how to transfer my coin to other wallet - this one not working out

[catmandoo]

Background
I'm completely new to bitcoin. I was given the old Armory website to download my "wallet". They said it is super easy, to just download it, create a "receive bitcoins" address and they would send me my coins, which i paid for via paypal.

Well, of course nothing was working. It was offline and through research I discovered I needed to download the Bitcoin Core, And I did not have the latest version of Armory installed.

I checked BitcoinWhoswho and my address/coins are showing up. I just need to get them now.

I have my Keys which are in this format:

xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

I also kept a paper copy of it and have the Address where my coin is.

I discovered also that i did NOT need a full node system like Armory. That something like Electrum would be better for a new person.

I installed Electrum but it does not except my keys. Not sure why.

Meanwhile I am still downloading the Bitcoin Core and it's only around 70% done after 2 days.

Question

Is there another wallet, besides electrum that I can download that will except my armory keys and which does not require this multi-day full node download? If so, do I have to wait for the full download on Armory before I can transfer them to the new wallet, since I had already set up Armory as the original receiving wallet?

thanks,

[Carlton Banks]

Meanwhile I am still downloading the Bitcoin Core and it's only around 70% done after 2 days.

If you wait for Bitcoin to sync, you can just send your BTC from Armory

Is there another wallet, besides electrum that I can download that will except my armory keys and which does not require this multi-day full node download?

You could export the keys from Armory. You have to be very careful and patient to do this, as mistakes could cause you to lose your money

[catmandoo]

I tried exporting the keys to Electrum but it would not take it.

Do I have to wait for the full download of Bitcoin Core before I can export? I cannot see my coins in my wallet yet on Armory.

[Carlton Banks]

I've never needed to export keys from Armory, as it works very well.

Check out some other posts in this sub-forum, you're not the first person who is unable to set Armory up, nor the first person who can't wait for Bitcoin to finish syncing

[Rickorick]

Okay. I think I can be able to help yup out with this. I'd write a guide for you to follow.

[HCP]

I tried exporting the keys to Electrum but it would not take it.

The "keys" you have are not "Bitcoin" keys... they are Armory specific "root keys" used for being able to restore your Armory wallet. I am not aware of any other wallet that you can use Armory Root Keys with.

Do I have to wait for the full download of Bitcoin Core before I can export? I cannot see my coins in my wallet yet on Armory.

No, you do not need to wait for Bitcoin Core to download. In fact, you don't even need Bitcoin Core installed or running to be able to export your keys from Armory.

I have written several posts on how to export your keys from Armory, this post is probably the "tidiest" (quoted in full below): https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4746784.msg43255691#msg43255691

One thing to note, is that if you attempt to import the keys into Electrum... the Electrum import format is slightly different, as you need to specify the "type" of key it is... I would suggest that for a default Armory setup, the type would be "p2pkh"... so when you import into Electrum you have to enter it as: "p2pkh:YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY_GOES_HERE"

for instance: p2pkh:5Kb8kLf9zgWQnogidDA76MzPL6TsZZY36hWXMssSzNydYXYB9KF

If you can manage to get it running... you can export your keys and then import them into another wallet like Electrum... If you just want to get it open, and 0.96.4 still won't run for you, you can try the older version and do the key export without worrying about syncing with Core etc.

NOTE: exporting keys should not be taken lightly. There is a chance your keys may get compromised if your computer is not secured and you could suffer coin loss as a result.


To export your keys, you can use the following menu options in Armory:
- Wallet Properties
- Backup This Wallet


- Select "Export Keys List" (top left box)
- Click "Export Keys List" (bottom box)


- Select the following options: "Address String", "Private Key (Plain Base58)","Include Unused (Address Pool)"... and make sure "Omit spaces in key data" is checked


You'll end up with a list of all the addresses and private keys displayed in the text box. The private keys will be labelled as "Plain Base58"

You can then "import" or "sweep" those private keys using the wallet of your choice (like Electrum or Bitcoin Core). I would highly recommend "sweeping" (as opposed to "importing") as the private keys could potentially be compromised/exposed during the export/import process.

[catmandoo]

Well, I have never had any exposure to this whatsoever.

All I know, is that my "seed" or "address" that I got when i was directed to "receive" and provided to the person who deposited coins into that address. My Armory is offline. I see the Wallet ID in there but no coins and nowhere do I see my address or seed. I checked online and they are available. But I simply don't know how I'm supposed to get them into an offline Armory wallet. That's why I wanted to see if I could somehow transfer all this to electrum as the Armory seems to complex for me.

