Backing up wallet

[bitplanet]

Hello-
I am would like a little advice regarding how to back up a qt wallet on a mac using a thumb drive or external drive
My understanding is that I create a wallet.dat file using the "back up wallet" function on bitcoin-qt and then save it to the external drive.
Then, am I to erase the info on the computer's wallet so that the data only exists on the external drive?
If so, then how am I to transfer the data back to the computer's wallet in order to move the bitcoin?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

[guybrushthreepwood]

Hello-
I am would like a little advice regarding how to back up a qt wallet on a mac using a thumb drive or external drive
My understanding is that I create a wallet.dat file using the "back up wallet" function on bitcoin-qt and then save it to the external drive.
Then, am I to erase the info on the computer's wallet so that the data only exists on the external drive?
If so, then how am I to transfer the data back to the computer's wallet in order to move the bitcoin?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Just put the wallet.dat file back where it was and let it re-synch.

[Sonny]

After switching off the bitcoin-qt completely, copy and paste the wallet.dat file to your destination.
Of course, you can further encrypt the file using TrueCrypt or archive software such as 7zip.

[odolvlobo]

The purpose of backing up you wallet is to make a copy that you can keep safe in case your computer dies or the data is corrupted or something. Make a backup on your thumb drive and store it somewhere. That's all there is to it. Don't erase anything or your may be sorry.

Be sure to encrypt your wallet first.

Also, your wallet does not hold bitcoins, in case that is what you are thinking. It holds private keys.

[Sonny]

Please remember that on default setting, bitcoin-qt pre-generate 100 addresses for you.

When you "generate" a new address, or make a payment and use a new change address, you program will take one address from the 100, and pre-generate a new one.
So, the 101th address (and all the addresses after that) you generated are NOT in your backups.
That's why, you need to make a new backups from time to time, or use the -keypool=<n> argument.

[odolvlobo]

well, I don't have a wallet.dat file on my computer but I have coin in my wallet.  Why is this?
If I store the code in a qt wallet on an external drive, then don't I want to clear the code off my computer in order to not expose myself to outsiders?  How do I clear the code?  How do I uninstall qt from my computer?
I'm a little confused.

If you are using bitcoin-qt, then you have a wallet.dat file. I believe the folder it resides in is hidden by default.

You can store the wallet (and the database) anywhere you want by using the -datadir command line option, but I'm not clear on why you want to uninstall bitcoin-qt. How would you access your wallet then?

Perhaps it would be better if you explained what your goals or concerns are instead of asking how to do something that might be a bad idea.

[Smileyftw]

you do uninstall qt from your computer by deleting the whole folder

[oxfardk]

it's not a backup that will secure anything bitplanet

[odolvlobo]

My goal is ultimately to secure my wallet against any outside attempt to compromise it.  I figured that the best way to do this is to save the 'coin' (key code) in a wallet saved on an external drive.  Then, not keep the coin or anything else in the computer that I use for everyday transactions.  

If I do not remove the coin from my computer's wallet, then anyone who hacks into my computer would still have the same data from my wallet as whats on my external drive, which would render my attempt to segregate the coin in a 'secure' drive useless, because they could spend it before I am able to do damage control.  If I remove any data from my computer, then anyone hacking in would not be able to find anything worth using -- it would be safe and secure on an external drive, right?  Then I could just use the coin from the external drive through my computer without exposing the entire amount.

I would appreciate your help.

You want to use a wallet program called Armory (https://bitcoinarmory.com/). Armory has a feature that allows you to hold and spend bitcoins on a computer that is never connected to the internet.

If you want to just hold bitcoins offline and not be able to spend them, then you want to make a "paper" or "offline" wallet.

BTW, the purpose of a backup of your wallet (or anything for that matter) is to have additional copies in case the original wallet is lost, destroyed, or corrupted. Backups do not protect you from hackers, they protect you from yourself.