Can I store Bitcoin on a 16 MB SD card?

[m4ti]

Hello guys,

I want to store my BTC on a 16MB SD card, because of shitty Windows (it's iikely, that my Windows will destroy itself in the next time again). But I have to use Windows, because of the games.

It must be safe and usable with Linux too (and of course it should be free). Therefore I would use TrueCrypt to encrypt the memory card, but I don't know how to store the BTC there.

What about a paper wallet, is that safe and free?

I hope you can answer my question

[byt411]

Hello guys,

I want to store my BTC on a 16MB SD card, because of shitty Windows (it's iikely, that my Windows will destroy itself in the next time again). But I have to use Windows, because of the games.

It must be safe and usable with Linux too (and of course it should be free). Therefore I would use TrueCrypt to encrypt the memory card, but I don't know how to store the BTC there.

What about a paper wallet, is that safe and free?

I hope you can answer my question

A paper wallet is safe and free as long as you have a piece of paper and a pen, and if you don't lose the paper. You might as well stick the paper into a safe.

[tsoPANos]

16 mb is more than enough to hold your wallet file.
But the blockchain is huge.
just make sure you use a program like electrum multibit or armory.

[m4ti]

I'm using MultiBit. Do I only have to copy the wallet.dat onto the SD card?

And what if I want to restore it, but the balance is not the correct one (e.g. because I got earnings from mining, or bought something)?
I think a paper wallet would be more safe, because it can't get outdated, but the problem is, I can't backup all my BTC ....

Would it be possible, to sync the wallet.dat on my PC with the google drive or other cloud services? I think this would be the best backup.

[byt411]

I'm using MultiBit. Do I only have to copy the wallet.dat onto the SD card?

And what if I want to restore it, but the balance is not the correct one (e.g. because I got earnings from mining, or bought something)?
I think a paper wallet would be more safe, because it can't get outdated, but the problem is, I can't backup all my BTC ....

Would it be possible, to sync the wallet.dat on my PC with the google drive or other cloud services? I think this would be the best backup.

There is no difference. You wallet cannot get outdated. Bitcoins are not stored in the file.

[m4ti]

That means I only have to copy the wallet.dat ONCE to the SD card, and it's a backup "forever"?

[tanalith]

That means I only have to copy the wallet.dat ONCE to the SD card, and it's a backup "forever"?

more or less, from what I read the wallet.dat stores your private keys(the numbers used to SPEND coins from your addresses) and you can store your private keys even on paper https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Paper_wallet

if you're paranoic, create a bunch of addresses(the ones from receive tab) and store them in a text file, backup wallet.dat and delete wallet application and downloaded chain block
send your coins to addresses and monitor them with block explorers
when you're ready to spend install wallet app, sync it, replace wallet.dat and happy spending

[yogi]

IMPORTANT!

If you are using a non-deterministic wallet then you will need to back it up every time new keys are created. You can determine if the wallet needs backing up again by checking if the wallet.dat file has been modified. Alternatively use a deterministic wallet, as the seed only needs to be backed up once.

[m4ti]

I'm using Multibit. Windows says, that my multibit.wallet (must be the wallet.dat of Multibit) was last modified today.

Which wallet do I have to use, that my wallet.dat doesn't has to be modified? Can you recommend me such a wallet?

[cp1]

I think electrum will be best for you.  Make sure you write down the secret phrase in case you lose your usb drive.

[byt411]

Use electrum. Either backup deafult.wallet or jot down the private key.

[m4ti]

Can I use Vanitygen with electrum? Or import my private keys from MultiBit?

Would be great, if Vanitygen can be used for this (don't want these lame random adresses).

[cp1]

You just need a text file for vanitygen addresses, not a wallet. 

[m4ti]

No, I want to import some vanitygen adresses into Electrum, that I can receive BTC with these "cool" adresses.

[byt411]

No, I want to import some vanitygen adresses into Electrum, that I can receive BTC with these "cool" adresses.

You take the private keys from VanityGen and import them into Electrum.

[m4ti]

Have done this, but Electrum warned me, that imported adresses won't be restored with my seed.
But that is not important, since I copy wallet.dat to the SD card, am I right?

[cp1]

Just keep the private keys in a text file.  You don't need to import them to receive bitcoins, they're always able to receive bitcoins.

[byt411]

Just keep the private keys in a text file.  You don't need to import them to receive bitcoins, they're always able to receive bitcoins.

I think writing them down would be safer, there is a risk that you will get keylogged.

Have done this, but Electrum warned me, that imported adresses won't be restored with my seed.
But that is not important, since I copy wallet.dat to the SD card, am I right?

That is unimportant, it only means that if your computer explodes, entering your secret seed on another Electrum client will not restore your Vanity Address.

[m4ti]

Think I don't understand the Bitcoin payment completely.

I have copied now the private key from vanitygen to electrum. If I receive Bitcoin with the vanity adress, will they go to my normal wallet, where my mining, trading earnings etc. from other adresses go to or is there a wallet for every adress?
In multibit every adress pointed to the same wallet, it was only, that you can see, where the Bitcoins are from.

Now I have to copy the wallet.dat and the private key of my vanity adress to the sd card? Is there anything else, I have to copy?
So, if my computer burns, the Bitcoins/private adresses are safe on the sd card and ONLY my PC is dead?

[dserrano5]

I have copied now the private key from vanitygen to electrum. If I receive Bitcoin with the vanity adress, will they go to my normal wallet, where my mining, trading earnings etc. from other adresses go to[?]

Yes.

or is there a wallet for every adress?

No. What happens is that electrum addresses are somewhat "linked" in the sense that they are generated from a seed. Privkeys that you import don't belong to this scheme so aren't restored from the seed after a crash. That's why you should either keep those privkeys or backup the full electrum wallet instead of only the seed.

Backing up both the wallet and the imported privkeys, on the other hand, doesn't do any harm!