Making a wallet backup

[stevenf]

Hi Everyone,

I've been using Bitcoin wallet for Android for a while now, and very happy with it. So far I've had no problems with my phone crashing or being lost, so I've not had to restore a backup.

At the moment I have quiet a few bitcoins in my wallet and because I have never restored from a backup, I just want to know if I'm doing it correct.

What I do is, every time I make a transaction receive or send, I backup the private keys and email them to myself.

What if my phone crashes and I need to reinstall the Bitcoin wallet? I then have a new bitcoin address.

Do I then just simply choose to import my private keys? And my bitcoins are back again?

Thanks for any help!

[Mitchell]

Yes, exactly. Just import them and you will have your BitCoins again. BUT I don't think mailing your private keys is a smart idea. If they hack your e-mail you can wave your BitCoins goodbye.

[Mike Hearn]

The wallet only needs to be backed up if you add a key. Just receiving or sending transactions doesn't invalidate prior backups. Once HD wallets are implemented all this will get a lot simpler. The backups can be encrypted under a password, so don't worry about that too much.

[stevenf]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies!

What do you mean with 'The wallet only needs to be backed up if you add a key'?

HD Wallets..... that's something new for me. What are HD wallets?

Yep, the backup of my private keys are with a strong password.

[Mitchell]

The wallet only needs to be backed up if you add a key. Just receiving or sending transactions doesn't invalidate prior backups. Once HD wallets are implemented all this will get a lot simpler. The backups can be encrypted under a password, so don't worry about that too much.

Well, this is true most of the times. But when he is out of chance addresses, the wallet should generate new ones, which he has to backup. (I don't know how chance works on the BitCoin Android Wallet, but it works that way on a normal wallet).

With adding a key, he means adding a new address. I cannot help you with HD wallets, not really sure what they are.

[Mike Hearn]

Bitcoin Wallet does not generate new keys/addresses or change addresses automatically, exactly to avoid invalidating peoples backups. It prefers to leak private information (for now). HD wallets will let us have our cake and eat it.

By "adding a key" I mean going into your address book and adding a new address.

[Mitchell]

Bitcoin Wallet does not generate new keys/addresses or change addresses automatically, exactly to avoid invalidating peoples backups. It prefers to leak private information (for now). HD wallets will let us have our cake and eat it.

By "adding a key" I mean going into your address book and adding a new address.

I see, thanks for clarifying.

[Andreas Schildbach]

One small note: If you want to test the key restore process, just try restoring one of your backups into your existing wallet.

It should say something like "restored 0 (of x) keys", where x is the number of keys that is in your backup. Those keys were decrypted successfully, and the only reason no keys were imported is that they are already in your wallet.

[wren]

hi, new to all this as well, have a few questions:

1. when I do a restore, I see a file called key-backup-basexx.xx - unencrypted app-private storage automatic backup on Sep 17. what is this file and how do I delete it?

2. I made an encrypted backup file. I moved it to external SD card. I do not see how to restore from ext SD card, or how to browse anywhere for that matter during restore. how is this done?

3. how do I see my actual private key? I want to also write it down. how do I see this?

[Andreas Schildbach]

1. Its an automatic backup. You cannot delete it.

2. http://bitcoin-wallet.googlecode.com/git/wallet/README

3. There is currently no way to show the private key.