armory issues

[syotis]

everyone's PUBLIC wallet, apparently, can be seen by everyone else registered to buy/sell bitcoin. At least that's what Armory is stating (I've watched few youtube videos where a guy was explaining armory). That's how is possible, according to them again, for everyone registered to buy/sell bitcoin to observe how much of bitcoin is in circulation. that's how it was possible for Bit Trade to had the access to my address displayed on the Blockchain page. (link of which I'm providing you with down below)
By ACCESS I meant me accessing or getting control over my investment and what I decide to do with it. As of the very first moment I deposited my money in exchange for bitcoin I did not have any control or even access to the funds.

here is the Blockchain link for you to see.
https://blockchain.info/address/1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x?currency=AUD

copy and paste it into your browser. I hope it works, of course, I can provide you with the transaction receipt which was sent to me by Bit Trade as well

[1715113160]

1715113160

[PhoenixFire]

everyone's PUBLIC wallet, apparently, can be seen by everyone else registered to buy/sell bitcoin. At least that's what Armory is stating (I've watched few youtube videos where a guy was explaining armory). That's how is possible, according to them again, for everyone registered to buy/sell bitcoin to observe how much of bitcoin is in circulation. that's how it was possible for Bit Trade to had the access to my address displayed on the Blockchain page. (link of which I'm providing you with down below)

The bitcoin blockchain is a public ledger, so yes, every transaction is visible by everyone else that cares to see them.
1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x is an address. A wallet contains many addresses.

With that in mind, please answer these questions from goatpig:

1) Did you give bitwhatever an address or a wallet?

2) If you gave them a wallet, detail the steps.

[syotis]

everyone's PUBLIC wallet, apparently, can be seen by everyone else registered to buy/sell bitcoin. At least that's what Armory is stating (I've watched few youtube videos where a guy was explaining armory). That's how is possible, according to them again, for everyone registered to buy/sell bitcoin to observe how much of bitcoin is in circulation. that's how it was possible for Bit Trade to had the access to my address displayed on the Blockchain page. (link of which I'm providing you with down below)
By ACCESS I meant me accessing or getting control over my investment and what I decide to do with it. As of the very first moment I deposited my money in exchange for bitcoin I did not have any control or even access to the funds.

here is the Blockchain link for you to see.
https://blockchain.info/address/1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x?currency=AUD

copy and paste it into your browser. I hope it works, of course, I can provide you with the transaction receipt which was sent to me by Bit Trade as well

[droark]

everyone's PUBLIC wallet, apparently, can be seen by everyone else registered to buy/sell bitcoin. At least that's what Armory is stating (I've watched few youtube videos where a guy was explaining armory). That's how is possible, according to them again, for everyone registered to buy/sell bitcoin to observe how much of bitcoin is in circulation. that's how it was possible for Bit Trade to had the access to my address displayed on the Blockchain page. (link of which I'm providing you with down below)

No. All addresses are public. How the addresses are grouped together into wallets is private (barring horrifically bad security bugs that are irrelevant to this conversation). If BitTrade or whomever is aware of your address, it's either because you told them to look for it, or you conducted a transaction, in which case, yes, of course they'll have that specific address.

By ACCESS I meant me accessing or getting control over my investment and what I decide to do with it. As of the very first moment I deposited my money in exchange for bitcoin I did not have any control or even access to the funds.

I'm confused. Are you saying 1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x is the address generated by Armory that you gave to BitTrade, and that you don't see the address anywhere in the Armory wallet that contains the address? When you double-click the wallet and check all the entries under "Address", that specific address is nowhere to be found?

[syotis]

I gave the address to Bit Trade. I thought that was a wallet because that was THE ONLY THING I WAS GIVEN BY ARMORY. I didn't do any backup because I didn't feel the need for it. Everything seemed OK.
step 1: bit trade asked me for the number of IDs and bank details over the period of two weeks
step 2: they asked me to find a wallet provider and give them a wallet address so they can do the transaction
step 3: I went to Armory and after downloading their software an address was produced (which I thought was a wallet)
step 4: during the transaction (on the bit trade website) I entered that address, deposited my money through POLi Payment and that money ended (through my bank account) into the bank account with the name Digital Blue Solut.
step 5: I then, went to the Bitcoin Armory Management window and realized there was no information of any transaction there
step 6: I then let Armory create 2 new addresses just to see how it worked and to try to find out where my first transaction went
step 7: After both of those new addresses were created they were displayed in the Bitcoin Armory Management but, obviously, there weren't any money or bitcoins in them.
step 8: I then checked to see if there was any phone number or an email that Armory had, so I can contact them to see what's going on. I found their email in the Armory window.
step 9: Just a few seconds after sending them an email my computer sends me back an email informing me that THAT email address is non-existing
step 10: I went to the Bit Trade website and sent an email to the "support team" asking them about the issues Armory has. They replayed to me saying " ah yes, it seems their system is a bit slow at the moment"??
step 11......and ongoing: Bit Trade says they can't do anything to help me out getting my funds back
That's the moment I started contact with you guys.

[droark]

Okay, so we're back at square one. Is Core fully synced? Did you add the bitcoin.conf file that I mentioned?

[PhoenixFire]

Okay, so we're back at square one. Is Core fully synced? Did you add the bitcoin.conf file that I mentioned?

Getting Core and Armory playing nice for this one is going to be difficult. Syotis has been syncing Core at a library and barely has HDD space for the blockchain. Opted for exporting keys, and then the rest of this came to light.

Syotis, thank you for the list of steps.
Could I trouble you for a screenshot of your Armory window?

