Electrum/Imported, watching only wallet/ transfer to another wallet

[thuyvydo]

Hello !

I would like to transfer some bitcoin to my other Electrum Standard wallet but i don't know how to. This may be one of these stupid questions but i'm new

Truth is i lost some transactions with bitcoin core, people recommend to try Electrum and have an imported wallet with the address to see if they are there. They are there but i don't know how to get them. And during this, i made a request to my coinbase but i was not in a standard wallet (new to this), so now, i have money in the watch only wallet, i see the balance but i don't know how to send them to my standard wallet to use them :/

Please help !

Thanks a lot 

[TryNinja]

So, if I understood correctly... are you saying that you imported one of your Bitcoin Core addresses into an Electrum watch-only address? Or else, how did you create this watch-only wallet?

Do you still have access to this Bitcoin Core wallet that has your coins? (if that's the case)

[thuyvydo]

Hey,

I have created the watch only wallet just to try to see my old transaction that i lost track with.
After that, I generated a Receive address from this wallet to Coinbase, i made a transfer from Coinbase.

Now i realised that my new balance is in a watch only wallet and i don't know what to do to send this to the standard one.
(they say i need a private key to sweep but i don't have a clue where i can find that)

 

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So, if I understood correctly... are you saying that you imported one of your Bitcoin Core addresses into an Electrum watch-only address? Or else, how did you create this watch-only wallet?

Do you still have access to this Bitcoin Core wallet that has your coins? (if that's the case)

[TryNinja]

I have created the watch only wallet just to try to see my old transaction that i lost track with.
After that, I generated a Receive address from this wallet to Coinbase, i made a transfer from Coinbase.

What do you mean with "lost track" with your old transaction? Was it a Bitcoin Core wallet? And if it was, what happened to it? Do you still have access to that wallet?

Where was the wallet you used to get that address?

Please answer these questions.

(they say i need a private key to sweep but i don't have a clue where i can find that)

You do. Without the private-key, all you can do is watch the wallet (thus why it is called a "watch-only" wallet).

[thuyvydo]

I have created the watch only wallet just to try to see my old transaction that i lost track with.
After that, I generated a Receive address from this wallet to Coinbase, i made a transfer from Coinbase.

What do you mean with "lost track" with your old transaction? Was it a Bitcoin Core wallet? And if it was, what happened to it? Do you still have access to that wallet?

Where was the wallet you used to get that address?

Please answer these questions.

(they say i need a private key to sweep but i don't have a clue where i can find that)

You do. Without the private-key, all you can do is watch the wallet (thus why it is called a "watch-only" wallet).

Ok, i thought this could be a long story that could discourage you ^^

1/ I have some bitcoins sent to my bitcoin core from coinbase to a whole new bitcoin core wallet on my laptop
2/ i realised that i don't have enough space on my laptop, so i tried to migrate it to an external disk
3/ Done, the sync continue but it takes forever ! So i decided to migrate this "bitcoin" folder on my disk to my big computer which has more space and more power by replacing the whole bitcoin folder (with the wallet.dat inside)
4/ Sync continues and finished but no balance.
5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.
6/ which made me create a Watch only wallet.
7/ since I need some bitcoin i was saying that while waiting to solve this, i can send some more from coinbase to this brand new wallet to use them. But totally zapped the fact that i was using a Watch Only wallet.

Now i'm stuck again.

Voilà i hope i made myself clear. Thanks a lot Smiley

[TryNinja]

5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.

That's right. But what you had to do is import the address private-key, and not just import it to a watch-only address.


The only chance you have to get your coins is if you manage to get your address private-key. From what you said, it looks like you still have your wallet "wallet.dat" file, right? I'm not sure why it would show as empty when you synchronized it, but you can try getting your private-key from it (assuming the file isn't corruped or somthing like this).

Try opening Bitcoin Core again with the same file (from your disk or big computer) and exporting the private-key:

- launch your bitcoin client as usual and wait for it to load the blockchain and start up
- click on 'help' in the menu bar (top right)
- click on 'debug window'
- select the 'console' tab
- if your wallet has a password, type: walletpassphrase "your walletpassphrase here" 600
- type: dumpprivkey [your Bitcoin address here]
this will return the private key, you can copy it now; ensure you clear your clipboard/history afterwards

Then, just import the private-key into Electrum. See if this works.

[Thirdspace]

5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.
6/ which made me create a Watch only wallet.

it seems you made mistake on the importing step
open your bitcoin core, go to debug > console, then type dumpprivkey yourReceivingAddress
then on your electrum, import that private key into your wallet
you need to choose the appropriate keyword to import it in electrum depending on the address type
what is the prefix of your address, 1xxx or 3xxx or bc1qxxx?

edit: I have slow fingers, my post similar to TryNinja's answer above

[HCP]

Just a small note to say that the menu options in Bitcoin Core 0.18 have been changed slightly... so to get to the console window you now need to use the following menu options: "Window -> Console"

[thuyvydo]

5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.

