Recovery Non Spendable BTC

[HCP]

Yes that is correct. The imported file had only 1 (one) key.

That could be problematic... if you only have one key, then you won't have any keys for change addresses

From the main address (starts with a 1) and under the History Tab in Electrum there are six imputs with green checkmarks in front of the date.

In Electrum... with the 6 transactions that you see with the green checkmarks... are the values shown in the "amount" column displayed in Red colour? Red = outgoing coins.

What is the balance shown in the bottom left corner?

When I click on one of these they reveal quite a lot of other information. Would the "change address be in there?

Yes, you should be able to see the "Outputs" box that will list all the outputs created by the transaction. If there is more than one address shown in "Outputs", then one of them will be the change address. Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, if you only have 1 key imported, then none of the "change" addresses (and their private keys) will be loaded into your wallet.

So you will not have access to any of the coins in any change addresses (if any) unless you can find the keys for those addresses.

[1715381191]

1715381191

[remaub]

HCP -  In Electrum the six entries in the Amount column are Black in colour. The balance in the lower left corner is 350. mBTC
Yes, in the Output boxes I do have several change addresses. At this point I have 2 keys. The original with about 50-51 characters. The exported one with about 175 char.

Also I have these other 2 options.
1 - I have a schildbach plain text backup from 2014. Does anyone know how to use this in Multibit classic or other wallet?
2 - I still have the device I used when I traded these btcs. It's an Asus Android Tablet. After it sitting around for 5 years I exhausted the pattern attempts to gain entry. My gmail/pass don't work, my device is no longer listed in my google device list, have tried calling Google but that's like trying to reach god himself. Of course wifi is disconnected and can't gain entry to turn it on.
All replies will be greatly appreciated.

[HCP]

The 175 char key you keep talking about is likely not a "key" but (encrypted) text in a .key file right?

If all 6 transactions are black... They're all incoming transactions where you "received" coins. If you have a positive balance then the private key you imported should be able to be used to spend them.

So, you should be able to send that 350 mBTC (0.350 BTC) to wherever you like.

Have you actually tried a send transaction?

[remaub]

"The 175 char key you keep talking about is likely not a "key" but (encrypted) text in a .key file right?" Yes that's right.

Electrum looks like it's ready to send except that it's a (watching-only) wallet. I don't have the option to import the key.. just "sweep" and that results in a no input message.  The lock icon on the bottom right is in the "locked" status.

[HCP]

Electrum looks like it's ready to send except that it's a (watching-only) wallet. I don't have the option to import the key.. just "sweep" and that results in a no input message.  The lock icon on the bottom right is in the "locked" status.

If it is a "watching-only" wallet... then you imported the "address"... and NOT the private key.

You need to use:
File -> New\Restore -> (enter a wallet name) -> Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys"

Then in the box, put the 50-51 characters private key that you have... it should start with a "K" or an "L"... and look similar to these examples:

Code:

Kx2v6DfqgkY7vU9jRQ4R5K2jQQKebbY8ooHCdkxTDdev8oyBp8By
KxEsbxNPNWPF9c4cSGB53zAcKrfMosdeJgW4wWNPUSYYKu5tNWxM
L27TfzcwzgaZ9EofkPrb93dMUHpWxrPr8tD6J4zLfQZMzTqSLP24
KwGXxAUyZYqvgyE78WjSFzXbYNoXvCrKn26GjBZVuHAWXetC4B2R
KwKAe9JqMmaLQnNm5JHwsNTDcYy59WzAu5tc2HzzmqBiTnbitMVp

[remaub]

When I create a new wallet and import the key..  it generates a new address and of course there is nothing in it.

When I create a new wallet and import my good address (watching-only).. it won't let me import the key, only sweep and then there are no inputs.

I starting to wonder..  when I backed up my wallet back in 2014 onto a thumb drive where the key is, I'm now thinking it was an empty wallet - not knowing what I was doing.

I think my only recourse is to gain entry into the original device - Asus Android Tablet which is locked.

I really want to thank you for your steadfast support on this issue. I wish I had some btcs to send you.  Maybe later.

Still wondering about that key..  it just didn't come out of nowhere

[HCP]

That's correct... if you are getting a "different" (and empty) address from the imported private key... then the private key you have is (obviously) NOT the private key matching the address (with BTC) that you have.

So, it would indeed appear that the backup you have is for a different wallet.

As for getting into the tablet, You might want to head over to: XDA Developers and see if you can find the section relating to your make/model of device. Otherwise, perhaps a local data recovery service might be able to assist? The downside being that these services are generally quite expensive.

[remaub]

Just one other thing.. those 2 Multibit Schildbach backups I did in 2014 with the name of "bitcoin-wallet-keys-2014-02-03" 240 bytes. They are plain text files that contain about 350 characters. They must have expected owners to be able to use these files for recovery but there is not much reference to them on the web except other persons wondering the same thing. 

[HCP]

Just one other thing.. those 2 Multibit Schildbach backups I did in 2014 with the name of "bitcoin-wallet-keys-2014-02-03" 240 bytes.

MultiBit is NOT Schildbach... and Schildbach is NOT MultiBit.

It seems like this whole time you've been attempting to use the wrong wallet to recover your bitcoins. I would think it is more likely you were actually using the "Bitcoin Wallet for Android" as opposed to MultiBit. If that is the case then it is quite possible, if you have an Android device, to simply install that wallet and then load up the backup file (assuming you have the correct password).

Even if you don't have an Android device, there are Android emulators like "Bluestacks" that you could try.

Note that the wallet is old enough (and the "keys" part in the name might confirm it) that this is unlikely to be an HD wallet... but a keystore. In which case, the decrypt_bitcoinj_seed probably won't work, as there won't be a "seed mnemonic" to recover from the file.

[LoyceV]

It seems like this whole time you've been attempting to use the wrong wallet to recover your bitcoins. I would think it is more likely you were actually using the "Bitcoin Wallet for Android" as opposed to MultiBit. If that is the case then it is quite possible, if you have an Android device, to simply install that wallet and then load up the backup file (assuming you have the correct password).

I checked my old backups from that wallet, but the files are more like 90 kB, so I doubt a file with 350 characters will be such a backup.

[remaub]

Still no luck. To restore the Schildbach wallet is really simple.. Safety > Restore > pick a file and password. I have the b/u files (2). Back in 2014 I pretty much only used one password for everything but it doesn't work. Just thought I'd let you know. Still trying though. Bitcoin keeps going UP.

[remaub]

Here's something else.  In my Android bitcoin wallet (which is also the device where the (bitcoin-wallet-keys-date) have been stored and moved to one or two new phones over time I get this message with the keys. "password encrypted, external storage manually backed up on May 15". Does not say what year so can only assume this is a recent date. This android wallet is not password protected and the hard drive only has a phone entry password. So really stumped by this.
Edit: I have found that the reason these files have a date on them is because I opened them in Notepad and/or ++ so they are modified. But they are not encrypted so I don't know why Schildbach is saying they are encrypted. Can't try without a password because the restore button is greyed out.
Edit: I keep learning a little more.  In looks like the file(s) are indeed encrypted but I don't have a password.

[remaub]

Update. I was able to recover my bits with the help of Dave at https://walletrecoveryservices.com/. It cost me 20% but I recovered the forks BCH BSV and BTG which I didn't know about,  so that took out some of the sting.
In the end I did have the correct password/keys but it just didn't work with the old outdated Android wallet.
Much thanks to those who tried to help me out.