I will answer your nooby noob questions about bitcoin!

[🏰 TradeFortress 🏰]

If you have anything that you don't understand about Bitcoin, the bitcoin network, how it works, etc, feel free to ask here.

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[Myrddindc]

Hi, I ave a newbie question!

I had setup the bitcoinqt client on a mac, but it's a bit eavybfor a laptop, so I have setup a new bitcoinqt clientbon my home desktop which is a bit more substantial but is a windows pc. Question is can i still just move my wallet.dat across and take my coins and keys with me to the pc, or is te mac wallet.dat a different format?

Thanks!

Myrddin

[DannyHamilton]

I'm pretty sure the format is the same, but I'd hang on to a backup of the wallet.dat just in case it doesn't open up correctly.

[mr56jkl]

Hi
I am looking at bitcoin.  Learning slowly as I have been reading quite a bit about it.  My question is one of security and safety of the system and an individual's wallet.  My understanding is that if you lost your wallet or the data destroyed, you would lose your money forever.   Is a USB flashdrive susceptible to loss from an EMP attack?  Is the bitcoin service and servers sufficiently redundant around the world such that if there were an EMP attack in say the US and Europe, that the data and service would continue around the world?  I have read that optical storage on a CD drive would survive an EMP attack and thus preserve one's wallet.  Any comments?
thanks
r

[shade]

If you have anything that you don't understand about Bitcoin, the bitcoin network, how it works, etc, feel free to ask here.

why don't you like noobs?   

[DannyHamilton]

. . . Is a USB flashdrive susceptible to loss from an EMP attack? . . .

Uncertain, but it seems likely to me.  If you are really concerned about an EMP, keep most of your bitcoins stored in a paper wallet.  Only keep a few bitcoins in an electronic wallet at any time.

. . . Is the bitcoin service and servers sufficiently redundant around the world such that if there were an EMP attack in say the US and Europe, that the data and service would continue around the world?

Yes.  There is no "Bitcoin service", and there are no "Bitcoin severs".  The system is completely decentralized and peer-to-peer.  Every person running a full client is maintaining a full copy of every bitcoin transaction that has ever existed as well as validating and relaying all new transactions.  Every miner in the world is confirming and securing transactions.

. . . I have read that optical storage on a CD drive would survive an EMP attack and thus preserve one's wallet . . .

Possibly.  I'd feel safer with a paper wallet if I was really worried about an EMP attack.

[MoonShadow]

Hi, I ave a newbie question!

I had setup the bitcoinqt client on a mac, but it's a bit eavybfor a laptop, so I have setup a new bitcoinqt clientbon my home desktop which is a bit more substantial but is a windows pc. Question is can i still just move my wallet.dat across and take my coins and keys with me to the pc, or is te mac wallet.dat a different format?

Thanks!

Myrddin

The format is the same, excepting the fact that many Windoze files have an end-of-file discriptor that Mac files generally do not.  Still, this is an expert level activity that should not be attempted without full backups.  You can't do this without understanding the command-line in both systems, and knowing where the wallet.dat file should be found in both cases.

[Myrddindc]

I'm a newbie at bitcoin, but reasonably proficient at windows/dos and macosx. I know the location of the wallet.dat files on both and gave good backups. So will try and see how it goes if the files should be the same.

Thanks!

Myrddin

[MoonShadow]

Hi
I am looking at bitcoin.  Learning slowly as I have been reading quite a bit about it.  My question is one of security and safety of the system and an individual's wallet.  My understanding is that if you lost your wallet or the data destroyed, you would lose your money forever.   Is a USB flashdrive susceptible to loss from an EMP attack?

Most definately, yes.  Unless you happen to have a faraday cage to keep it in.

  Is the bitcoin service and servers sufficiently redundant around the world such that if there were an EMP attack in say the US and Europe, that the data and service would continue around the world?

