MultiBit Lost BTC

[123AverageJoe123]

I recently seemed to have lost my bitcoin after downloading Multibit and transferring my BTC to my offline Multibit wallet from an online exchange. I am a total newb, go figure. Anyway, I saved the multibit application on a USB drive (where I thought my wallet file was also, I now realize it is automatically saved to the C: drive with multibit). I tested the USB drive and my multibit wallet several times , pulling in and out of the same offline computer where my wallet came up with my full balance of BTC every time. Then I tried to access my wallet from a secondary offline computer. When I did that the following error message appeared in multibit:

Unable to load "https://multibit.org/version.txt". The error was "java.net.UnknownHostException multibit.org".

Now ever since this my wallet has a 0 balance of BTC regardless of what computer I try to access my wallet on.

I am not sure if my first wallet file was just never saved and I lost my BTC forever, (because like an idiot newb with a severe lack of technical experience I did not export my wallet to be backed up somewhere yet. I actually thought that I did do that, but it was only the MultiBit application, not the actual wallet file. However this is confusing because MultiBit saves your wallet files automatically on the C drive so I am not sure why it would not have the first time around) or if it has something to do with the message above and that I am using my original wallet file.

I will make a good donation to anyone that can help me recover my BTC.

I am fascinated by monetary theory and the concept of BTC, but am obviously a newb in the tech world. I am sure this has been stated by several before me, but Bitcoin applications have to be developed that are completely idiot proof for a non tech person. This is the only way BTC will ever make it mainstream and become viable to the masses.

[Eluc]

Hello,
you should always do a paper backup of your wallet. If so you can restore it anytime in case of problem with your bitcoin client.

Are you on windows ? linux ? you should locate your user data and find the wallet file. wallet.dat or something. Sorry I'm not very familiar with multibit.

[123AverageJoe123]

Yes I understand about the paper wallet now..... It was on windows. I located the only wallet file that could be the correct one and I get this message on the bottom of the multibit client when I open the wallet file:

Unable to load "https://multibit.org/version.txt". The error was "java.net.UnknownHostException multibit.org"

It is also possible that the original wallet file did not save and the wallet i am trying to access is the wrong file. But that does not make much sense since multibit automatically saves wallet files. I think the error message I am receiving should explain things, but I dont know what it means and/or what to do.

I tried to post this question in the Multibit forum but I cant since Im a newb. Someone please help.

Thanks,

Joe

[ija]

I lost my bitcoin too in multibit... suspect. I saved the wallet to my usb drive. 0.1 btc and now theres nothing and the receive address isn't the same... i am i in error in some way ?

[ija]

I can load the wallet because its named coldstorgae. so it should be the same wallet? I just took the usb drive out closed the wallet put the usb back in tried to open the wallet and now the account is 0? is this a scam?

[Hei_]

I can load the wallet because its named coldstorgae. so it should be the same wallet? I just took the usb drive out closed the wallet put the usb back in tried to open the wallet and now the account is 0? is this a scam?

no scam. you have to do now regenareting the block-chain >tools>recall blockchain

[ija]

Hi Hei_
I didnt have to do that although i still may...

Lucky i researched further, and found this article

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=159428.0

From here there is help to trouble shot this problem. I went to Help (within multibit), then clicked "Help contents" and within that clicked Trouble shooting.

There look for where Multibit stores your data.

PC
"APPDATA" environment setting>/MultiBit    e.g. C:/Documents and Settings/Administrator/Application Data/MultiBit

Mine was in

C:\Users\i\AppData\Roaming\MultiBit

Anyway in this folder is a back up of your wallet.

Click open wallet from within multibit and find this file, wala!

That should open your old wallet with your bitcoins intact (with any luck)

This worked for me so it may work for you too

123AverageJoe123