Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Bitcoin Technical Support => Topic started by: hyzioo on December 04, 2017, 12:35:01 PM



Title: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: hyzioo on December 04, 2017, 12:35:01 PM
Hello,

I have an paper wallet that was created before August 1st.
Now I wanted to import or sweep it to Bitcoin Core or Electrum wallet, but I can't.

On Bitcoin Core when I try to import I got message:
Code:
Invalid private key encoding (code -5)

On Electrum I cannot click "Sweep button" after paste priv key.

I noticed that my privkey have 51 characters, and new ones have 52.

What should I do to access my BTC?

Thank you for your help!


Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: Mountaingoat on December 04, 2017, 01:29:04 PM
Are you sure the paper wallet you generated was valid? The resource you used might have bugged out.

Other than that, maybe try Coinomi on Android? Maybe that works?


Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: hyzioo on December 04, 2017, 01:41:21 PM
How can I check if it was created valid? When I check wallet status it looks ok, shows me current amount of BTC stored etc.
Tried on Coinomi - also cannot do it.

Maybe should I convert it for some new format?


Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: ranochigo on December 04, 2017, 01:43:27 PM
How can I check if it was created valid? When I check wallet status it looks ok, shows me current amount of BTC stored etc.
Tried on Coinomi - also cannot do it.

Maybe should I convert it for some new format?
Where did you create the wallet? Did you encrypt it? If so, you can't import them into most of the wallets.

Does it start with either 5, L or K?


Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: hyzioo on December 04, 2017, 01:54:13 PM
Wallet has been created on www.bitaddress.org

I don't remember if I encrypted it - how to check it? If you mean I encrypt it on some BTC Core client than no - I never doing anything with that paper wallet, until now.

Private Key starts with K.



Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: ranochigo on December 04, 2017, 02:11:44 PM
Wallet has been created on www.bitaddress.org

I don't remember if I encrypted it - how to check it? If you mean I encrypt it on some BTC Core client than no - I never doing anything with that paper wallet, until now.

Private Key starts with K.


Then its probably not encrypted with BIP38.

Yeah, the private key, if compressed, should be 52 characters long. You might have missed one somewhere.


Title: Re: Need help - cannot import or sweep paper wallet
Post by: hyzioo on December 04, 2017, 02:27:48 PM
Wallet has been created on www.bitaddress.org

I don't remember if I encrypted it - how to check it? If you mean I encrypt it on some BTC Core client than no - I never doing anything with that paper wallet, until now.

Private Key starts with K.


Then its probably not encrypted with BIP38.

Yeah, the private key, if compressed, should be 52 characters long. You might have missed one somewhere.


Thank you!

I have no idea qhy QR Code was not working, but i missed one character on private key. Now I was able to transfer funds.

Thank you very much!