How I Lost $1500 Worth of BitCoins

[myrtle90]

Hey guys,

I am running Bitcoin-qt on Windows 7.

About a week ago I purchased around $1500 worth of Bitcoin and withdrew it into my freshly downloaded Bitcoin client.   I decide to protect it with a passphrase, so I open up KeePass, a password database I use often and generate a secure password and encrypt my wallet with it.   5 Minutes later, I decided to change the passphrase with a more secure passphrase (not sure why), so I generate a 128 bit secure password, change the passphrase on my wallet file, and overwrite the passphrase saved in KeePass earlier.  I save the KeePass database and to be extra safe, I back up the database to an external drive, as well as my wallet file.

Fast forward to yesterday. I had to restart my computer for some reason.  Prior to this everything was working fine, and my passphrase from KeePass worked.  Today is the first time I try sending coins since restarting my computer, I go to enter the passphrase saved in my KeePass database, and boom, it tells me I'm using an incorrect passphrase.  You can imagine the feeling in the pit of my stomach.    I tried restoring the backups and nothing works.  I see no reason this should have happened since I saved the passphrase inside KeePass.   I could see if I had forgot to save the new passphrase in KeePass but I honestly believe I saved it.

So, I guess I lost $1500 worth of Bitcoin.  I only have one passphrase inside KeePass and it seems like I lost the one I overwrote it with.   I tried all my backups and nothing works.   Worst feeling ever.   If anyone can successfully provide advice on how to get them back I will give them some BTC.   My skype is media504

[jimbobway]

Did you check the blockchain to see if the bitcoins are still there?

[Newscastix]

Doesn't keepass have a trash where the old entry is still accessible? Or an older backup?

When doing backups always keep several backups...

[tutkarz]

Good idea is to print saved passwords on paper too.

[Skami]

Ugh I could feel my stomach turn just reading that...
Hope you manage to find your password again man.

[gopher]

Hey guys,

I am running Bitcoin-qt on Windows 7.

About a week ago I purchased around $1500 worth of Bitcoin and withdrew it into my freshly downloaded Bitcoin client.   I decide to protect it with a passphrase, so I open up KeePass, a password database I use often and generate a secure password and encrypt my wallet with it.   5 Minutes later, I decided to change the passphrase with a more secure passphrase (not sure why), so I generate a 128 bit secure password, change the passphrase on my wallet file, and overwrite the passphrase saved in KeePass earlier.  I save the KeePass database and to be extra safe, I back up the database to an external drive, as well as my wallet file.

Fast forward to yesterday. I had to restart my computer for some reason.  Prior to this everything was working fine, and my passphrase from KeePass worked.  Today is the first time I try sending coins since restarting my computer, I go to enter the passphrase saved in my KeePass database, and boom, it tells me I'm using an incorrect passphrase.  You can imagine the feeling in the pit of my stomach.    I tried restoring the backups and nothing works.  I see no reason this should have happened since I saved the passphrase inside KeePass.   I could see if I had forgot to save the new passphrase in KeePass but I honestly believe I saved it.

So, I guess I lost $1500 worth of Bitcoin.  I only have one passphrase inside KeePass and it seems like I lost the one I overwrote it with.   I tried all my backups and nothing works.   Worst feeling ever.   If anyone can successfully provide advice on how to get them back I will give them some BTC.   My skype is media504

Don't panic - if you made a simple copy of your wallet.dat before password-protecting it, locate it, shut down the client, copy the unencrypted wallet over the encrypted one, start the client - you will see your Bitcoins back in your possession.

[zeocrash]

i know it's not much help or comfort now, but next time you make an encrypted wallet, write the password down on paper. I know everyone says it's bad practice, but unless you're a major player in the bitcoin economy, it's unlikely people are going to raid your house to steal your bitcoin key.

Sorry about your loss, it's a horrible feeling. If it makes you feel any better i had $100 of bitcoins (i know it's not nearly as much) stolen from my mtgox account last week. Someone got my password somehow (still haven't got to the bottom of that one) and transferred the coins out.

[NY11giants]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

[theFed]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

Fuuuuu.....

If I were in your position I would definitely buy (or build) one of these to get those BTC back:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57558223-83/no-password-is-safe-from-this-new-25-gpu-computer-cluster/

[DirtyGoldMan]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

That's terrible....I really feel for you! Hope somehow you are able to remember it.

There seems to be many BTC that are being lost forever and this is only within it's first few years of existence. By 2140 when the last BTC is mined, I can foresee a massive quantity having disappeared forever.

[Tippaporn]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

That's terrible....I really feel for you! Hope somehow you are able to remember it.

