can't restore wallet with over 40k btc in it. Please HELP!

[kohlanta]

I own this address:

1MR6pXDZ6gpBVN8n61SqCNF61vU8ZzRu8Y

If you look it up in the blockchain, you can see that currently it contains 44,914.031337 BTC

When I try to restore the wallet containing this address in bitcoind on ubuntu, it tells me the balance is zero.  Here are some outputs:

Code:

$ bitcoind getinfo
{
    "version" : 60300,
    "protocolversion" : 60001,
    "walletversion" : 60000,
    "balance" : 0.00000000,
    "blocks" : 194708,
    "connections" : 6,
    "proxy" : "127.0.0.1:9050",
    "difficulty" : 2190865.97010286,
    "testnet" : false,
    "keypoololdest" : 1336772999,
    "keypoolsize" : 101,
    "paytxfee" : 0.00000000,
    "errors" : ""
}

Code:

$ bitcoind validateaddress 1MR6pXDZ6gpBVN8n61SqCNF61vU8ZzRu8Y
{
    "isvalid" : true,
    "address" : "1MR6pXDZ6gpBVN8n61SqCNF61vU8ZzRu8Y",
    "ismine" : true,
    "pubkey" : "02701400207b34aa2b8579625e6a9a3bfd6dc6e55cbe000dc693f46615a18d13a4",
    "iscompressed" : true,
    "account" : ""
}

As you can see, the address is present in the wallet, and the blockchain is up to date, yet the balance reads zero.  If anyone with the correct privileges feels it is appropriate, I would very much appreciate a repost of this in the main tech support section.  100 btc to anyone who can help me solve this problem.  Thanks!

[fcmatt]

Do a rescan please. Bitcoin -rescan

[kohlanta]

that means I should stop the wallet, delete everything but wallet.dat and bitcoin.conf, and then start it up again, right?

[fcmatt]

that means I should stop the wallet, delete everything but wallet.dat and bitcoin.conf, and then start it up again, right?

No. You can just stop bitcoin client and run the command. Keep blockcahin there.

Also is command line arg of -datadir=xxx to make sure it knows where to look in case it is not seeing it.

Also command of -checkblocks to makr sure integrity of blockchain

[Lethos]

Just follow these steps:
Shut down the Bitcoin program.
Copy your backed-up wallet.dat into your bitcoin data directory.
If copying into existing profile, delete files blk*.dat to make the client re-download the block chain.

*pray to which ever god of your choosing*

Generally speaking aslong as you have these backups, you are fine.

[JingleBalls]

As you can see, the address is present in the wallet, and the blockchain is up to date, yet the balance reads zero.  If anyone with the correct privileges feels it is appropriate, I would very much appreciate a repost of this in the main tech support section.  100 btc to anyone who can help me solve this problem.  Thanks!

That certainly is a lot of BTC, good luck in getting them back. From the sounds of it the rescan is exactly what's needed.

[kohlanta]

sorry it's a bit over my head.  I did:

Code:

bitcoind help

, but didn't see a command for rescanning.  can you please be more specific about what I should type in exactly?

[Tachikoma]

sorry it's a bit over my head.  I did:

Code:

bitcoind help

, but didn't see a command for rescanning.  can you please be more specific about what I should type in exactly?

This should do the trick:

Code:

bitcoind -rescan

If that still doesn't fix it you could try the undocumented -checkblocks, please note that this can take quite some time.

Code:

bitcoind -checkblocks

[Lethos]

sorry it's a bit over my head.  I did:

Code:

bitcoind help

, but didn't see a command for rescanning.  can you please be more specific about what I should type in exactly?

bitcoind -rescan

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin

[Jutarul]

sorry it's a bit over my head.  I did:

Code:

bitcoind help

, but didn't see a command for rescanning.  can you please be more specific about what I should type in exactly?

This should do the trick:

Code:

bitcoind -rescan

bitcoind --help

[fcmatt]

sorry it's a bit over my head.  I did:

Code:

bitcoind help

, but didn't see a command for rescanning.  can you please be more specific about what I should type in exactly?

windows
C:\Program Files (x86)\Bitcoin\bitcoin.exe -rescan

linux

bitcoind -rescan

[kohlanta]

success!  where would you like your coins sent fcmatt?

[JingleBalls]

Do you also own the other addresses that end in .031337 BTC?

[Jutarul]

ok, doing the rescan now.  Thank you for the help!  I guess the reward will go to fcmatt if this works since he was the first to respond   I'll let you know the result as soon as the scan is done.

wow there was a reward!? 

[JingleBalls]

'bitcoind --help' shows it, 'bitcoind help' shows commands for the running daemon. Good luck with it, if the wallet.dat file is the right one everything should be fine.

Btw, why are you offering 100BTC to recover 40 BTC??

Check again, 44914.03133700 is in that address.

[fcmatt]

'bitcoind --help' shows it, 'bitcoind help' shows commands for the running daemon. Good luck with it, if the wallet.dat file is the right one everything should be fine.

Btw, why are you offering 100BTC to recover 40 BTC??

http://blockexplorer.com/address/1MR6pXDZ6gpBVN8n61SqCNF61vU8ZzRu8Y

44,000+ btc

[kohlanta]

Do you also own the other addresses that end in .031337 BTC?

what addresses are those?

[Jutarul]

ok, doing the rescan now.  Thank you for the help!  I guess the reward will go to fcmatt if this works since he was the first to respond  I'll let you know the result as soon as the scan is done.

Makes me wonder whether this is a viable business model:
Technical support for large holders of bitcoins who have a lack of computational skills.

[Lethos]

Matt apparently just made 100 btc, seems like a good days work (~1k dollars).

[fcmatt]

now this prob does not matter but how old is this wallet.dat file? are we talking ancient compared to the bitcoin client you
are running today? Just thinking outside the box... but if it was really old it would probably throw off an error like:
wallet corrupted