When Armory runs for the first time, it creates a wallet. It also asks you for a password to encrypt the wallet. Is this the "passphrase" you have in your notebook? It also prompts you to create a backup of the wallet. Did you do this?
If so, is your "passphrase" a set of 4 character long "words"? Not actual dictionary words. "abcd wxyz" and so on about 16 more times?

According to your logs the first wallet you created was on the 28th of January at 7:52am. It would also have "2esgHgP7M" as the ID in the main Armory window. This file should be located here: C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Armory\armory_2esgHgP7M_.wallet
Is it still there?

[syotis]

I can't open that link. When I copy and paste to my browser it prompts me to save it to my computer. After I do that, I can't even open the file. It says to find the program which created the file in order to open it, but I wouldn't know what program is that. it could be any program. This all means that I don't know if the wallet is still there.

I didn't do any backup. the only phrases I created was for the one of two wallets Armory created after I played with the Armory in order to find out what's going on with my original address (which I thought it was a wallet)

After I created one of the other two wallets, Armory gave me the set of 12 words but some of them are 3 letters word and some 4, 5 and 6

When I try to open Armory window, sometimes, a message pops up saying: "armory failed to spawn the DB! Continuing operation in offline mode instead. Refer to the dbLog.txt for more information.

How do I take screeshot of Armory and which screen in Armory exactly?

[syotis]

I just checked Armory window and that wallet ID (2esgHgP7M) is still there

[syotis]

I have a slight suspicion that my original address (1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x), which armory created for my transaction is not linked with the wallet (2esgHgP7M) and/or I don't have a wallet, to begin with. but how would I nkow?!

[goatpig]

I have a slight suspicion that my original address (1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x), which armory created for my transaction is not linked with the wallet (2esgHgP7M) and/or I don't have a wallet, to begin with. but how would I nkow?!

Addresses are derived deterministically. If this address comes from wallet "2esgHgP7M", it's in there.

[PhoenixFire]

I have a slight suspicion that my original address (1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x), which armory created for my transaction is not linked with the wallet (2esgHgP7M) and/or I don't have a wallet, to begin with. but how would I nkow?!

Addresses are derived deterministically. If this address comes from wallet "2esgHgP7M", it's in there.

Syotis, in addition, your transaction happened about 24 hours after you created that wallet (2esgHgP7M). The second wallet wasn't created until long after, on the 2nd of Feb. I don't think Armory is even set up to create addresses without them being part of a wallet.
So your best bet to get at your coins is to remember the password for the 2esgHgP7M wallet.

You should be able to check if the address is part of that wallet quite easily:
Double click the 2esgHgP7M wallet. A Wallet Properties window will appear and in it a few lines: "Used Addresses", "Change Addresses" and "Unused Addresses".
Click the triangle next to "Unused Addresses" to expand it and then the triangle next to "P2PKH". Your address "1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x" should be in this list somewhere - Go through it carefully.

Don't worry about the screenshot or the DB error. I am also reasonably sure that the set of words Armory gave you are a paper backup for the other wallet, which won't help much.

[syotis]

by PhoenixFire
"You should be able to check if the address is part of that wallet quite easily:
Double click the 2esgHgP7M wallet. A Wallet Properties window will appear and in it a few lines: "Used Addresses", "Change Addresses" and "Unused Addresses".
Click the triangle next to "Unused Addresses" to expand it and then the triangle next to "P2PKH". Your address "1Pia2Q1HfF9opf2eM2JcDhfqvLgTvv4M2x" should be in this list somewhere - Go through it carefully."

I went there inside of Armory but can't open all addresses which start with 1P***** Some open just fine and for some a little popup "Modify comment" window comes up asking me to "Add Address Comment".
What address comment is that???
And even if I successfully find that address, what do I need to do to activate it and find my coins?

[syotis]

It opened, and it is there, under P2PKH. what should I do next?

[PhoenixFire]

It opened, and it is there, under P2PKH. what should I do next?

Good to know.
You need to figure out what your password is for that wallet.

[syotis]

I've tried several options but none of the passwords can open it. is there any way around it? change password or something?

[PhoenixFire]

I've tried several options but none of the passwords can open it. is there any way around it? change password or something?

Sorry, but no. The way around this is using a paper backup - something you apparently chose not to make for the first wallet. You were warned when you created the wallet:


If the coins are important to you, I'd get to thinking hard about what you entered as a password. I know it is a 5 character minimum but beyond that, only you would know what you entered.

[syotis]

thanks for all your effort. this will be a case of money in money out. have to forget this chapter and learn a lesson never ever to trade with bit trade and never ever to use armory. thanks again. $500 dollars wouldn't change my life anyway

[Holliday]

thanks for all your effort. this will be a case of money in money out. have to forget this chapter and learn a lesson never ever to trade with bit trade and never ever to use armory. thanks again. $500 dollars wouldn't change my life anyway

The actual lesson: Read the manual before jumping headlong into a form of money that requires more user responsibility (and therefore provides more freedom) than any other form of money on the planet.

It doesn't matter which exchange or which wallet software you use, if you are completely clueless as to even the most basic properties of Bitcoin, you are going to have a bad time.

Finally, neither the exchange nor the wallet software was actually to blame for OP's inability to access those bitcoins; it was, however, OP's inability to understand the basic purpose of a password, even after the software itself provided multiple warnings in all-caps-bold-red-print explaining the importance of saving the password and creating backups.

[goatpig]

He could try the brute force script for the wallet but I do not have the strength in me to walk him through it.