In need of help sorry if I post in wrong place

[Anonwick]

So i downloaded bit core got me some coins all been going l until today when I've had to reset my pc I do have my private key and password I made written down but when i go to import key says invailed format -5

[1714885522]

1714885522

[1714885522]

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[1714885522]

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[1714885522]

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[1714885522]

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[ranochigo]

Does your private key start with either 5, L or K? If it isn't, that isn't a Wallet Import Format private key and it won't be accepted by Bitcoin Core.

Where did you get your private key from? Which application is it?

[Anonwick]

I used bit coin core went to the wallet.dat folder and unsure how I opened it but it does start with L, I'm slightly new to this still but I write the key down caps and none caps and I now the encrypted pass code I used as well anything else I need to now bud and thank you so much for the help
 I think the key was from ether either a console command from debug window or file viewer but think the file viewer wouldn't show me the props format

[ranochigo]

I used bit coin core went to the wallet.dat folder and unsure how I opened it but it does start with L, I'm slightly new to this still but I write the key down caps and none caps and I now the encrypted pass code I used as well anything else I need to now bud and thank you so much for the help

I'm pretty certain that the wallet.dat does not display the data in human readable format. If anything, the best chance you would have is to double check your key to ensure that its keyed in correctly. The key should have 52 characters.

Just to be sure, the command is (replacing the private key accordingly.)

Code:

importprivkey LPRIVATEKEY

Do you still have the wallet.dat of the previous wallet?

[Anonwick]

I'll double check now how many chars I wrote down and retry the key also I did have the .dat on my usb after having to reset my win 10 had to use that usb thought maybe the private key and pass c would have done it the key is 52 chars long so if anything I might be typing it wrong be a bloody fun challenge to keep going are what keys wrong  and one last question is this the right thing as well to double check debug console inportprivkey L5.....ends in M do i need to add anything after the key or just hit enter

[ranochigo]

I'll double check now how many chars I wrote down and retry the key also I did have the .dat on my usb after having to reset my win 10 had to use that usb thought maybe the private key and pass c would have done it the key is 52 chars long so if anything I might be typing it wrong be a bloody fun challenge to keep going are what keys wrong  and one last question is this the right thing as well to double check debug console inportprivkey L5.....ends in M do i need to add anything after the key or just hit enter

Nope. You can just hit enter.

I would seriously just recommend you to import your wallet.dat by going to %appdata%/Bitcoin and replace the wallet.dat in it. You might not have exported all the private keys and switching the wallet.dat is the only way to guarantee that you won't lose anything.

[Anonwick]

I don't have the wallet.dat anymore bud I'll give it a few true are what happens worst case worse learn from your mistakes and time to buy  a usb for my back ups

[HCP]

I used bit coin core went to the wallet.dat folder and unsure how I opened it but it does start with L, I'm slightly new to this still but I write the key down caps and none caps...

Be aware that the key will likely have upper AND lowercase characters in it... So you can't just make them ALL uppercase or all lowercase!

The case has to match the key exactly! It's possible that you are entering one or more letters in the wrong case and getting that format error.

Valid characters can be seen here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Base58Check_encoding#Base58_symbol_chart

Chances are you are using lowercase L or uppercase i or uppercase O or 0 etc...

[Jet Cash]

Did you download the blockchain for a second time? I keep a backup of this, and the associated wallet and other files, on an external HDD. I seem to be able to move this between machines and operating systems. I don't think I could face downloading the blockchain again.