I guess I have to continue downloading this huge Database from Bitcoin onto my computer? Last check it had gone from 70% to 73% complete after over a day.

I seriously do NOT want something that big on my computer. I don't need it. I simply thought I was getting a Wallet with my coins and now this huge massive problem and likely have lost my money.

Where is this mysterious key, seed, address, or whatever we are calling it that starts with 5, L, or K?

I don't have one.

I followed your directions to export my "keys" and went to electrum to sweep the file but the submit button remains greyed out.

But now I have to go to work and still no resolution on this.

I have read your directions. they seem straight forward, but something is missing here. I have no idea what since I have had no exposure to this whatsoever.

[catmandoo]

I found the Privbase58 number. I opened the file i saved it too and looked for the original Address I received with and used the coinciding privBase58 number. Electrum took it. However, I have to work now and after I entered that into electrum it wanted to send or receive. Not sure which to use but will investigate that later.

I do not understand why that file I created so I can sweep into electrum has dozens and dozens of "unused/address pool" numbers.

I ONLY created One receiving address which is listed first in this list. I have no idea what the rest of them are for. I only created one Receive address when I had first started this. Why would all these other addresses come up, there are hundreds of them?



Still very confusing and not sure why my coins never showed up in Armory. I am just hoping when I figure the electurm thing out they will be there.

[Carlton Banks]

Why would all these other addresses come up, there are hundreds of them?

all wallet software creates multiple addresses for you. using the same address twice is a bad idea, for various reasons

 

Still very confusing and not sure why my coins never showed up in Armory. I am just hoping when I figure the electurm thing out they will be there.

Already answered that question:

If you wait for Bitcoin to sync, you can just send your BTC from Armory

[HCP]

I found the Privbase58 number. I opened the file i saved it too and looked for the original Address I received with and used the coinciding privBase58 number. Electrum took it. However, I have to work now and after I entered that into electrum it wanted to send or receive. Not sure which to use but will investigate that later.

It is just wanting to know if you want the coins from your Armory address sent to an external address (not your Electrum)... or if they should be "received" into the Electrum wallet that you have open when using "sweep". I would suggest that you want to receive them... if you choose that option, it should pick the first address from your Electrum wallet as the receiving address automatically for you.

I do not understand why that file I created so I can sweep into electrum has dozens and dozens of "unused/address pool" numbers.

I ONLY created One receiving address which is listed first in this list. I have no idea what the rest of them are for. I only created one Receive address when I had first started this. Why would all these other addresses come up, there are hundreds of them?

It is normal for "modern" wallets to create multiple addresses in the background. You can safely ignore all the other addresses/private keys if you only used one.

Still very confusing and not sure why my coins never showed up in Armory. I am just hoping when I figure the electurm thing out they will be there.

Armory requires the block information from Bitcoin Core... and uses Bitcoin Core to communicate with the Bitcoin network. If that data is not available, it will be unable to show you any transaction information, because as far as Armory is concerned, it does not exist!

As Carlton Banks has said, once Bitcoin Core is fully synced, Armory should show your transaction(s) and coins... and you could then send them where you want.

[catmandoo]

Carlton Banks and HCP,

thank you for all the help. I do appreciate it.

It sounds like no matter what, I will have to continue downloading the Bitcoin Core in order to get my coins. It doesn't sound like any getting around that, right? Even if I want to send my original Receive address (which I was sent the coins thru) I still need to wait for the core to download fully, since Armory was the initial wallet my coins were sent to? Its only at 73% now, and seems to be slowing down as it slowly progresses.

[Carlton Banks]

Its only at 73% now, and seems to be slowing down as it slowly progresses.

1. in Bitcoin Core, go into Settings > Options

2. change the 'Size of database cache' box
        a. if you have 4GB RAM, put 2000
        b. if have 8GB RAM, put 4000
        c. if you have more than 8GB RAM, put 6000

3. click OK, shut Bitcoin Core

4. start Bitcoin Core again


Should go faster after that

[HCP]

It sounds like no matter what, I will have to continue downloading the Bitcoin Core in order to get my coins. It doesn't sound like any getting around that, right? Even if I want to send my original Receive address (which I was sent the coins thru) I still need to wait for the core to download fully, since Armory was the initial wallet my coins were sent to? Its only at 73% now, and seems to be slowing down as it slowly progresses.

No... that is the whole point of exporting the private key(s) from Armory... you can then import (or sweep) them to another wallet like Electrum and completely forgot about Armory/Bitcoin Core.

Like I said, you don't even need Bitcoin Core installed (let alone synced) to export your keys.

[catmandoo]

ok Thanks. It is all synched and I have the coins. Thanks for all the help.