Wow, that did it.  Thank you!

Not sure where that 71t5T98T wallet came from or why I recognize it and why it has the same root key.

This time, when I restored 2cP2BUXi7, I left the "encrypt" box checked.  Pretty sure I didn't last time.  Therefore, when it restored, it's security was "Encrypted" rather than "watch-only" like previously and it signed a transaction.

One last stupid question because I don't remember this being the same, and after all of the headaches and panicking, I'm now being overly cautious.

I'm only trying to move 0.0005 btc as a test, but this is how the tx is being described in the broadcast window:



This transaction will spend x.098955 BTC from the wallet "Primary Wallet (Watch)" (2cP2BUXi7) to the following recipients:

Table shows:

Correct receiving address                                              0.0005
Wallet:  "Primary Wallet (Watch)"  (3Btalvivm...)     x.0979
Transaction fee:                                                           0.000555

Total leaving wallet:                                                   x.098955

Where x is NOT 0.

So "Total leaving wallet" is unsettling to say the least, but I suspect this is just a change address and it's really the total leaving the address where this bitcoin is.  Correct?  That 3Btalvivm... address is unsettling too, because I can't see all of it!   It's also concerning because I have more than x btc in the wallet, but I guess they are associated with other addresses?

I guess just a thumbs up confirmation is all I'm looking for unless you say I'm about to send x btc into irretrievable oblivion.

If I don't hear back today, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

71t5T98T does not show a balance.  But it is on the off line laptop.

Not really trying to restore 2cP2BUXi7.  It is on my desktop, watch-only, and showing a balance.  I'm trying to move those funds to a different wallet, but cannot sign transactions on the off line laptop.

It is my understanding that 71t5T98T signs transactions for 2cP2BUXi7.  That is how I've always moved coin in the past.  But the laptop I used is down and I can't confirm the offline wallet ID.  However, I do recognize 71t5T98T, and it appears to have the same root key as 2cP2BUXi7.  However, it will not sign transactions on the new, working laptop with the restored wallet.

First, I think I restored it as a 1.35 version using root and chain and got the 2cP2BUXi7 watch-only.  But you could be correct.

Then I panicked and restored it as a 1.35c version using root only and got the 71t5T98T encrypted.  Which again, is an ID I recognize from years ago.

Answer to the important question, the watch-only 2cP2BUXi7 shows the balance.  It is the ID listed on my paper backup with root key and chain code.

Can I delete both wallets and try again? 

Thanks again, goatpig, I really appreciate both you and HCP helping.

I don't think so?  Never even heard of it until I saw it as a back-up option in 0.96.4  And I see nothing that indicates it on my paper backup.

Thanks, goatpig.  So maybe I'm missing something when restoring???  Because when I restore using version 1.35 and both root and chain, I get a watch only wallet ID 2cP2BUXi7.  Yet, in the latest version of Armory, I don't even see the option to "Backup This Wallet" on this watching only version.

However, when I look at the restored wallet ID 71t5T98T on my laptop, "Backup This Wallet" is available, and when I use it, I get the same Root Key that is on my paper wallet, and no chain code.

And I just noticed that the wallet properties of 71t5T98T say that it is version 1.35, not 1.35c???

Should a watching only wallet have a different wallet ID from the off line signing wallet as mine seem to?  Now that I have 0.96.4, should I just delete the wallets and try again using both root key and chain code and version 1.35?  I believe I set these up back on version 0.88.1.  Was Armory handling these differently then?  Very confusing.

Thanks, HCP!  That appears to have corrected my immediate problem and I'm now showing a balance.  Not sure if it was the upgrading, the config file, or both.  Here is a current log file:

https://pastebin.com/dG4aWgAU


But my saga continues!  This is a watch-only wallet and the offline wallet is on a laptop that won't fire up (power issue, I think).  So I've attempted to use my paper backup to restore the wallet on a working laptop, but I find it very confusing to say the least, and I fear that my dumb ass may have only backed up the watch-only wallet???  This attempt at restoring was done several days ago before you started helping me, but the laptop does now have Vers 0.96.4

The paper backup has the following info: 

Wallet Name:          Primary Wallet
Wallet Unique ID:    2cP2BUXi7
Wallet Version:        1.35

Root Key and a Chain Code.

This backup was created years ago, it's the only one I have, and I'm pretty sure this is the only Armory Wallet I've ever created.

When attempting to restore the wallet on the laptop, I selected the Version 1.35 and entered both the Root Key and Chain Code and it restored the watch-only wallet.  While trying to troubleshoot on my own, I discovered that if I select Version 1.35c and enter only the Root Key, it restores a wallet with a different ID, 71t5... which I do recognize from years ago when I set this all up, remember thinking it was odd that I had two different ID's.  Am I just missing something here or did I fail to backup the offline wallet years ago???  As it is right now, this wallet with ID71t5... will not sign transactions from the watch-only wallet.  I'm pretty sure the files are ok on the old laptop, but I'm hoping to avoid going down the road of repairing/restoring it right now.

Thank you, again.

So, using Notepad, I created a one line text file file called ArmoryQt.conf with satoshi-datadir="L:\Bitcoin" and placed it here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory

Is that what you were suggesting?  It appears to still be searching the default path.  New log: https://pastebin.com/L2BkF37V

Thanks, HCP.  When I run Bitcoin core manually, the Debug Window does indicate L:\Bitcoin as the Datadir value. 

But can you explain how I follow this step: "and use a armoryqt.conf file to specify that the Bitcoin datadir is in L:\Bitcoin"   Code: (armoryqt.conf) - satoshi-datadir="L:\Bitcoin"

This is where I've been unable to follow your directions for DrakonX, as well as others posting on this topic here and elsewhere.

Hello All,

I say "Either" because I see many related posts and I have exhausted most of those recommendations, to the best of my ability, to no avail.  My problem seems to be very similar to the thread posted by DrakonX - "Armory states not to be online and does nothing to change this"

I too have attempted to point Armory to the external hd (where Core is fully synced) using the GUI, (Bitcoin Home Dir: L:\Bitcoin) but I'm currently leaving the Bitcoin Install Dir blank.  I've seen HCP recommend to point that to the external hd as well, but that doesn't work for me and I suspect it's because I don't meet the requirement in his next statement:

"Bitcoin Install Dir" = Path to where your Bitcoin Core "Portable" dir is... (NOTE: Armory is expecting bitcoind.exe to be in a subfolder named "daemon")"

I am no developer, and have probably screwed something up trying to fix this, so I've posted my log file here:  https://pastebin.com/qz20wuqm  and would greatly appreciate any help. 

Thank you, in advance!