Bitcoin/Litecoin Wallet Backup

[mskryxz]

Just want to make sure I am doing this right.

I can just copy or cut and paste the wallet.dat to a USB or e-mail that file to myself and consider it backed up?

For example if my computer is destroyed, I can retrieve my e-mail with the wallet.dat attached and replace it in another computer and retrieve my coins?

[spanishfry]

yes

[NoProb1ems]

Just want to make sure I am doing this right.

I can just copy or cut and paste the wallet.dat to a USB or e-mail that file to myself and consider it backed up?

For example if my computer is destroyed, I can retrieve my e-mail with the wallet.dat attached and replace it in another computer and retrieve my coins?

Yes but that's very unsafe, encrypt it first (if its not already)

[mskryxz]

dumb question

Do I encypt the wallet (where i enter a phrase) then copy and paste it to the email/usb

OR

Do I encypt the file AFTER copying it already?

Wasn't sure.

[mskryxz]

And how often should I back up? Every 10 transactions? Every 100?
Or every 3 days? week?

Can't I just make 1 back up, store it in a safe and forget about it?

[satosamoto]

And how often should I back up? Every 10 transactions? Every 100?
Or every 3 days? week?

Can't I just make 1 back up, store it in a safe and forget about it?

 I store the majority in a cold wallet (usb offline) backed up to my email. Update it once every now and then if you want or when you need to deposit/withdraw more coin.

[mskryxz]

And how often should I back up? Every 10 transactions? Every 100?
Or every 3 days? week?

Can't I just make 1 back up, store it in a safe and forget about it?

 I store the majority in a cold wallet (usb offline) backed up to my email. Update it once every now and then if you want or when you need to deposit/withdraw more coin.

What if I back up my wallet in the USB with 10 Lite coins for example.

Then on the same wallet on the computer I buy something for 10 lite coins which turns it to 0. But the other wallet copy in the USB still has 10.


Does that mean when I use the Wallet in the USB on another computer it will synchronize with the network and update to show 0?
Or is it the other way around that a new Wallet and address will be made for receiving coins since I moved my backup wallet to the USB?

[satosamoto]

And how often should I back up? Every 10 transactions? Every 100?
Or every 3 days? week?

Can't I just make 1 back up, store it in a safe and forget about it?

 I store the majority in a cold wallet (usb offline) backed up to my email. Update it once every now and then if you want or when you need to deposit/withdraw more coin.

What if I back up my wallet in the USB with 10 Lite coins for example.

Then on the same wallet on the computer I buy something for 10 lite coins which turns it to 0. But the other wallet copy in the USB still has 10.


Does that mean when I use the Wallet in the USB on another computer it will synchronize with the network and update to show 0?
Or is it the other way around that a new Wallet and address will be made for receiving coins since I moved my backup wallet to the USB?

Yes your ltc is already spent and if you try to send it will be denied.

[mskryxz]

And how often should I back up? Every 10 transactions? Every 100?
Or every 3 days? week?

Can't I just make 1 back up, store it in a safe and forget about it?

 I store the majority in a cold wallet (usb offline) backed up to my email. Update it once every now and then if you want or when you need to deposit/withdraw more coin.

What if I back up my wallet in the USB with 10 Lite coins for example.

Then on the same wallet on the computer I buy something for 10 lite coins which turns it to 0. But the other wallet copy in the USB still has 10.


Does that mean when I use the Wallet in the USB on another computer it will synchronize with the network and update to show 0?
Or is it the other way around that a new Wallet and address will be made for receiving coins since I moved my backup wallet to the USB?

Yes your ltc is already spent and if you try to send it will be denied.

Ok and likewise if I received litecoins on the computer say, 10 lite coins

And the USB backup has 10 lite coins

I use the USB on another computer it will "update" to show 20 litecoins correct?

[jspilman]

Encrypt your wallet BEFORE you backup.  An un-encrypted backup is your coins asking for someone to take them.

You need to make a new backup regularly with the bitcoind client because new addresses are created as you use it, and it only pre-fills so many before it has to create new ones.  If your backup is missing addresses that your wallet sent coins to, then you won't be able to spend those coins.

[mskryxz]

Encrypt your wallet BEFORE you backup.  An un-encrypted backup is your coins asking for someone to take them.

You need to make a new backup regularly with the bitcoind client because new addresses are created as you use it, and it only pre-fills so many before it has to create new ones.  If your backup is missing addresses that your wallet sent coins to, then you won't be able to spend those coins.

Thank you sir.

[jezzyjensen]

I'm quite slow so need extra help with this: 

1. I just back up the .dat file and email it to myself?

That is, I don't need to copy anything else in the litecoin folder to go along with it?

2. Plus, when I press "back up wallet", I get a "save as" which means I can name the file as anything I want - such as jezzy.dat.

Should I always save as wallet.dat or can I use any name I like?

3. Would copying the entire litecoin folder to pen drive and then copying to another computer be the sensible way?

A lot of questions there but I want to make doubly sure I don't screw it up!

[Aleksei Richards]

I'm quite slow so need extra help with this: 

1. I just back up the .dat file and email it to myself?

That is, I don't need to copy anything else in the litecoin folder to go along with it?

2. Plus, when I press "back up wallet", I get a "save as" which means I can name the file as anything I want - such as jezzy.dat.

Should I always save as wallet.dat or can I use any name I like?

3. Would copying the entire litecoin folder to pen drive and then copying to another computer be the sensible way?

A lot of questions there but I want to make doubly sure I don't screw it up!

You might be better off with an online wallet until you understand the process more. Would hate to see you lose coins.

[jezzyjensen]

Thanks Aleksei, but I am trying to understand it better. 

Okay, so when I back the wallet up with the Litecoin wallet, I get a "save as". Do I have to save it as "wallet.dat" so it replaces the original file. or can I call it something else like "newwallet.dat" as long as I save it to the same folder?

[RoadToHell]

Thanks Aleksei, but I am trying to understand it better. 

Okay, so when I back the wallet up with the Litecoin wallet, I get a "save as". Do I have to save it as "wallet.dat" so it replaces the original file. or can I call it something else like "newwallet.dat" as long as I save it to the same folder?

It's a backup of the original - so you don't want to overwrite the original.  Add the word "backup" to the name or just add ".bak" to make it "wallet.dat.bak" .

After that you should encrypt the file.  Then put the encrypted file in the backup location.