That's right. But what you had to do is import the address private-key, and not just import it to a watch-only address.


The only chance you have to get your coins is if you manage to get your address private-key. From what you said, it looks like you still have your wallet "wallet.dat" file, right? I'm not sure why it would show as empty when you synchronized it, but you can try getting your private-key from it (assuming the file isn't corruped or somthing like this).

Try opening Bitcoin Core again with the same file (from your disk or big computer) and exporting the private-key:

- launch your bitcoin client as usual and wait for it to load the blockchain and start up
- click on 'help' in the menu bar (top right)
- click on 'debug window'
- select the 'console' tab
- if your wallet has a password, type: walletpassphrase "your walletpassphrase here" 600
- type: dumpprivkey [your Bitcoin address here]
this will return the private key, you can copy it now; ensure you clear your clipboard/history afterwards

I got to have the private key to from my both laptop and big computer, the laplop gave a private key while the big computer doesn't want to (not known).
So i tried the private key i got from the laptop with my eletrum, no input found....


 

Then, just import the private-key into Electrum. See if this works.

[thuyvydo]

5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.
6/ which made me create a Watch only wallet.

it seems you made mistake on the importing step
open your bitcoin core, go to debug > console, then type dumpprivkey yourReceivingAddress
then on your electrum, import that private key into your wallet
you need to choose the appropriate keyword to import it in electrum depending on the address type
what is the prefix of your address, 1xxx or 3xxx or bc1qxxx?

edit: I have slow fingers, my post similar to TryNinja's answer above

Just a small note to say that the menu options in Bitcoin Core 0.18 have been changed slightly... so to get to the console window you now need to use the following menu options: "Window -> Console"

Thanks ! found it

My lost bitcoin is still lost for the moment (my answer to TryNinja)....But let's forget it for the moment. I came here first for this :
Regarding the watch only wallet : I transfered some bitcoin to it by accident, maybe  any of you can guide me on how to send this to my standard wallet ?

Thanks all ! appreciate your help

[TryNinja]

Regarding the watch only wallet : I transfered some bitcoin to it by accident, maybe  any of you can guide me on how to send this to my standard wallet ?

You didn't understand how this works.

- Your Bitcoin is in the address X.

You have a watch-only wallet with the address X. This means that you can only "watch/see" this address (balance, transactions, etc... but not spend).

To have the same as a "Standard wallet" for your address X, you need the private-key.

The only way you can recover these coins is if you manage to get your address X private-key and import it in electrum (the private-key). It will basically create the same wallet as you have now, but with the capacity to spend the coins.

[thuyvydo]

Regarding the watch only wallet : I transfered some bitcoin to it by accident, maybe  any of you can guide me on how to send this to my standard wallet ?

You didn't understand how this works.

- Your Bitcoin is in the address X.

You have a watch-only wallet with the address X. This means that you can only "watch/see" this address (balance, transactions, etc... but not spend).

To have the same as a "Standard wallet" for your address X, you need the private-key.

The only way you can recover these coins is if you manage to get your address X private-key and import it in electrum (the private-key). It will basically create the same wallet as you have now, but with the capacity to spend the coins.

Hey,

I think I start to understand this part, but the thing is :
Please zap the part where i talk about my lost bitcoin. It may have confused everything.

Let's say I created a watch-only wallet by accident (or stupidity lol), then I decided to send XX bitcoin to it from coinbase 1 hour ago. Now i can see that i have the balance of the XX bitcoin received in this wallet but i can't seem to send them no where else.

Hope i get myself clear on this one, many thanks !

P.S if it is a watch only then why can i generate receive address ?

Below is my screen :
https://www.noelshack.com/2019-24-2-1560204676-capture-d-ecran-2019-06-10-a-23-57-31.png

(June 10th transfer - yes my 3rd test... )

[thuyvydo]

Regarding the watch only wallet : I transfered some bitcoin to it by accident, maybe  any of you can guide me on how to send this to my standard wallet ?

You didn't understand how this works.

- Your Bitcoin is in the address X.

You have a watch-only wallet with the address X. This means that you can only "watch/see" this address (balance, transactions, etc... but not spend).

To have the same as a "Standard wallet" for your address X, you need the private-key.

The only way you can recover these coins is if you manage to get your address X private-key and import it in electrum (the private-key). It will basically create the same wallet as you have now, but with the capacity to spend the coins.

I think i may have managed to find the private key by going into transaction, double clicked on my transaction when informations popped up, then wallet / private key / export. Now i have a csv file. I went to my standard wallet, weep, pasted the key that goes with my bitcoin address to sweep : "no input found"

I'mma sleep on this and do something better with my life tomorrow.

[khaled0111]

I will try to explain few things:
     You can't spend coins from a watching-only wallet.
     You can't export private keys from a watching-only wallet.

A watching-only wallet is created by entering an address or a xPub key.