There would be a temporary disruption, probably delays; but the outright destruction of bitcoin or the blockchain might actually require a Death Star attack or Giant Yellow Construction Spaceships making way for an interstellar bypass.  Even the destruction of the Internet wouldn't likely destroy the blockchain, although it probably might not be of much value after that.  Bitcoin uses the many-copies-keeps-data-safe method to an extreme, but only one complete copy of the blockchain is required to rebuild the network.

  I have read that optical storage on a CD drive would survive an EMP attack and thus preserve one's wallet. 

Probably, but then how would you read it?  CD's have a limited data lifespan, unless you spend the cash to get archive grade disks and keep them in the refrigerator.  'Bit rot' has a literal meaning with regard to most commercial quality CD-R's

[MoonShadow]

I'm a newbie at bitcoin, but reasonably proficient at windows/dos and macosx. I know the location of the wallet.dat files on both and gave good backups. So will try and see how it goes if the files should be the same.

Thanks!

Myrddin

Restarting your bitcoin client with a new wallet.dat will require that you start the client with the -rescan command line switch, in order to force the client to destroy the database and rebuild it from the beginning of the blockchain.

[Myrddindc]

-rescan.

Fab thanks!

[Cynica]

Hi. Since goggling or reading the wiki page about bitcoins doesn't exactly help my situation answer me this:
What is the fastest, easiest and most reliable way in your opinion to buy bitcoins?
I am in the EU(not uk) and we use euros as currency.
Moneygram and Western Union services are available here.

[bitsource]

Hi. Since goggling or reading the wiki page about bitcoins doesn't exactly help my situation answer me this:
What is the fastest, easiest and most reliable way in your opinion to buy bitcoins?
I am in the EU(not uk) and we use euros as currency.
Moneygram and Western Union services are available here.

I have had good result with Neteller and Ukash, works well for Europe. I am located in Canada and sell BTC to European clients. My advise - stay away from Paypal, you are liable to get scammed very easy.

[DannyHamilton]

. . . What is the fastest, easiest and most reliable way in your opinion to buy bitcoins? . . .

You may want to look into localbitcoins.com

If you are lucky, you might find someone local who is as interested in finding a fast, easy, reliable way of selling bitcoins as you are in buying them.

[Tesla71]

Yes.  There is no "Bitcoin service", and there are no "Bitcoin severs".  The system is completely decentralized and peer-to-peer.  Every person running a full client is maintaining a full copy of every bitcoin transaction that has ever existed as well as validating and relaying all new transactions.  Every miner in the world is confirming and securing transactions.

How does the bitcoin-client find the next peers to connect to?

[MoonShadow]

Yes.  There is no "Bitcoin service", and there are no "Bitcoin severs".  The system is completely decentralized and peer-to-peer.  Every person running a full client is maintaining a full copy of every bitcoin transaction that has ever existed as well as validating and relaying all new transactions.  Every miner in the world is confirming and securing transactions.

How does the bitcoin-client find the next peers to connect to?

There are several ways, actually.  Upon first boot, the client will depend upon an internal list of 'persistant' nodes that accept all  connections, and then it can receive the addresses of new nodes across the p2p connection itself that the first node is aware of.  On later boots, it remembers who it's been connected to in the past an randomly attempts to reconnect.  You can also specify particular nodes to connect to, if you know their address.

[urmadbro]

Sometime ago I purchased Bit coin through GetBitcoin LLC. I didn't know what I was doing and somehow made the purchase without an address to send the bitcoin to. I was told the bitcoin was sent and given tracking information through blockexplorer.com I am trying to deposit bitcoin into an account, but I'm not sure how to access my bitcoin. When I click on the link for the order in my email from GetBitcoin (sent 8/6/12) I get request not found. I have emailed GetBitcoin LLC and I get an email back saying they are out of business. I asked walletbit and was given the impression that blockchain.org might know something about it, but they told me they don't provide support for third party services (I thought they were affiliated with blockexplorer). Is it possible with the information that I have from blockexplorer to access the bitcoin to deposit it (it shows an adress...but it shows lots of different ones  ) ? There is a lot of info sent to me about a completed transaction from blockexplorer.com.....can I use this info to make a deposit?
Moral of my story: learn then go not go then learn

