Electrum ( watching only wallet ) with balance. Can i move the coins out

[cammymack]

Please help I have the seed but I am worried the balance is stuck.

[defcon23]

if you have installed a "watching only wallet "  : you cant.
first, delete all your electrum files. then :
you have to reinstall your wallet from your seed, and choose resore a wallet from the seed , not "watch only"


Kind regards

[cammymack]

Thanks for your help so that creates a new wallet where I can move coins in and out and the coins I currently have are lost basically?

[defcon23]

Thanks for your help so that creates a new wallet where I can move coins in and out and the coins I currently have are lost basically?

no: they will be restored , after receating your wallet from the seed : you wont lost anything


1:  be sure you got the seed of old wallet
2: remove all your electrum files
3: reinstall a new wallet ( still electrum) from your old seed
4: done ! your coins are back


ps: during new install, take care to choose normal wallet , not "watch only ! "

[cammymack]

And I can then move them out?

Ok I open electrum.

It tells me it could not find an existing wallet.

What do i select now,create a new wallet or restore wallet/import keys.
 
And then which wallet kind?

[defcon23]

And I can then move them out?

Ok I open electrum.

It tells me it could not find an existing wallet.

What do i select now,create a new wallet or restore wallet/import keys.
 
And then which wallet kind?

man : it was answered one post above...

create a new wallet
then :  i have an existing seed.....

put your old seed ;

choose a password : done.

[cammymack]

If i deleted my wallet files am i screwed?
Did you mean delete electrum itself?
As i restored and there is no balance

[defcon23]

pwewwww....  man : read explainations just above: do that , step by step , and your old balanace will appear  in you freshly reinstalled electrum wallet. all have been already said .

[cammymack]

Listen man i really appreciate your help but i am clearly a noob. I have a lot of btc in there and will give you a donation happily:)

I deleted my wallet files and not electrum is this an incorrect step?

[defcon23]

1: delete all your electrum files and folders (even hiddens folders ) : ALL
2: reinstall a new electrum wallet
3: choose "standart wallet"
4:choose : i already have a seed"
5: enter your old seed ( from your old electrum)
6: choose a password / repeat it
7: your coins are now back



folllow all these steps , it's easy , i assure you mate..

[cammymack]

Beginning to think i have the wrong electrum version or something there is no ' i already have a seed'

And there is no ' reinstall wallet ' just ' create a new wallet or ' restore wallet.

[defcon23]

Beginning to think i have the wrong electrum version or something there is no ' i already have a seed'

And there is no ' reinstall wallet ' just ' create a new wallet or ' restore wallet.

it seem we shoudnt have same version of electrum : i use Version 2.7.10 , under linux... anyway :

"restore a wallet"  

ps: it would be better to ask me in pm , as you have a lot of question ... no need to spam the thread.

[equator]

Beginning to think i have the wrong electrum version or something there is no ' i already have a seed'

And there is no ' reinstall wallet ' just ' create a new wallet or ' restore wallet.

I am using Electrum Desktop windows wallet, and their is no problem of if you are using old version seed key on new version their wont be problem to restore it, What above steps told is correct to restore the wallet, even if you delete the full wallet folder also no problem until you have the seed key with you, the main is passphrase key for restoring the old wallet.

[Abdussamad]

I recommend updating electrum first. Download the newest version from electrum.org and install it.

You don't have to delete any files at all. Use file menu > new/restore to begin the process of creating a new wallet. To restore from seed first select "standard wallet type", click next and then on the next window "i already have a seed". After that you enter a seed and a password if you like.

Use file > open to open that wallet in future.

[defcon23]

I recommend updating electrum first. Download the newest version from electrum.org and install it.

You don't have to delete any files at all. Use file menu > new/restore to begin the process of creating a new wallet. To restore from seed first select "standard wallet type", click next and then on the next window "i already have a seed". After that you enter a seed and a password if you like.

Use file > open to open that wallet in future.

problem in this specific case is: user  on his first install , make the error to dont write down the seed securely , and he have unfortunaly created a watch only wallet , with 2FA ..

when he see he cant send anything from it ( indeed as it was "watch only" )  he try to reinstall an another one  ( he keep the key this time ) , but once again choosed "watch only"  and it was NOT the good seed , wich was obtained on his first install ( indeed )

so: this is definitively dead .

checked and rechecked with ThomasV.

point final. ( unfortunaly)

[Coin-Keeper]

I don't know what else Thomas can do to make Electrum any safer.  I mean really guys, when you open a "watch only" wallet a HUGE flag screen pops up warning you its a watch only!!  You literally have to click through and ignore the warning to succeed in doing what this thread describes.  The Electrum "watching only" wallet is a great tool for folks using cold wallets to protect their BTC.  Appears another couple of BTC are now hopelessly lost in the blockchain.

[defcon23]

I don't what else Thomas can do to make Electrum any safer.  I mean really guys, when you open a "watch only" wallet a HUGE flag screen pops up warning you its a watch only!!  You literally have to click through and ignore the warning to succeed in doing what this thread describes.  The Electrum "watching only" wallet is a great tool for folks using cold wallets to protect their BTC.

100% agree mate..  that's exactly the same conclusion  we had reached in the end .. ( and same explaination i had gived to OP )

[ThomasV]

problem in this specific case is: user  on his first install , make the error to dont write down the seed securely , and he have unfortunaly created a watch only wallet , with 2FA ..

That does not make sense: 2FA wallets are not watching-only.

Does the OP remember how he created the watching only wallet?
Usually you have to enter a master public key (xpub) in order to do that.
Where did he get the xpub from?

if the xpub is one of the cosigners of a 2fa wallet, then it should be possible to retrieve the funds from the 2fa seed.
if the xpub comes from another seed, that he forgot to write down, then the funds are lost. but in that case, why would he delete the wallet file?

[defcon23]

problem in this specific case is: user  on his first install , make the error to dont write down the seed securely , and he have unfortunaly created a watch only wallet , with 2FA ..

That does not make sense: 2FA wallets are not watching-only.

Does the OP remember how he created the watching only wallet?
Usually you have to enter a master public key (xpub) in order to do that.
Where did he get the xpub from?

if the xpub is one of the cosigners of a 2fa wallet, then it should be possible to retrieve the funds from the 2fa seed.
if the xpub comes from another seed, that he forgot to write down, then the funds are lost. but in that case, why would he delete the wallet file?

in fact, OP was not even sure what sort wallet he got at the origin. we had deduced  it should be a 2Fa wallet  cause the private key length (  25 words)

Anyway, this private key had noted from his original  install, have restored a wallet, but this wallet doesn't contain any transactions at all ... )

( or, another possibility, he did not  writed it down at origin..)

[cammymack]

Defcon is correct with this matter.

I would like to thank him and ThomasV for their time and help confirming and explaining my issue.
Much appreciated