Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Bitcoin Discussion => Topic started by: MarcelloM on April 16, 2011, 08:05:59 AM



Title: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: MarcelloM on April 16, 2011, 08:05:59 AM
Can someone tell me where I can find answers to these questions...

1) As far as I understand everything I'll do with BITCOIN will stay in the folder of the application. This means that if I buy or sell bitcoins all files necessary to get the info will stay there. So this means that (GOOD) keeping that folder on a USB is like having cache and (BAD) loosing that folder I loose everything (no user/password system) .. Correct?

2) Can I create a folder on a MAC machine and then use it on a PC machine? Or iPhone? etc...

3) My folder is called "BITCOIN-0.3.19" is it this one we're talking about ?

4) Wich is the file I shouldn't never ever ever loose.. the one that contains all info on my transactions?

5) How do actual transactions occur ? I go to an online shop and want to buy X. Instead of clickin on CreditCard or Paypal I click BitCoin.. then?

Thanks


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: BioMike on April 16, 2011, 08:43:26 AM
Can someone tell me where I can find answers to these questions...

1) As far as I understand everything I'll do with BITCOIN will stay in the folder of the application. This means that if I buy or sell bitcoins all files necessary to get the info will stay there. So this means that (GOOD) keeping that folder on a USB is like having cache and (BAD) loosing that folder I loose everything (no user/password system) .. Correct?

Yes.

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2) Can I create a folder on a MAC machine and then use it on a PC machine? Or iPhone? etc...

I think that should work without any problems. The devs might be more sure about this.

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3) My folder is called "BITCOIN-0.3.19" is it this one we're talking about ?

Well, it's just a name, so I guess so. The files you want to save are in your profile or home directory.
You might want to upgrade, there is a bitcoin-0.3.20 already out.

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4) Wich is the file I shouldn't never ever ever loose.. the one that contains all info on my transactions?

wallet.dat contains all the cryptographic keys to your coins. That file is what you want to keep.
Transactions are not in that file and can be redownloaded through the network.

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5) How do actual transactions occur ? I go to an online shop and want to buy X. Instead of clickin on CreditCard or Paypal I click BitCoin.. then?

Thanks

Implementations can differ between stores, but it will go something like this:
1) Go to shop, select product and go to a checkout site.
2) You will be presented a bitcoin address.
3) You transfer the required amount to that address (from within your client).
4) Transaction completed and your product will be shipped.


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: Cryptoman on April 16, 2011, 04:11:05 PM
3) My folder is called "BITCOIN-0.3.19" is it this one we're talking about ?

4) Wich is the file I shouldn't never ever ever loose.. the one that contains all info on my transactions?

The file which you don't ever want to lose is called wallet.dat and is usually stored in a different directory than the program files.  On linux the directory's default location is ~/.bitcoin.  Not sure about Mac and Windows.


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: legion050 on April 16, 2011, 06:33:26 PM
on win 7 it is C:\Users\%User%\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: MarcelloM on April 16, 2011, 11:27:01 PM
Thanks to all. I wonder if could unify allcoins i one string (maybe i pay somebod and he Pays me back all at once). I then could write tha string on paper an bring money with me just on a piece of paper. Or no?


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: BioMike on April 17, 2011, 08:34:27 AM
Thanks to all. I wonder if could unify allcoins i one string (maybe i pay somebod and he Pays me back all at once). I then could write tha string on paper an bring money with me just on a piece of paper. Or no?

Please write proper English, I'm not a native speaker and the language above is difficult for me to read and understand without reading it 2 times.

Writing down keys to coins in IMHO not doable. The best thing you can do is put them in an escrow or send them to a mybitcoin account and take the login data with you on the paper.


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: PLATO on April 17, 2011, 08:59:16 AM
MarcelloM - your 'wallet.dat' file contains your coins and is most likely NOT located in your bitcoin.exe directory. locations on all platforms: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Securing_your_wallet#Locating_BitCoin_s_data_directory
Also, if you want to combine all your coins into 'one big coin,' you can do that by sending all your coins in one lump transaction to another wallet (or a service like mybitcoin.com, then sending it back)

BioMike: No need to get your panties in a twist re: language, maybe he's not a native speaker either? also, there's a couple guys (llama for one) developing physical incarnations of btc


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: MarcelloM on April 17, 2011, 09:03:25 AM
Thanks again. Does somebody know where I can find a Mac Miner software that can use my iMac's graphic card GPU (ATI Radeon HD 4850). I know it's almost the point where mining is not convenient... It's just.. I'll like to try and see what happens.


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: PLATO on April 17, 2011, 09:10:59 AM
Search the forums, dig through the Mining subforum for ideas. I don't have a mac so I don't want to give you bad recommendations.


Title: Re: Help! Newbie !!!
Post by: ryepdx on April 17, 2011, 12:28:02 PM
DiabloMiner is written in Java and thus should work.