Thanks

[epbaha]

Sometime ago I purchased Bit coin through GetBitcoin LLC. I didn't know what I was doing and somehow made the purchase without an address to send the bitcoin to. I was told the bitcoin was sent and given tracking information through blockexplorer.com I am trying to deposit bitcoin into an account, but I'm not sure how to access my bitcoin. When I click on the link for the order in my email from GetBitcoin (sent 8/6/12) I get request not found. I have emailed GetBitcoin LLC and I get an email back saying they are out of business. I asked walletbit and was given the impression that blockchain.org might know something about it, but they told me they don't provide support for third party services (I thought they were affiliated with blockexplorer). Is it possible with the information that I have from blockexplorer to access the bitcoin to deposit it (it shows an adress...but it shows lots of different ones  ) ? There is a lot of info sent to me about a completed transaction from blockexplorer.com.....can I use this info to make a deposit?
Moral of my story: learn then go not go then learn

Thanks

I'm not sure how to get your coin back but for next time.

See http://howtobitcoin.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-create-bitcoin-wallet-in-3.html for how to create a simple, unsecure bitcoin wallet (good for small amounts of money).

I'll post about paper wallets in a bit for a more secure solution.

[DannyHamilton]

Sometime ago I purchased Bit coin through GetBitcoin LLC. I didn't know what I was doing and somehow made the purchase without an address to send the bitcoin to. I was told the bitcoin was sent and given tracking information through blockexplorer.com I am trying to deposit bitcoin into an account, but I'm not sure how to access my bitcoin. When I click on the link for the order in my email from GetBitcoin (sent 8/6/12) I get request not found. I have emailed GetBitcoin LLC and I get an email back saying they are out of business. I asked walletbit and was given the impression that blockchain.org might know something about it, but they told me they don't provide support for third party services (I thought they were affiliated with blockexplorer). Is it possible with the information that I have from blockexplorer to access the bitcoin to deposit it (it shows an adress...but it shows lots of different ones  ) ? There is a lot of info sent to me about a completed transaction from blockexplorer.com.....can I use this info to make a deposit?
Moral of my story: learn then go not go then learn

Thanks

So let me see if I have this straight...

• Quite a while back, you purchased bitcoins from a company that now no longer exists (GetBitcoin LLC).
• They claim to have sent bitcoins somewhere, but you have no idea where.
• You didn't have a bitcoin wallet of any sort at the time.
• You still don't have a bitcoin wallet of any sort.
• You have a list of addresses from the transaction as seen in blockexplorer.com
• You want to know if you can gain access to the bitcoins associated with the transaction?

Unless you can find a person who has access to the private keys associated with the addresses that the coins were sent to, I'm sorry to say that those bitcoins can probably be considered gone forever.

I'm not sure exactly what WalletBit or blockchain.org (is that even a website?) have to do with any of this.

There is a public record of every bitcoin transaction that ever occurs.  These transactions are all stored in the Blockchain that every full node maintains a copy of.
All Blockexplorer is doing is showing you this public record in an easy to read format.  They don't actually have access to any of those bitcoins.

Now you state that "There is a lot of info sent to me about a completed transaction".  I'm not sure what you mean by "a lot of information", and I don't know much about how GetBitcoin handled situations where someone purchases bitcoins without providing a bitcoin address.  I suppose if they loaded up an address with bitcoins and then sent you the private key, then you could still access the bitcoins, so if there happens to be a private key in that "lots of information", then you can still gain access to the bitcoins.

[LTC555]

I know we can buy physical bitcoins in the U.S. and some other places.  Can we buy physical bitcoins in Canada yet?