can't open qt - need help - corrupted?

[4Progress]

I've been running Bitcoin-QT for months without a problem. However, as of yesterday I get an error when I try to start up the program. A few days prior I got the error (or a similar one) as well, however, the wallet still opened. Now it crashes. I'm on a Mac. Additionally, I was running low on disk space when I first started getting the errors but just kept deleting things. Also, I *might* have been unable to open it only once force quitting, but I'm not sure.

This is the error I get:

"Warning: error reading wallet.dat! All keys read correctly, but transaction data or address book entries might be missing or incorrect."

I get this whist it says "Loading Wallet"

It then crashes if I click okay, and I get an option to report, saying it quit unexpectedly.

I've tried re-downloading Bitcoin-qt with no luck. I'm a newbie with the software side of bitcoin. Please help me out here - I've done some googling but I'm not sure what else to try. Can my balance be recovered?

Thanks in advanced.

[deepceleron]

You should make a backup copy of your wallet.dat file, and then try restarting with the command-line option -salvagewallet. Alternately, you can restore a wallet.dat backup - you do have a backup, right?

[4Progress]

You should make a backup copy of your wallet.dat file, and then try restarting with the command-line option -salvagewallet. Alternately, you can restore a wallet.dat backup - you do have a backup, right?

I've already made a copy of wallet.dat, but have done so after I've started getting the error.

Unforuntately I don't have an earlier backup. There's less than .1 BTC in the wallet, so if that's all it costs to learn how to properly store and protect my bitcoin, I'll view this as still coming out ahead.

Should I go ahead with the command-line option despite no earlier backup, or is it a moot point since there's no earlier backup? Sorry, I'm still a newbie.

[deepceleron]

The salvage wallet operation makes a new recovered wallet, but before it makes changes, you should do your own backup first - just in case it goes wrong. Make a copy of the wallet.dat file in the data directory first. ~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/

[4Progress]

The salvage wallet operation makes a new recovered wallet, but before it makes changes, you should do your own backup first - just in case it goes wrong. Make a copy of the wallet.dat file in the data directory first. ~/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/

I'm guessing this is the command for Windows. Do you know what it would be for Mac OSX? That information doesn't seem to be readily available.

[deepceleron]

http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/introduction-to-the-mac-os-x-command-line

the directory I gave above is the subdirectory below your home directory where bitcoin stores its data on Mac OSX, including the wallet.dat.

[4Progress]

http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/introduction-to-the-mac-os-x-command-line

the directory I gave above is the subdirectory below your home directory where bitcoin stores its data on Mac OSX, including the wallet.dat.

Thanks for the response. I understand the basics of the command line and I've already copied the wallet.dat file. The issue is that the command for Mac is different than that for Windows, so the command you mentioned in an earlier post doesn't seem to work. I'll keep doing some reading and try to figure it out.

[4Progress]

Do I have to navigate to the directory before running the -salvagewallet command?

[4Progress]

So I'm in Terminal and trying to navigate to the directory.

Running cd /Users/username/Library brings me to library.

Running cd /Users/username/Library/Application Support says no such file or directory (even though there is). Maybe because of spaces?

[deepceleron]

Do I have to navigate to the directory before running the -salvagewallet command?

Hi, you would just go to the program directory where the Bitcoin executable file is installed, and type
./bitcoin-qt -salvagewallet

or if it is in the path, you can just type from any directory in a terminal window:
bitcoin-qt -salvagewallet

As for going to the data directory to make a copy of the wallet.dat, you can do that in finder:

That folder is now invisible in Lion.  You can go there by entering a path in Go -> Go To Folder or by holding down option while the Go menu is open and then choose Library (which will disappear from that menu if you let go of option).

optionally, you can unhide the folder:
If you need to access the ~/Library folder from within an application, you can make the folder permanently visible. Just open Terminal and type in:

chflags nohidden /Users/[username]/Library/

Replace [username] with your user name(!) and hit return. Then you can quit Terminal and your user Library folder will be visible.


BTW, I do not use a mac, but I know how to use Google.

[michagogo]

The following commands should back up your wallet and then start the salvage operation:

Code:

$ cd /Users/username/Library/Application\ Support/Bitcoin/
$ cp wallet.dat wallet.dat.bak
$ open /Applications/Bitcoin-Qt.app --args -salvagewallet

Note that the salvage operation may take time (a 2-digit number of minutes), because part of it it a rescan of the blockchain.

[4Progress]

Hi guys, I appreciate the help from both of you. I've already backed up the wallet.

When trying to salvage it, I've tried both commands both of you suggested, but it tells me command not found:

Code:

Bitcoin-Qt.app -salvagewallet
-bash: Bitcoin-Qt.app: command not found

I'm running OSX 10.9 if that matters.

[michagogo]

When trying to salvage it, I've tried both commands both of you suggested, but it tells me command not found:

Code:

Bitcoin-Qt.app -salvagewallet
-bash: Bitcoin-Qt.app: command not found

Look at my message -- that command won't work, you want the following command:

Code:

open /Applications/Bitcoin-Qt.app --args -salvagewallet

This is because in OS X, applications are actually folders. Bitcoin-Qt.app isn't an executable, the executable itself is a few folders in, I don't remember the exact structure off the top of my head. The `open` command will look at it from OS X's perspective, and do what you want.