blockchain wallet backup

[claes88]

I've now been waiting for 28 days for blockchain support to answer this question, so I'm gonna ask here, but honestly it doesn't seem to be anyone that knows how to do a safe backup of your blockchain wallet, i've asked many times..

There is a button which says "download" on the first page under the headline "backup" in your blockchain wallet, however clicking that link only leads you to a page with more information, no donwload ever takes place.. That is in firefox.  In chrome that button saying download doesn't even exist.

I don't trust dropbox or google to do backups, so how do I do a proper backup?? I want to do a backup have been wanting to do this for months but nobody knows how.. I want a backup that's good even if blockchain.info gets taken down..

[justmyname]

Just download a personal wallet to your computer. Then back it up and encrypt it. Don't leave your coins up on an uninsured site that could lose or steal them. 

http://bitcoin.org/en/download

[Abdussamad]

Use the email backup option. It will send you an encrypted copy of your wallet. Just save the attachment of that email. Keep in mind that if you create new addresses or send coins using your wallet you will need to create a new backup too. Otherwise you risk loosing coins.

If you are looking for a good desktop wallet client I recommend electrum. It does not require you to download the blockchain and it is deterministic which means that backing it up is as easy as remembering 12 words (you can write them down and store them somewhere safe). You only have to do this once with electrum regardless of the number of transactions you do.

[DannyHamilton]

Just download a personal wallet to your computer. Then back it up and encrypt it. Don't leave your coins up on an uninsured site that could lose or steal them. 

Please explain how the site could steal his bitcoins?  I don't think you understand how blockchain.info works.

Please also explain how the site could lose his bitcoins if he manages to get a backup of his wallet from the site?

[Welsh]

You could use the email backup function. I would suggest using it on a personal email which isn't going to be spammed etc. Makes it easy to access. Only use a private email and not a public email of course. I would suggest deleting the email which you have received whilst storing the backup in a secure location just in case you're email is compromised. You could always use a fresh email which no one knows you own & exists.

[Remember remember the 5th of November]

Just download a personal wallet to your computer. Then back it up and encrypt it. Don't leave your coins up on an uninsured site that could lose or steal them.  

Please explain how the site could steal his bitcoins?  I don't think you understand how blockchain.info works.

Please also explain how the site could lose his bitcoins if he manages to get a backup of his wallet from the site?

For the first, well it takes a lot of trust into blockchain.info, if they chose so, they can wipe all the wallets from their bitcoins and store them in their own wallet and just run away with all that Bitcoin.

[cp1]

There's been too many posts of people losing their coins on online wallets.  Just secure one on your computer.

[DannyHamilton]

Please explain how the site could steal his bitcoins?  I don't think you understand how blockchain.info works.

Please also explain how the site could lose his bitcoins if he manages to get a backup of his wallet from the site?

For the first, well it takes a lot of trust into blockchain.info, if they chose so, they can wipe all the wallets from their bitcoins and store them in their own wallet and just run away with all that Bitcoin.

I don't think you understand how blockchain works.  If you have a backup of your wallet, then it isn't possible for them to "wipe all the wallets from their bitcoins" since you can still access your bitcoins from your backup.  Since they don't have access to your private keys, it also isn't possible for them to "store them in their own wallet and just run away with all that bitcoin" either.  Either you don't understand how bitcoin works, or you don't understand how blockchain.info works. Either way, please stop spreading misinformation and confusing others.

If you run the browser plug-in that verifies that the JavaScript isn't sending your passphrase to blockchain.info, and you use a reasonably secure paraphrase, then blockchain.info is just about as secure as Electrum or MultiBit, and in many ways can be safer than Bitcoin-Qt.

[DannyHamilton]

There's been too many posts of people losing their coins on online wallets.  Just secure one on your computer.

Blockchain.info is about as "online" as using Bitcoin-Qt and storing frequent encrypted backups on Dropbox or google drive.

[DannyHamilton]

blockchain open source private key cracker project you are the one who gave us the link was it worth it NYC;)

WTF are you talking about? I'm getting bored with your trolling, and have had enough of your YouTube spam.

[justmyname]

Just download a personal wallet to your computer. Then back it up and encrypt it. Don't leave your coins up on an uninsured site that could lose or steal them. 

Please explain how the site could steal his bitcoins?  I don't think you understand how blockchain.info works.

Please also explain how the site could lose his bitcoins if he manages to get a backup of his wallet from the site?

I'm sure they have a back door somehow.  As my balance went down a fraction of a Bitcoin more than once while I was using their service.

