Blockchain.info wallet - very strange problem and now locked out of account?

[key2]

Hi all,

First let me say I have a support ticket with Blockchain about this, but waiting to hear back is killing me and I'm worried I'm at risk for a larger problem.

I have a Blockchain.info wallet that I use for my transaction. I recently bought my first BTC and have just been kind of researching/exploring. Blockchain seemed to be the easiest and safest method of starting out. I had no problems transferring to and from within the first few days. However, yesterday (AFTER the fork was resolved) I tried to send a small amount to my Seals with Clubs account using the Android app (which worked for me in the past doing the same thing). However something strange occurred - it asked me for my private key to authorize the payment. It didn't ask me this the first time and I didn't even have the private key. I was unaware of the Export feature so I never did that - the key and info are on Blockchain only. Why would it start asking for the private key to authorize? I have the second password set up for that.

Then I logged into the web version. I have 2-type authentication with my email, fwiw. Once I'm in I try to send and it says it can't process the outputs or something - I can't remember the exact error. Then I started to worry that my account was compromised. So I went to the passwords section of accounts and tried to change my passwords to be more secure (they were already quite strong, plus I had 2 passwords set up to authorize transactions). I was unable to update the passwords - the site kept giving me errors. I then tried to update the main password and it seemed to succeed, but then I was kicked out of the site back to the login screen. I tries to login with the new password I just set and it didn't work. Then I tried the old password and it worked, for a split second only. I logged in, was able to see the account and then was instantly logged out with the error "Unable to decrypt password" or something like it. Now whenever I try to log in - that's what happens. It logs in for a split second then kicks me out.

Each time I log in for that split second though, I see my BTC balance still there - so not sure what this means.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I will know to export my wallet in the future.

[piuk]

What is the exact error your are receiving? ("Unable to decrypt password" is not an error message). What browser are you using?

[key2]

What is the exact error your are receiving? ("Unable to decrypt password" is not an error message). What browser are you using?

Using Chrome. The error appears randomly when I get kicked out - sometimes no error at all. I will try to recreate but recently I just get kicked out with no error at all.

edit: I keep trying but the error is not showing up anymore - just getting kicked out.

edit 2: If it will help, I can get a video of my screen during the login process and PM you.

edit 3: I forgot to mention that I have a Google Drive backup. Can I use this to help me out in some way?

[key2]

Does anyone know if there's a way for me to use my Google Drive backup to fix this? I'm not exactly sure how the backup works. My account says junior member but I'm definitely still a newbie, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

[Ditto]

Does anyone know if there's a way for me to use my Google Drive backup to fix this? I'm not exactly sure how the backup works. My account says junior member but I'm definitely still a newbie, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

Download the wallet.aes.json file from Google Drive, go to https://blockchain.info/wallet/import-wallet, and then drag and drop the wallet.aes.json file into the box.

[key2]

Does anyone know if there's a way for me to use my Google Drive backup to fix this? I'm not exactly sure how the backup works. My account says junior member but I'm definitely still a newbie, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

Download the wallet.aes.json file from Google Drive, go to https://blockchain.info/wallet/import-wallet, and then drag and drop the wallet.aes.json file into the box.

But is there a way for me to get the wallet off of blockchain? As in take the backup from GD and put it somewhere else? I'm worried my Blockchain account is compromised. I need to create a different account if I am to do what you wrote.

[Ditto]

If you're worried that your Blockchain wallet is compromised, you can import the backup into Multibit and then move the funds in the imported addresses to new addresses.

[key2]

If you're worried that your Blockchain wallet is compromised, you can import the backup into Multibit and then move the funds in the imported addresses to new addresses.

Ok, thanks a lot for your response - I will try this out.

Edit: Oh, not sure if it can be used but I already downloaded Bitcoin-qt a while ago, just never used it. Could I do the same there?

[Ditto]

Yes you can. You will have to wait some time for it to sync, though.

[key2]

Ok, thanks a lot again for your help, I'll keep updating.

[key2]

Another slightly unrelated question - where I live I need to use VPN all the time but it goes in and out. will this affect my security? I use a paid VPN service that respects anonymity.

[key2]

Ok, the sync on bitcoin-qt would have taken forever so I downloaded Multibit. I attempted to import the key and something weird occured. The password it needed for my first password (I have 2 on the blockchain account) was actually the one I tried to upgrade to when Blockchain.info kicked me out the first time. However, trying to login to BC with that password results in "Error decrypting Wallet".

btw @Piuk - that must have been the error I was getting when I was kicked out - "Error decrypting Wallet"

Anyway - so now I've managed to successfully import to Multibit but it says "There were missing dates. Have to go back to Genesis block"

It says on the help screen that it could take up to 2 hours or more for this - but my current balance is at 0 and my new wallet doesn't look like it's been imported - on the left side it still has the one Multibit came with. Will this be amended when the blockchain is Synced? Also there is no progress bar so it's hard for me to tell if anything is actually happening.

[Raoul Duke]

Go to Tools --> Reset Blockchain and Transactions.
See if it has the option to reset since the genesis block checked and apply.
Wait a couple minutes till it syncs and you'll see your coin.

[key2]

Go to Tools --> Reset Blockchain and Transactions.
See if it has the option to reset since the genesis block checked and apply.
Wait a couple minutes till it syncs and you'll see your coin.

I reset from First Date, it now says "Synchronised with Network" but the wallet is still at 0.

However the wallet has a different address than the one I had on blockchain.

So does this mean my btc is gone?

[key2]

I tried to log in to Blockchain.info again - the error is with Decrypting Wallet and Downloading Wallet

[Raoul Duke]

Go to Tools --> Reset Blockchain and Transactions.
See if it has the option to reset since the genesis block checked and apply.
Wait a couple minutes till it syncs and you'll see your coin.

I reset from First Date, it now says "Synchronised with Network" but the wallet is still at 0.

However the wallet has a different address than the one I had on blockchain.

So does this mean my btc is gone?

No. Reset again but use a date that is before the date you created the wallet at Blockchain.info.
Choose a date on the calendar a few years back, like March 13 2009, to when Blockchain.info didn't existed yet.

[key2]

Go to Tools --> Reset Blockchain and Transactions.
See if it has the option to reset since the genesis block checked and apply.
Wait a couple minutes till it syncs and you'll see your coin.

I reset from First Date, it now says "Synchronised with Network" but the wallet is still at 0.

However the wallet has a different address than the one I had on blockchain.

So does this mean my btc is gone?

No. Reset again but use a date that is before the date you created the wallet at Blockchain.info.
Choose a date on the calendar a few years back, like March 13 2009, to when Blockchain.info didn't existed yet.

Ok - it's now loading. Thanks I will update

[key2]

Hey just wondering if you might know how long it will take. It's been on:

Replaying blockchain from date "Mar 13, 2009"
Stopping Bitcoin network connection...
Synchronising with network...

For about an hour now

[Raoul Duke]

Hey just wondering if you might know how long it will take. It's been on:

Replaying blockchain from date "Mar 13, 2009"
Stopping Bitcoin network connection...
Synchronising with network...

For about an hour now

Hey, I just gave that date as an example. It would suffice a date before you created that specific wallet at blockchain.info, but only you know that.
Mar 13, 2009 is almost at the start of the blockchain. Patience, it will get there. Give it another hour or so, no point on interrupting now I guess.

[key2]

Ok, I created the blockchain account very recently though