There seems to be many BTC that are being lost forever and this is only within it's first few years of existence. By 2140 when the last BTC is mined, I can foresee a massive quantity having disappeared forever.

If only 22 million Bitcoins can ever be in existence and Bitcoins can be lost forever what are the effects to the system when large amounts of Bitcoins are lost?

[simplydt]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

That's terrible....I really feel for you! Hope somehow you are able to remember it.

There seems to be many BTC that are being lost forever and this is only within it's first few years of existence. By 2140 when the last BTC is mined, I can foresee a massive quantity having disappeared forever.

If only 22 million Bitcoins can ever be in existence and Bitcoins can be lost forever what are the effects to the system when large amounts of Bitcoins are lost?

I'd imagine the ones that aren't lost would appreciate in value a lot ;-)

[Oinky]

Sorry to come onto the end of your post but I am desperate, and I am in a similar predicament as you and hoping someone is able to HELP me please.

I have my own PC, its tweak the way I like it, very v fast and I have warned my Bro off it so many times. Bitcoins I've been following more or less from the start, lack of cash has prevented my making any serious cash but I understand its not just about that.

Well after using an online Wallet that's just announced its pulling the site as its been compromised, thankfully I just used the site this once and for a short stay with my Btc's which I sent to my Tablets Wallet, never really been that keen on the Tablets Wallet, and have been looking ages for 1 that I like, and at last I found what I classed as my perfect Wallet in Electrum.

I downloaded it, installed, and in meantime went and got myself a beer, came back to it up and running, Wow I thought, I like this. So I played around for a couple o minutes to familiarize myself with it, and Yes I thought, this is the 1 I'll use, so I scan the Wallets Addy with tablet and send them to Electrum Wallet without thinking, and Duh, the bombshell dropped as soon as I sent: I didn't recall getting the option to create a password or select a server on installing it etc.

And then it dawned on me, why did I not get this freaking option... and after 20 mins or so trying to guess its password etc. I stroll into my Bro's room asking him if he's used my PC lately, "not for a few months he added" So after a couple of slaps I got him to admit that he'd used my PC when sourcing a Wallet for himself. Turns out he'd already tried Electrum but had uninstalled; So when I came to install it, not realizing its for the 2nd time, obviously its defaulted to 1st install for passwords and seeds etc and now my bugger of a Bro cannot remember ANY of the info he entered, so I'm stuck with a nice Electrum software that is goner be my Wallet, showing just over 5 Bitcoins in and cannot retrieve them in anyway as I don't know the password.

Please if anyone can help and show me a way I can get around this. I'm so broke atm and selling these coins would make a big difference as you can imagine (I'm was hoping to put the cash towards our mums medical bills). I've thumped my Bro enough and I do also take a little responsibility for it, I should have been more alert when installing it

many many thanks in advance
regards Oinky

[bcminer9]

wow

[willson]

Threads like these are so depressing, I've not got much to add other than I really feel for you, and that thefed's post might be worth looking into if you get no luck

[vm1990]

so many problems and so little time not sure how the Electrum system works so ill skip

as for keypass from what i can figure out (ok program but crap if something goes wrong) i cant find anyback up data if youve not saved the password and the programs closed thats it its gone

the only way i can think of is a rather blunt brute force attack which could take a very long tome for 128bit passwords

[btcminer021]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

That's terrible....I really feel for you! Hope somehow you are able to remember it.

There seems to be many BTC that are being lost forever and this is only within it's first few years of existence. By 2140 when the last BTC is mined, I can foresee a massive quantity having disappeared forever.

If only 22 million Bitcoins can ever be in existence and Bitcoins can be lost forever what are the effects to the system when large amounts of Bitcoins are lost?

I'd imagine the ones that aren't lost would appreciate in value a lot ;-)

Indeed. It would be an interesting article (research paper or poll?) if someone were to put this together...

[drewz]

wow

totally agree to what bcminer9 said

[ffernandex]

Yeah... I have over 100K in a wallet that I cant get into.  I can get into the wallet I transfered them OUT of and I see the 4 transactions where they were sent to the receiving wallet....

but I cant remember the new wallets password.  When this all occurred, BTC was worth pennies.... there are 760 BTC in that damn wallet.

For that much money, perhaps could post a reward for someone to brute-force an attack on your wallet?

Mining rigs do pretty much that when mining. So I guess at some point, one possible reward for miners would be to break into lost wallets to retrieve btc. I think the combined power of a mining pool could do the job.

[Colaxais]

That is gutting. If you can find someone who wouldn't just keep the whole lot, I'd go with ffernandex 's idea