MY BTC just went POOF [and then mostly UNPOOFED!]! oooeeeooo

[sadpandatech]

OK now the moron is totally confused. Restarted bitcoin and it cam up just fine showing .301 btc.

searching system for wallet.dat said no files found literally dozens of times

Now was given option to reindex the system and there it is:

C:\Users\me\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\wallet.dat

Now I'm convinced I am both the stupidest noob in here and am totally confused as to why bitcoin wound not work this morning, nor would it find wal*.* or any combination of searches including "wallet.dat"

I can only guess it had something to do with the virus scan and the fact that I have now rebooted a few times.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Now time to backup and learn something about this encryption crap. Sheesh!

Glad to here all is mostly alright.=)

[DamienBlack]

Indeed, glad you found it. I don't think this is totally your fault. Sounds buggy to me. I don't think we have enough info to diagnose the bug, but there it is.

If you are still a little paranoid, make a new wallet (I'm not really sure the easiest way... do you have a second computer?) and move the coins to the new wallet. And this time, back it up.

I'm not really sure if moving it is necessary. You don't sound compromised to me. But do back up the wallet.

What version of the client are you using?

PS - Please change the title of the thread to include [SOLVED] or something.

[Smalleyster]

Yes something is strange here. Guiminer must be still doing something but I can't find it in task manager.

This stupid-assed w7 explorer will not let me get to AppDAta to go to the folder that the wallet is in grrr!

now the search finds the backup but not the original

Looks like it's time to give up on this w7 garbage and go set up new wallet in Linux machine and just transfer over as often as possible. Then get off my fat ass and re-learn what little Unix I knew from the DEC Alpha days.

I hate these new OS's who hide files from me! I miss DOS, CP/M and MP/M!

[Smalleyster]

Neither of those should have the power to delete your wallet, although, it could be a new winwebsec variant (but I kind of doubt that, if your antivirus detected it, it shouldn't have had the chance to be run). I thought you said you had one you couldn't remove?

This morning BC (before coffee) as soon as I logged on the AVG screen was showing it's little notice. I then dutifully pickled "Remove" like a good little pawn and it would not respond. Interestingly there was nothing in the AVG history but the two showed in MSSE. When fiddling with the MSSE log I found the file "pack[1]" that the AVG notice had.

oooeeeeoooo

[Smalleyster]

Indeed, glad you found it. I don't think this is totally your fault. Sounds buggy to me. I don't think we have enough info to diagnose the bug, but there it is.

If you are still a little paranoid, make a new wallet (I'm not really sure the easiest way... do you have a second computer?) and move the coins to the new wallet. And this time, back it up.

I'm not really sure if moving it is necessary. You don't sound compromised to me. But do back up the wallet.

What version of the client are you using?

PS - Please change the title of the thread to include [SOLVED] or something.

Bitcoin version 0.3.23-beta

title updated

have 4 comps will be playing linux for next wallet shortly

Not really paranoid as is only .3btc but *pissed* at the *stupidity* of this w7 OS.

[sadpandatech]

Yes something is strange here. Guiminer must be still doing something but I can't find it in task manager.

This stupid-assed w7 explorer will not let me get to AppDAta to go to the folder that the wallet is in grrr!

now the search finds the backup but not the original

Looks like it's time to give up on this w7 garbage and go set up new wallet in Linux machine and just transfer over as often as possible. Then get off my fat ass and re-learn what little Unix I knew from the DEC Alpha days.

I hate these new OS's who hide files from me! I miss DOS, CP/M and MP/M!

Just in case...

In w7 you do not go to C:\doc and settings.   It is now c:\users\

[Jack of Diamonds]

You can always reach appdata fast by going to start menu, then writing %appdata% in the field.
It will open the folder automatically.

[Smalleyster]

This sounds like a bitcoin related trojan, one custom designed that wouldn't show up on the AV program. Is the bitcoin process using a lot of CPU? Kill the bitcoin process and see if it restarts itself.

Killed it and no auto restart for some 15 mins, so don't think regenerating trojan.

Virtually no CPU being used and none by bitcoin or guiminer, which I just re-started)

[Jaime Frontero]

good news!

i'd prolly run some HDD checking stuff - defrag, surface scan, etc.  just for giggles...

[DamienBlack]

Well, all's well that ends well. Good luck in your future bitcoin endeavors.

I did warn you that the search might not find stuff in the roaming folder. And yes, it is stupid. I'm used to searches finding what I need, but ever since XP they have slowly been scaling back the power of searches and including various limitations and silliness.

Killed it and no auto restart for some 15 mins, so don't think regenerating trojan.

Virtually no CPU being used and none by bitcoin or guiminer, which I just re-started)

Sounds clean enough for me. Go forth and prosper.

[Smalleyster]

Thanks tons for putting up with this noob and his silliness.

IMHO this probably has something to do with the AVG notice obliterating the GUI from bitcoin.

After my reboots then killing bitcoin then restarting it manually all seems to be well

That added to the silliness of the w7 Find/Search program being virtually worthless now made me think that bitcoin was compromised and the wallet file had been deleted.

[Smalleyster]

And here I PROMISED myself earlier today that I would go to sleep an hour ago because of a needed early start tomorrow.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked!"

[SmokeAndMirrors]

Now you owe me .3 btc for the solution

[Smalleyster]

Now you owe me .3 btc for the solution

Ah but in response to *my* post you were a bit "snipy" so I did not read your "solution" until just now.

Just think you might have some "major" btc gone your way if not for the attitude.

8^)

[SpaceLord]

Wait.

The Windows Search feature on Windows 7 doesn't search the AppData folder. It's hidden. Did you ever change Explorer to Show Hidden Files, and then go into AppData?

[RchGrav]

Go to the start menu and enter %APPDATA% on the search bar and press enter.

Inside of the window that pops up you will see a Bitcoin folder.  This is where the wallet.dat should be located.


Why not rename the folder to something different.. Use the -datadir option to specify the new path to your data.

Target:  "C:\Program Files\Bitcoin\bitcoin.exe" -datadir=%appdata%\BTCDat  (Or any place on your drive other than the default folder)

Most bitcoin stealers would be specifically looking for %appdata%\Bitcoin\wallet.dat

[static]

i have a noob question: if i have backups of my wallet file, and someone steals my wallet file, are my backups useless if they spend my coins?

[sirky]

i have a noob question: if i have backups of my wallet file, and someone steals my wallet file, are my backups useless if they spend my coins?

Yes. If someone else gains access to your wallet, it is a race to see who spends the coins first.

[static]

ty