In order to be able to help you we need to know how did you create this wallet and from where did you get the address/xPub key.
Obviously it is not a random address as it was used to send coins: https://www.blockchain.com/fr/btc/tx/e4b1db3f4315de3810289444d7421e644fb189609e96386ac08711de2df98b59

If it is your address then you must have its private key somewhere.

[nc50lc]

1/ I have some bitcoins sent to my bitcoin core from coinbase to a whole new bitcoin core wallet on my laptop
2/ i realised that i don't have enough space on my laptop, so i tried to migrate it to an external disk
3/ Done, the sync continue but it takes forever ! So i decided to migrate this "bitcoin" folder on my disk to my big computer which has more space and more power by replacing the whole bitcoin folder (with the wallet.dat inside)
4/ Sync continues and finished but no balance.
5/ I don't know how to trace it so read some internet advice to install electrum and import the address.
6/ which made me create a Watch only wallet.
7/ since I need some bitcoin i was saying that while waiting to solve this, i can send some more from coinbase to this brand new wallet to use them. But totally zapped the fact that i was using a Watch Only wallet.

If you found the previous statements hard to understand, just go follow these steps straight-forward:
Just revise #5 and #6 since that "random internet advice" seemed misleading you but it clearly said "trace".

• If you still have the Bitcoin Core client on your laptop with the original wallet.dat, open the console (Help->Debug Window->Console)
• Type (including the quotation marks): walletpassphrase "Your_Wallet_Passphrase/Password" 300
• Then type: dumpprivkey 1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc
• That address' private key will show up and copy it (case sensitive, starts with 5, K or L)
• Create another Electrum wallet by typing a random wallet name and use "import private key(s)" option. Do not "Sweep" it to the watch-only wallet.

Note: The bitcoin Core client doesn't need to be synced to be able to export the private key.

[HCP]

P.S if it is a watch only then why can i generate receive address ?
Below is my screen :
https://www.noelshack.com/2019-24-2-1560204676-capture-d-ecran-2019-06-10-a-23-57-31.png

You aren't "generating" a new receive address... you created a watching-only wallet that has exactly ONE address in it... you can actually see the address list in the background of your screenshot... it only has ONE address in the list. If you goto the "receive" tab, it will show you that address and ONLY that address. The "new" button will be greyed out, preventing you from generating a new receive address.

So, the important question is... From which wallet did you originally get the address "1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc" from?

If that was from your Bitcoin Core, you should be able to follow the instructions the others have provided for getting the private key that corresponds to that address.
If it was from somewhere else, then you need to advised which wallet it was from so that the appropriate instructions can be provided.

[thuyvydo]

P.S if it is a watch only then why can i generate receive address ?
Below is my screen :
https://www.noelshack.com/2019-24-2-1560204676-capture-d-ecran-2019-06-10-a-23-57-31.png

You aren't "generating" a new receive address... you created a watching-only wallet that has exactly ONE address in it... you can actually see the address list in the background of your screenshot... it only has ONE address in the list. If you goto the "receive" tab, it will show you that address and ONLY that address. The "new" button will be greyed out, preventing you from generating a new receive address.

So, the important question is... From which wallet did you originally get the address "1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc" from?

If that was from your Bitcoin Core, you should be able to follow the instructions the others have provided for getting the private key that corresponds to that address.
If it was from somewhere else, then you need to advised which wallet it was from so that the appropriate instructions can be provided.

the 1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc was pre-filled in my receive tab at receiving address.
So if i get i, the address is there because of my previous import bitcoin address from bitcoin core.
You are right, the address is still refilled there. So If i still get it, I used by accident an address used on ready on one transaction that i'm still looking for.(7.01508)

I have followed nc50lc's instructions to get the private key from bitcoin core with this address. Create a new wallet "import key", all ok but no balance if i don't miss anything.
capture on this link, in the bottom is the new wallet : https://ibb.co/dt7tnQz

  thank you

[HCP]

the 1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc was pre-filled in my receive tab at receiving address.
So if i get i, the address is there because of my previous import bitcoin address from bitcoin core.

Yes it would appear that you created an "imported, watch-only" wallet using the "1DzUp" address... if you did that by taking an address from Bitcoin Core, then theoretically the matching private key should be in Bitcoin Core.

I have followed nc50lc's instructions to get the private key from bitcoin core with this address. Create a new wallet "import key", all ok but no balance if i don't miss anything.
capture on this link, in the bottom is the new wallet : https://ibb.co/dt7tnQz

You appear to have the wrong private key... as the private key you have imported has created a wallet with address: 1HRWtfdMVTkTajUTccPKnQb3PP4yH7MTr2 That is why it shows as 0 BTC and no transactions.

In Bitcoin Core, did you type: dumpprivkey "1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc"

What output do you get if you type: getaddressinfo "1DzUpRzr93r3EizQW58GDamgwgwAiZ2Vyc"
Do you see a line that says "ismine: true"?