[RESOLVED]Seed generated by Android version invalid on PC,works on other Android

[deepcolderwallet]

I've been warning devs since a few months ago about this bug, although they're insisting seeds generated in any platform should work in any platform.

Truth is that I have Electrum 2.7.18 installed in a disconnected Android device that I use as a cold wallet, but I've tried unsuccessfully to import this wallet to more than one Ubuntu PC and  I receive the same error message: Invalid seed.

In other Android devices it works perfectly.

Seeds generated by Electrum client installed on PC also works on Android.

This almost caused me 6 BTC losses if I hadn't rushed to buy another phone to recover the wallet.

EDIT: this is not an isolated case. Every seed generated by this offline device is not not valid to be redeemed on PCs.

[kolloh]

I've been warning devs since a few months ago about this bug, although they're insisting seeds generated in any platform should work in any platform.

Truth is that I have Electrum 2.7.18 installed in a disconnected Android device that I use as a cold wallet, but I've tried unsuccessfully to import this wallet to more than one Ubuntu PC and  I receive the same error message: Invalid seed.

In other Android devices it works perfectly.

Seeds generated by Electrum client installed on PC also works on Android.

This almost caused me 6 BTC losses if I hadn't rushed to buy another phone to recover the wallet.

EDIT: this is not an isolated case. Every seed generated by this offline device is not not valid to be redeemed on PCs.

I believe the Android version of Electrum runs on the same code base and just has a different GUI, so I don't see any reasons you wouldn't be able to restore the seed unless one of the words is misspelled or something.

Is your seed 12 words in length?

[Abdussamad]

EDIT: this is not an isolated case. Every seed generated by this offline device is not not valid to be redeemed on PCs.

share a seed for an empty wallet then. so we can take a look ourselves.

btw 2.7.18 is an older version. we are currently at 2.8.3. there have been many bug fixes since 2.7.18 so you should upgrade.

[HI-TEC99]

When you tried restoring your wallet from seed did you click the options button on the window where you enter your seed? Have you tried checking the checkbox marked BIP39 seed in the window that opens when you click the options button? This is what that window looks like in electrum version 2.7.10.




I haven't tried electrum on android yet, but ThomasV says the same seed should work on both the PC and android wallets.

I have the old python/e4a version of the electrum wallet. I'm looking to get the wallet & private keys from my device so that I can consolidate the address on my PC and then upgrade electrum on my device. does anyone know where those files are located on my device?

all you need is the seed. you can display it from the application.

[HCP]

I suspect that your issues may be caused by the version of Electrum you're using on the phone...

I've just generated a new seed on my phone (Running version 2.8.2) and imported that seed into Electrum on my desktop (also version 2.8.2). The seed was accepted by the desktop version of Electrum as a "Standard Seed" and is showing exactly the same addresses.

I think you may need to update the version of Electrum on your phone, as it seems like your issue has already been corrected by a newer version of Electrum than you are using.

[Abdussamad]

When you tried restoring your wallet from seed did you click the options button on the window where you enter your seed? Have you tried checking the checkbox marked BIP39 seed in the window that opens when you click the options button? This is what that window looks like in electrum version 2.7.10.

electrum doesn't generate bip39 seeds. this option is for using seeds from other wallets.

[jonald_fyookball]

this is a concerning issue.  Old seeds should be fully compatible with never versions.

I am able to use old seeds in new wallets.  Are you saying this is an issue with 2.7?

There's also a standalone python script i wrote somewhere in this subforum that 
you can use to generate address/keys from electrum seed for the old 12 word seed version...

I was paranoid this kind of thing might happen


...although I'm still skeptical it actually is
happening for you. 

Are you using a 12 or 13 word seed?

[pooya87]

I was paranoid this kind of thing might happen

all the previous releases are always available for download:
https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/releases
https://download.electrum.org/

and the code is always on Github and not going anywhere and even if it does there are lots of forks that the code can be retrieved from one of them. and on top of that you can always keep a copy of the installer you used.

