Bitcoin Forum

Other => Beginners & Help => Topic started by: timbck2 on March 19, 2012, 08:11:12 PM



Title: Using wallet.dat on more than one computer
Post by: timbck2 on March 19, 2012, 08:11:12 PM
Is it possible to copy a wallet.dat file from one computer to another and access the same wallet in two places? For instance, on a home PC and a work PC?


Title: Re: Using wallet.dat on more than one computer
Post by: notme on March 19, 2012, 08:14:16 PM
Is it possible to copy a wallet.dat file from one computer to another and access the same wallet in two places? For instance, on a home PC and a work PC?

Possible, yes.  Recommended, no.  The wallet contains unused keys that are pregenerated.  Whenever you use one of these, a new one is generated and added to the end.  After you get past the shared pregenerated keys, the wallets will diverge and things can get messy.


Title: Re: Using wallet.dat on more than one computer
Post by: ThomasV on March 19, 2012, 08:16:00 PM
Is it possible to copy a wallet.dat file from one computer to another and access the same wallet in two places? For instance, on a home PC and a work PC?

it is possible to use the same wallet on 2 computers with Electrum: http://ecdsa.org/electrum


Title: Re: Using wallet.dat on more than one computer
Post by: notme on March 19, 2012, 08:33:02 PM
how does that work?

Electrum uses deterministic keys.  Basically, they are all derived from one master private key.  The disadvantage being if someone gets that key, they can spend all your bitcoins and any future bitcoins that get sent to any of your addresses.


Title: Re: Using wallet.dat on more than one computer
Post by: amytron on March 19, 2012, 08:41:49 PM
how does that work?

Electrum uses deterministic keys.  Basically, they are all derived from one master private key.  The disadvantage being if someone gets that key, they can spend all your bitcoins and any future bitcoins that get sent to any of your addresses.

well thats not good if the master key gets stolen