Bitcoin Forum

1. I have an old wallet saved (unencrypted) with a few coins on it. I took this off my old computer and just downloaded the bitcoin client again. Is there a guide to plugging those coins into my new client? I figure there is a guide around somewhere, but though I could ask.

2. More pressing and difficult.. I used to use Bitcoin OTC way before you needed to do some sort of PGP Authentication to even join the channel. In general, I had problems using Win GPG or whatever it was called, so there are probably keys from a few attempts sitting around on my old computer. I need to figure out what I am looking for and how to join OTC again. What am I looking for and how do I do this?

Type ;;guide on the channel; it's a pretty comprehensive overview. There's also this (shameless plug): https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=98574.0

I can't even ;;guide because I need to recover my password to freenode first and ATM don't even see how to do that.

I found some stuff on bitcoin OTC's website... now just to decipher it. Thanks for the offer but I need to figure this out to prove who I am to try to get a loan, so maybe not the best time to be asking me for BTC heh.

Freenode doesn't require a password. It provides NickServ, which does use passwords; you can Google for information about that. If you've been away for a long time, freenode staff will drop the nick for you.

Looks like someone just recently got the nick dropped and probably tried to use it to scam, only used it for a day, so I will have to wait 8+ weeks to get it again hoping they don't log in.

I am hoping that my Bitcoin OTC name can be tied to another IRC name... This whole thing sucks.

For your wallet, you can simply overwrite your new install with the wallet.dat from the old computer -- assuming you haven't used the new wallet yet.  Just close the client, and copy the file in to the Bitcoin directory.

 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Data_directory

For the -OTC, if you've already registered a username in the Web of Trust (WoT), then you will need the GPG private key from the old computer or from a backup to authenticate into that username.  
 - http://bitcoin-otc.com/viewratings.php

Just to be clear, the IRC nick doesn't necessarily need to be the same as the WoT username.  It is more convenient and less confusing if they are the same, but there's no requirement that they be the same.   So if you don't already have a a WoT entry, you can register as if it is the first time.

If instead you already registered and need to bring your GPG private key from your old computer, then there will be a different set of steps.    Generally, you want to, from the old computer, export the key.  Then on the new one you import the key.

Thanks. What I really need to do is "sign a PGP message" with whatever key I used for OTC, more than be able to visit OTC, though that will be nice to get sorted out later.

I remember fiddling with PGP and being frustrated, so that is why I never went back to OTC. I think I have several PGP keys setup, so is there some way to tell from my OTC listing which is the right one?

http://pool.sks-keyservers.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=vindex&search=0x05EC22B9A0119189344EF3786FCB388C6281BDB0 (http://pool.sks-keyservers.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=vindex&search=0x05EC22B9A0119189344EF3786FCB388C6281BDB0)

just go on a terminal/shell/command prompt and type "gpg --clearsign"

Obviously, the one with id 6281BDB0.

If only it were that easy.. I actually haven't been able to get on my old computer (hardware issue, but I think I can cannibalize my new system for the part).

I did save my whole old GnuPG folder when I backed up stuff, though I don't think I have the proper keys to import into GPA.

I have something I named gribble.text.asc

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

6bdd886ca849a2d3bf89a7dd8144a576e79681f035f7117b80c7563d5490cc3e
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.14 (MingW32)

iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJNdBEnAAoJEG/LOIxigb2weewH/jKyTg3JcJNZS0GCRNGsKOAd
+ChProQS/Hx5kINZjWOnVfft92VZi7UfMH3MS88zN4p5ynEw8m5EjJBUju0s10yC
gW889PhOqFScZFsMEJPR5tm1T5BEdB4VjwlazQRb2OZlMWbmDsmZkZqenOqtTGbf
VJACYeMjsbfy4HwBQ+9PGgqw+xANucMQkrzpugHUIeLHUjxXP1bXrhYE2fJg9Omh
RrqIkUrJR1pYN01LOCCJnQys/bXWXOEvi/ew2KXUN3C1kcgiMWNZdGk7MAVRKwFK
LeF+KHwFbuAPd6D8zOpGi6aN7NN1ryuhlKvuIBbV4LR17raLO5G4gkyff2+W54A=
=HkiD
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Is this worth anything to recovering a key? I think all I have is this and a text file of similar. This is some sort of clearsign of a response code gribble gives and nothing useful?

The public and private keys are stored in the storage keyring namely pubring.gpg for public keys and secring.gpg for private keys.

If you have those, you can import them.  Don't overwrite the file that exists on your new installation.  In fact, in the directory from the old computer, rename the files secring.gpg -->  secring-bak.gpg  and   pubring.gpg  --->  pubring-bak.gpg

Then:

  gpg --import pubring-bak.gpg
  gpg --import secring-bak.gpg

Thanks but somehow I don't have either of those .gpg files either. I'm not sure why. I installed a fresh GPA and it is fairly intuitive, but it offers to store the first private key you make anywhere so maybe I stored that somewhere random and when I thought I was backing up everything important in the GnuPG folder I left that out. I use win7 and when I search *.gpg all I get is stuff from my new install.

My old computer was kind of an intermediate Dell POS after I had a freak accident destroy a build I made. I put my old HDD along with the intermediate computer, but to do that I had to swap Sata/power cables with the DVD drive. When I built a new system I was short on (IDE?) power cables for my HD/SSD/BR and took some out of the old system. I bought a new one but then since I didn't really need it misplaced it and let it all slide. This is easy to put back from the new system if I have to,  but the old-old HDD somehow also had the plastic around the SATA connector broken off, a metal prong bent and it took me a while to even get it back in place. I think this second HD is where the real GPG info must be, if at all, and hopefully I can get it if I just shutdown my new computer and power the old drive.

It is kind of too late now though and I don't even care. I will definitely be more careful if I try to be involved with this crap again. Thanks to all for your patient help.

What GPG files from the old installation do you have?

None, but I don't know why. It seems like I backed up the whole GnuPG folder but kept everything important somewhere else. The hardware problem is mostly fixed, I just don't have a need anymore to get this solved immediately so I will hopefully be able to complete it another time and refer to this thread. Thanks everyone for help.