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Title: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: SMOKEU on August 08, 2011, 07:52:21 AM I know that by default the wallet.dat is stored in C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin
To secure this wallet, do I remove the wallet.dat (eg. ctrl + x the file) away from C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin and then put it in an encrypted folder on multiple HDs to prevent theft? If I do this then do I copy the wallet.dat back into the default folder to add BTC to the wallet, then remove the wallet again and encrypt the updated version? So basically if I open the Bitcoin app, since there is no wallet.dat will it just show up as having 0 BTC unless I manually copy the wallet.dat back over to the default directory? Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: ffuentes on August 08, 2011, 07:55:56 AM I know that by default the wallet.dat is stored in C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin To secure this wallet, do I remove the wallet.dat (eg. ctrl + x the file) away from C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin and then put it in an encrypted folder on multiple HDs to prevent theft? If I do this then do I copy the wallet.dat back into the default folder to add BTC to the wallet, then remove the wallet again and encrypt the updated version? So basically if I open the Bitcoin app, since there is no wallet.dat will it just show up as having 0 BTC unless I manually copy the wallet.dat back over to the default directory? ... yes. ¿? Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: gressen on August 08, 2011, 10:47:28 AM I know that by default the wallet.dat is stored in C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin To secure this wallet, do I remove the wallet.dat (eg. ctrl + x the file) away from C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\BitCoin and then put it in an encrypted folder on multiple HDs to prevent theft? If I do this then do I copy the wallet.dat back into the default folder to add BTC to the wallet, then remove the wallet again and encrypt the updated version? So basically if I open the Bitcoin app, since there is no wallet.dat will it just show up as having 0 BTC unless I manually copy the wallet.dat back over to the default directory? You may want to consider secure wiping the file instead of just deleting it. Also you don't need to open your wallet if you send coins to it, they will reach it even if it is stashed away in a safe box. Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: SMOKEU on August 08, 2011, 11:44:29 AM What I've just done is downloaded and installed TrueCrypt, then I moved the wallet.dat into the encrypted folder (which is mounted as a virtual drive). Then I unmounted the virtual drive meaning it can't be accessed again without a password.
After I did that I opened up the Bitcoin client and it made a new wallet.dat which didn't have any of my coins in it. I then accessed the encrypted folder and copied the wallet.dat into it to test it and my BTC balance was restored along with my bitcoin address. Is simply moving the file to an encrypted volume safer than deleting it? Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: gressen on August 08, 2011, 02:08:36 PM Moving and deleting both leave a chance for undeleting. You may want to copy the file to your secure drive and then wipe the original with some secure delete tool that will delete it and then overwrite that location on disk with new bits. This way the file can no longer be undeleted.
Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: Maged on August 08, 2011, 02:11:18 PM Just whatever you do, before you start securely wiping anything, test the backup.
Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: rbc2012 on August 08, 2011, 04:01:51 PM This is a good open source Windows program for securely erasing files.
http://eraser.heidi.ie Note: No secure/wipe/erase program will work on SSDs (Solid State Drives). Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: metacontent on August 08, 2011, 04:30:06 PM This is a good open source Windows program for securely erasing files. http://eraser.heidi.ie Note: No secure/wipe/erase program will work on SSDs (Solid State Drives). Thanks, I was looking for something like this. Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: indio007 on August 08, 2011, 04:43:45 PM Bitcoin can't be running when you back up your wallet. My wallet ultimately goes offline in an encrypted rar with recovery record and 17 char passphrase that is a pattern on the keyboard. and no it isn't the the code for Contra Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: guci22 on August 08, 2011, 10:02:41 PM This would work!
Title: Re: Yet another wallet.dat question Post by: kjj on August 09, 2011, 12:36:43 AM This is a good open source Windows program for securely erasing files. http://eraser.heidi.ie Note: No secure/wipe/erase program will work on SSDs (Solid State Drives). If you need certain erasure from a SSD, use a drill press. Bonus points if you can convince the company to issue a RMA number for a drilled flash drive. Bitcoin can't be running when you back up your wallet. My wallet ultimately goes offline in an encrypted rar with recovery record and 17 char passphrase that is a pattern on the keyboard. and no it isn't the the code for Contra The latest version has a command that backs up the wallet without stopping the client. |