Totally forgotten - I have an address and private key - is that money?

[WilderedB]

Please forgive my impatience but I really don't feel up to re-learning everything...

Back in 2013 I purchased a bitcoin. Just the 1.0 I think, but I might have purchased 0.5 later.

I was using Multibit.

Last time I tried using Multibit it didn't do anything, the icon just flickered. I tried reinstalling the software but it was saying a balance of 0, that was a few years ago. I've completely forgotten how all this works...

Tucked away in a draw I have a sheet of paper and a USB drive with a "bitaddress.org" on the top, and a bitcoin "address" and below that a "private key (wallet import format)"

The paper also has my handwriting saying "DO NOT insert USB drive if modem is online".

By the looks of it I tried to create some kind of paper wallet? I really didn't know what I was doing back then and I have even less idea now  

Actually as I'm writing this I seem to remember I put half of the bitcoin in/on the paper thing.

Anyway, sorry for making it into such a long-winded question, my question is pretty simple I guess - if I have an address" and a "private key" does that mean I can import some balance, if there is any, into a new install of Multibit or similar?

I seem to recall you need a wallet and password for that wallet - but that's just software and easily corrupted?


Sorry to be such a noob - again

[232drialf]

If you do have money on that address yes. You do have bitcoins if you are importing that private key into multi bit.

Just take a look at this: https://multibit.org/help/v0.5/help_importingPrivateKeys.html

[WilderedB]

Thanks

Mmm, sniffing around it seems bitaddress.org just creates random 'wallets', and I tried entering the address on blockchain.info and it seems that address has never been used.

"No transactions found for this address, it has probably not been used on the network yet."

So what's written on the paper is meaninglesss I guess, question now is what mysteries are on the USB drive? As I recall I had to put a portable version of Linux on it or something weird.

I'm about 99% giving up here now but will have a look at the USB thing...


:/

[WilderedB]

Yeah, some kind of portable USB booting version of linux, the installation files for Multibit, which still doesn't work, and what seems to be test documents, also with 0 balance on the addresses.

I haz 0 bitcoins, with a total value of $0.00

Looks like I was in the process of creating an offline wallet but never finished it.

Oh well.


Thanks anyway. On the bright side, I now have the use of a nice 8 GB flash drive

[SopaXT]

No, it doesn't work like this.
The WIF private key you're supposed to import into a wallet such as the Core, MultiBit or Electrum.
I recommend installing Electrum and importing the private key you've written down.