Eh, I spoke too soon. After I verified that my bitcoin client registered my coins, I:

1. deleted my wallet from "~/.bitcoin" (no data loss; my backup is still intact)
2. re-ran ./bitcoin-qt so that it would generate a new wallet
3. moved the new wallet.dat file to a backup
4. re-copied my origianl wallet from my backup into "~/.bitcoin"
5. ran ./bitcoin-qt

Bitcoin started and again displayed 0.00 BTC. So, I:

1. closed my bitcoin client
2. executed `./bitcoin-qt -rescan`

This successfully registered my coins agian.

Is this a bug? ...or is it normal behaviour to have to execute " -rescan" when switching wallet files?

Welp, my blockchain finishe downloading, and my coins registered! Not sure why this didn't happen the first time, but I'm fantastically relieved

Thanks for all your help!

Not yet. Just before posting this message I created a fresh, new .bitcoin directory and started downloading the blockchain again (when all else fails, reboot). Pulling from TOR while the .bitcoin directory is stored on an encrypted folder on an external drive, the whole blockchain takes >6 hours to download x_x.

I know. I know. I'm ridiculioius..but it's fun for me to do things bullet-proof [so long as I don't loose BTC in the process!]

My plan:

1. finish getting downloading the blockchain
2. verify the blockchain is fully downloaded (162055 blocks)
3. If 0.00 BTC, Close bitcoin-qt. Run `./bitcoin-qt -rescan`
4. If still 0.00 BTC, checkout strong coin

Side question: Is there a manual page on the bitcoin-qt command outlining its accepted arguments (ie: -rescan)?

Thanks again,
-Ed

I was thinking: Is it necessary to have your bitcoin client download the entire blockchain before backing up the wallet.dat file?


Yes. Clicking "Recieve Coins" in the bitcoin client shows me the same address that I recorded in step #3.


Can you define "verify emperically?" Is there anything I should check besides checking the Bitcoin Address showing in the client after clicking "Recieve Coins" to verify that all is well with my wallet.dat file (permissions, integrity, etc)?


Definietly. I absolutely should have tested my method with a few BTC before dropping >50 USD hoping that theory would match implementation without a test run. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

Hi Bitcontalk!

I just bought my first bitcoins! Blockexplorer shows that I have >14 BTC, but my bitcoin client reads 0.00 BTC. Can you please help me find out why?

Here's what I did (perhaps there is an error in my process):

1. Booted to a live-CD (TAILS)
2. Downloaded bitcoin. ran ./bitcoin-qt
3. Wrote down my Bitcoin Address
4. Closed bitcoin-qt.
5. Copied wallet.dat to an encrypted tarball on an external drive.
6. Shutdown live OS environment.
7. Used get-bitcoin.com to send USD->BTC to my Bitcoin Address in (3).
8. Waited until  blockexplorer showed a balance at my Bitcoin Address.
9. Booted to the live-CD.
10. Downloaded bitcoin.
11. Created an encrypted folder ".bitcoin" on an external drive using Cryptkeeper. Created a symlink to the ".bitcoin" directory on the external drive at "~/.bitcoin".
12. Decrypted tarball from external drive. Copied wallet.dat to "~/.bitcoin"
13. ran ./bitcoin-qt
14. Waited for the entire blockchain to be downloaded.
15. Saw 0.00 BTC
16. Re-checked blockexplorer; verified I should have >14 BTC.
17. WTF
18. Registered for bitcointalk forums.

Also, I'm using TOR, so bitcoin-qt is configured to connect to the 127.0.0.1 SOCKS proxy--in case that makes any differences.

TIA!