Question!

[zpinto]

Hi!
I read that every bitcoin information is stored through out the network, but i also read about people losing their HDD and losing their bitcoins along with it?
Hows that? isnt it stored over the internet?
Im thinking of reinstall windows, what files should i back up?

[grondilu]

What is stored all over the internet is the full history of all transactions of everybody.

What is stored on your PC and your PC only is the set of private keys that you use to sign your transactions.  If you lose those keys, nobody can help you to recover them.

The file you should backup is called "wallet.dat".

All these are standard newbie questions, please read the FAQ and visit the wiki.

[FooDSt4mP]

What is stored all over the internet is the full history of all transactions of everybody.

What is stored on your PC and your PC only is the set of private keys that you use to sign your transactions.  If you lose those keys, nobody can help you to recover them.

APP_DATA/Bitcoin/wallet.dat (I think... I run linux, so mine's at ~/.bitcoin/wallet.dat)

[PiGames]

What is stored all over the internet is the full history of all transactions of everybody.

What is stored on your PC and your PC only is the set of private keys that you use to sign your transactions.  If you lose those keys, nobody can help you to recover them.

APP_DATA/Bitcoin/wallet.dat (I think... I run linux, so mine's at ~/.bitcoin/wallet.dat)

C:/users/app data(hidden folder)/roaming/bitcoin/wallet.dat for win vista/7