Bitcoin wallet - simple questions

[JanEmil]

Downloaded Bitcoin Core Wallet to sign a messege at bitcointalk.org. Worked fine.

Have a few questtions about the wallet:

1) To restore the backup I just replace the wallet.dat on a new PC right?
2) Do I have to make backup after every time I get new value or it the value stored on blockchain?
3) Any way to have less GB download? The wallet take 50% of my free harddisk space.

[OmegaStarScream]

1. Yes.
2. If you are using an old version, you should backup each time you create 100 addresses, as for the newest versions (not sure since which version exactly), a one backup should be sufficient (I will let someone confirm/correct this).
3. You can use prune mode but you won't be running a full node that way and If that's not your goal, I'd suggest switching to something like Electrum.

[JanEmil]

Thank you for help.

[journeyman12]

What exactly means ¨signing a message¨?
I see it more on this forum.

What does it mean and where is it good for ?

[Daveeoff]

Regarding the 3rd question - if you don't want to download the blocks you can just use Electrum. Its much easier for casual transactions.

[Akany]

What does it means to sign a message?

[journeyman12]

What does it means to sign a message?

this !

[appalosail]

What exactly means ¨signing a message¨?
I see it more on this forum.

What does it mean and where is it good for ?

i think it is somehow to verify the bitcoin address (wallet) is belongs to you, to prove someone that you own the wallet (bitcoin address). but please correct me if i'm wrong.

[JanEmil]

What does it means to sign a message?

I have done it here
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=996318.msg29372199#msg29372199

When you sign a message you get at uniqe code that prove you are the owner of that bitcoin address.

On bitcointalk it can be used to prove you are the owner if your account get hacked.

Or could be used to prove you own the bitcoins you say.

Or if you allready have trust with a person you can communicate and know the message is not tampered if you validate it.

Maybe more. I am newbie  

[HodorHodl]

How to sign a message.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=990345.0

If it helped you, add a thanks. This one should really stay near the top in the Beginner section. It's not my thread by the way

[journeyman12]

Thank you all.

[Abdussamad]

1. Yes.
2. If you are using an old version, you should backup each time you create 100 addresses, as for the newest versions (not sure since which version exactly), a one backup should be sufficient (I will let someone confirm/correct this).
3. You can use prune mode but you won't be running a full node that way and If that's not your goal, I'd suggest switching to something like Electrum.

A pruned node is still a full node.