EDIT: this is not an isolated case. Every seed generated by this offline device is not not valid to be redeemed on PCs.

is it possible that something might be wrong with the download?
i mean maybe you think you are using Electrum but it is something else!

[Abdussamad]

this is a concerning issue.  Old seeds should be fully compatible with never versions.

I am able to use old seeds in new wallets.  Are you saying this is an issue with 2.7?

There's also a standalone python script i wrote somewhere in this subforum that 
you can use to generate address/keys from electrum seed for the old 12 word seed version...

I was paranoid this kind of thing might happen


...although I'm still skeptical it actually is
happening for you. 

Are you using a 12 or 13 word seed?

Old seeds are compatible with the latest electrum. Electrum strives to maintain backward compatibility with old seeds. The OP hasn't replied so he was either mistaken or trolling.

[deepcolderwallet]

I've been warning devs since a few months ago about this bug, although they're insisting seeds generated in any platform should work in any platform.

Truth is that I have Electrum 2.7.18 installed in a disconnected Android device that I use as a cold wallet, but I've tried unsuccessfully to import this wallet to more than one Ubuntu PC and  I receive the same error message: Invalid seed.

In other Android devices it works perfectly.

Seeds generated by Electrum client installed on PC also works on Android.

This almost caused me 6 BTC losses if I hadn't rushed to buy another phone to recover the wallet.

EDIT: this is not an isolated case. Every seed generated by this offline device is not not valid to be redeemed on PCs.

I believe the Android version of Electrum runs on the same code base and just has a different GUI, so I don't see any reasons you wouldn't be able to restore the seed unless one of the words is misspelled or something.

Is your seed 12 words in length?

Several tries, no mispelling, 12 words lenght. Seed works fine in others Android devices, never worked in any PC.

[deepcolderwallet]

I suspect that your issues may be caused by the version of Electrum you're using on the phone...

I've just generated a new seed on my phone (Running version 2.8.2) and imported that seed into Electrum on my desktop (also version 2.8.2). The seed was accepted by the desktop version of Electrum as a "Standard Seed" and is showing exactly the same addresses.

I think you may need to update the version of Electrum on your phone, as it seems like your issue has already been corrected by a newer version of Electrum than you are using.

I believe it's an incompatible version issue. Problem is that you must store somehow the APK of the version that generated the seed if you want to store bitcoins long term. The problem increases if you're thinking about leaving inheritance for the children, they won't be able to redeem it in a near future.

[jonald_fyookball]

this is quite strange.  How did you get the coins onto the cold storage device?

[deepcolderwallet]

Guys, thank you all for the support. Problem was that I was using a far older version in my desktop and 2.7 in my cellphone. I installed a new version in desktop and the seed was accepted.

this is a concerning issue.  Old seeds should be fully compatible with never versions.

I am able to use old seeds in new wallets.  Are you saying this is an issue with 2.7?

There's also a standalone python script i wrote somewhere in this subforum that 
you can use to generate address/keys from electrum seed for the old 12 word seed version...

I was paranoid this kind of thing might happen


...although I'm still skeptical it actually is
happening for you. 

Are you using a 12 or 13 word seed?

12 word seed. I'm not saying this is a 2.7 issue, since I didn't even try other versions.

[jonald_fyookball]

what version please?

[deepcolderwallet]

I was using 1.something version in my workplace PC, at home in an older version of Tails I don't even know the Electrum's version. I installed Ubuntu Studio in another PC but I'm afraid I didn't update the applications, and finally on windows there was a downloaded version from last year.
Everything was about updating in PC's.

[deepcolderwallet]

this is quite strange.  How did you get the coins onto the cold storage device?

I have two phones. Both cryptographed. One is offline and generates the wallet. Other is online and I created a watch-only wallet by photographing the x-pub QR code from the offline one. I send the coins to addresses generated in this online one with x-pub.