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Author Topic: How do I import compressed private keys into Electrum?  (Read 3106 times)
FTL_Ian (OP)
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December 07, 2012, 07:06:08 PM
 #1

Made a new key with the Satoshi client.  Dumpprivkey.  Took the output and attempted an import with electrum - it failed.  Figured out that electrum likes uncompressed private keys.  Used Brainwallet.org to convert the compressed private key to an uncompressed private key.  Ran electrum import on the uncompressed key - it imported successfully.

Ran electrum, but don't see the BTC that should be associated with the private key.  Any idea why not?

I'm confused.  Whether I send the BTC to the compressed address or the uncompressed address, shouldn't they both register the transaction?
FTL_Ian (OP)
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December 07, 2012, 07:09:30 PM
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According to a post on this other thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=129652.0

One private key has two public addresses, one compressed and one uncompressed.

So after dumping the private key from Satoshi and converting it to uncompressed and importing to Electrum, the BTC is inaccessible from Electrum, apparently.

I guess my question is, how does one export a compressed key from Satoshi into Electrum and retain the BTC? 
ThomasV
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December 07, 2012, 07:14:05 PM
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Used Brainwallet.org to convert the compressed private key to an uncompressed private key.

why do you trust this website? do you have any reason to believe they did not steal your coins?

A private key is private, and it should remain private.

Electrum: the convenience of a web wallet, without the risks
FTL_Ian (OP)
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December 07, 2012, 07:17:13 PM
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Used Brainwallet.org to convert the compressed private key to an uncompressed private key.

why do you trust this website? do you have any reason to believe they did not steal your coins?

A private key is private, and it should remain private.


It's client-side javascript.  Just to be safe, I disconnected my internet before using the script, then closed the browser.

I would have preferred to not use any tool whatsoever.  There's only .01 BTC in the wallet, so it's no big deal.  I'm just experimenting.

I would not have used Brainwallet if I could figure out how to import a private key dumped from the Satoshi client into Electrum.  Any idea how to accomplish this?  Electrum does not appear to like the compressed output of Satoshi.
ThomasV
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December 07, 2012, 07:21:57 PM
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no, Electrum does not support compressed keys (except for verifying signed messages)

Electrum: the convenience of a web wallet, without the risks
FTL_Ian (OP)
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December 07, 2012, 07:23:27 PM
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So I can import keys from Electrum to Satoshi, but not the other way around?
ThomasV
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December 07, 2012, 07:28:52 PM
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So I can import keys from Electrum to Satoshi, but not the other way around?

exactly.

Electrum: the convenience of a web wallet, without the risks
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