First they charge you over %5 of your fiat to change it to Bitcoins. Secondly, I always received less coins than I agreed to buy even though the price did not change when I went to the store to wire them the cash.  One time I was offered what they called close to 5.12 bitcoins and received 3.8! 

I think they even charge  a fee when you move your Bitcoins off their wallet. They're second only to Bitfloor in screwing me over.

[DannyHamilton]

I'm sure they have a back door somehow.

The source code is available for review.  There is no "back door".

First they charge you over %5 of your fiat to change it to Bitcoins. Secondly, I always received less coins than I agreed to buy even though the price did not change when I went to the store to wire them the cash.  One time I was offered what they called close to 5.12 bitcoins and received 3.8! 

It sounds like you are describing BitInstant, not blockchain.info.  Are you sure you aren't confusing two different companies offering two different services run by two completely different people?  blockchain.info may provide a link to the BitInstant service (just like they provide a way to access Satoshi Dice), but that doesn't mean they are the ones charging all those fees (anymore than they are paying off the Satoshi Dice bets).

I think they even charge  a fee when you move your Bitcoins off their wallet. They're second only to Bitfloor in screwing me over.

There is a small 0.0001 BTC fee that all reasonable wallets encourage you to pay for low priority transactions.  Bitcoin-Qt would do the same.  This fee doesn't go to the wallet provider, but is paid to the miners who add your transaction to a block.

I understand your frustration, but it would be good to take some time to learn exactly what is happening. Otherwise your lack of knowledge is likely to lead to poor decisions arising from placing your frustrations and blame in the wrong place.

[DannyHamilton]

LOOK WHO WROTE THIS====>

https://bitslog.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/the-bitcoin-eternal-choice-for-the-dark-side-attack-ecdsa/

Who wrote it, and why should I care.  Whoever it is, they don't seem to understand how difficult or expensive it would be to pull of the particular attack they are describing.

ecdsa dude please i need some bitcoins wanna meet at the McD0nalds on Lake Shore Drive what is your local bitcoins link again Chitown where  NYC;)

I'm struggling to follow your attempts at English, but you are clearly not in Chicago.  The only two McDonald's that might be considered "on Lake Shore Drive" are in the Field Museum and in McCormick Place.  Nobody from Chicago would refer to either of those as being "the McDonald's on Lake Shore Drive", they would refer to the buildings they are in.

I really do wish a Mod would just ban you for your trolling and spamming.

[Remember remember the 5th of November]

Please explain how the site could steal his bitcoins?  I don't think you understand how blockchain.info works.

Please also explain how the site could lose his bitcoins if he manages to get a backup of his wallet from the site?

For the first, well it takes a lot of trust into blockchain.info, if they chose so, they can wipe all the wallets from their bitcoins and store them in their own wallet and just run away with all that Bitcoin.

I don't think you understand how blockchain works.  If you have a backup of your wallet, then it isn't possible for them to "wipe all the wallets from their bitcoins" since you can still access your bitcoins from your backup.  Since they don't have access to your private keys, it also isn't possible for them to "store them in their own wallet and just run away with all that bitcoin" either.  Either you don't understand how bitcoin works, or you don't understand how blockchain.info works. Either way, please stop spreading misinformation and confusing others.

If you run the browser plug-in that verifies that the JavaScript isn't sending your passphrase to blockchain.info, and you use a reasonably secure paraphrase, then blockchain.info is just about as secure as Electrum or MultiBit, and in many ways can be safer than Bitcoin-Qt.

I've never used a web wallet, and don't plan to. And how can they not have access to the private keys? If the wallets are PHYSICALLY hosted there, they have access to everything.

[DannyHamilton]

- snip -
how can they not have access to the private keys? If the wallets are PHYSICALLY hosted there, they have access to everything.

blockchain.info does not "PHYSICALLY host" your wallet there.  The "wallet" consists of a bunch of javascript programming that runs locally on your web browser.  When you create a new private key, the software running locally on your computer in your web browser generates the key (not their server).  When you sign a transaction, the software running locally on your computer in your web browser generates the key (not their server).

The software in your browser encrypts the private keys with your password (and does not send the password to their server).  Then it sends only the encrypted private keys to their server.  That's all they have access to.  When you need to do something with the private keys, they are sent encrypted from their server to your browser where the javascript programming decrypts them locally to use them.  This really isn't much different than storing an encrypted copy of your wallet file somewhere offsite and online (like dropbox or google drive) and then re-downloading your local wallet new each time you use it.

If you don't trust the encryption used to encrypt the private keys, then how can you trust any of the cryptography used in any of bitcoin at all?