOT OK. After the hard fork, the next block minted should be with 3 (assuming you don’t mint any block before the hard fork). After the hard fork, every new operational certificate should have the counter “qKesNodeStateOperationalCertificateNumber” + 1. For more details you can take a look at the guide here: [Adjust Node.Counter for KES - How to Guides for Coincashew Method Cardano SPOs](https://ecp.gitbook.io/how-to-guides-for-coincashew-method-cardano-spos/maintenance-and-daily-operations/maintenance-and-daily-operations/adjust-node.counter-for-kes) ---
**Author:** ![ParadoxicalSphere](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/paradoxicalsphere/32/89559_2.png) [@ParadoxicalSphere](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ParadoxicalSphere)\ **Post date:** [15 September 2022 15:38 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610/3 "2022-09-15T15:38:24Z")
The original documentation from the dev team is at [cardano-node/7\_KES\_period.md at master · input-output-hk/cardano-node · GitHub](https://github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-node/blob/master/doc/stake-pool-operations/7_KES_period.md) ---
**Author:** ![Evochrome](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/evochrome/32/48115_2.png) [@Evochrome](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Evochrome)\ **Post date:** [16 September 2022 12:58 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610/4 "2022-09-16T12:58:26Z")
@georgem1976 @ParadoxicalSphere Thanks a lot guys, this was exactly the information I was looking for. I will keep an eye out until the hard fork. If I haven’t minted a block before then, I will rollback the node.counter value. ---
**Author:** ![BBHMM](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/bbhmm/32/29671_2.png) [@BBHMM](https://forum.cardano.org/u/BBHMM)\ **Post date:** [18 October 2022 18:21 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/correct-value-for-node-counter/107610/6 "2022-10-18T18:21:55Z")
Thanks George