Can I use Bitcoin Electrum and Electron Cash on the same computer?

[ledsgo]

I saw on twitter that there was an issue using both wallet on the same computer and I would like to know if it has been solved.

I tweet to Electrum about it but I did not get an answer...

Thanks!

[buwaytress]

The issue, as I understand, with Electron Cash is that it was simply a clone of Electrum (it changed its name from Electrum Cash to Electron Cash) and, therefore, works just the same way. It was meant to be used with Bitcoin Cash.

Before the fork, the EC wallet versions simply cloned existing Electrum wallets to its directory. This issue was raised, I don't know if it was ever fixed. But yeah, personally, I still don't trust Electron Cash as a wallet so wouldn't recommend using it with Electrum, even if this issue was solved. 

Basically, always a good practice never to use new software that hasn't matured enough or tested enough for bugs.

Edit: but hey, a lot of people online reported no issues, so what do I know? =)

Electrum: very mature, stable, signed binaries, for Bitcoin. Solid documentation.
Electron Cash: 4 months old, anonymous binaries, for BCC. Typo on website, things like that just don't inspire confidence.

[Xavofat]

The Electron Cash binaries are signed by anonymous developers.

With Electrum, the developers' reputations and lives are on the line if they wanted to do something dodgy, whereas it's a lot harder to trust Electron Cash, especially when they were trying to use Electrum's name and logo without their permission anyway.

You can run them on the same computer, but people's concern was that in the unlikely but possible scenario that Electron Cash added malware, your BTC could be stolen.

[salihno71]

If you want to be safe, run it on another PC. If you don't have a spare PC and your current computer's specs are not bad, you can try installing virtual machine on it, install OS in the virtual machine and install the Electron Cash wallet there. This way you would effectively separate two wallets while technically still running them on the same PC.

[achow101]

Yes, you can. Electrum and Electron Cash use different data directories so they do not conflict with each other.

[WhaleSlayer]

Did Electron Cash made any upgrade after it was released? And has anyone already seriously analyzed the software to check if there is some nasty trojian hidden there tha could steal your BTCs?

[jerry0]

If you want to be safe, run it on another PC. If you don't have a spare PC and your current computer's specs are not bad, you can try installing virtual machine on it, install OS in the virtual machine and install the Electron Cash wallet there. This way you would effectively separate two wallets while technically still running them on the same PC.

Can you explain how this would work?  Has anyone here done this and is it easy or not?

[hdtqisg]

You can use it, but it's best not to use the same private key for both BTC and BCH for security reasons. Electron Cash binaries are signed by anonymous developers

[colvis]

Electron Cash was migrated from Electrum which makes it make use of thesame blockchain and method, so it can likely clash with each other. beside the Electron cash wallet is not to be trusted so if you are to make any investment or looking for the trusted place to save you coins choose Electrum. or you can equally choose to install

[jerry0]

what do you mean best not to use the same private key for both btc and bch?  You mean the same password or you mean something else?


okay so those of you that installed electron cash on another computer... you dont install any other wallets on that computer then right?  However the other thing is what if you have bitcoin cash that you either hold or trade or buy etc.  So basically you cannot use your main computer to send receive bitcoin cash and basically need to use 2 computers or something?

[Herbert2020]

If you want to be safe, run it on another PC. If you don't have a spare PC and your current computer's specs are not bad, you can try installing virtual machine on it, install OS in the virtual machine and install the Electron Cash wallet there. This way you would effectively separate two wallets while technically still running them on the same PC.

Can you explain how this would work?  Has anyone here done this and is it easy or not?

easy is a matter of perception!

let me try to put it into steps for you, using a virtual machine OR a live linux:
1.a. download a Linux distro that you like. it can be the popular Ubuntu.
2.a. burn the distro on a DVD or if you can just put it on a USB and boot from that.

1.b. download a virtual machine program such as VirtualBox (it works for all OS, Windows, linux, mac,..)
2.b. install it on your computer and then build a virtual machine on it (it will be a window which you open but it runs a complete OS)

3. download Electron cash and install it.
optional but preferable: move all your bitcoins to a new wallet (not just a new address since Electrum is HD and your seed is all your addresses/keys)
4. import your private keys or just use your Seed to recover your BCH in Electron Cash.
5. Spend?

[jerry0]

Could i do this on the same computer? 


With the virtual machine, is it simple to do this or not?  So doing this would mean i dont need to get a separate computer then right?  But when i download electron cash on the virtual machine... then i would have to log out or sign out of that ... then log back with my regular computer ?