Bitcoin missing i am lost

[hellobtc123213]

Last night I booted my old laptop which I do from time to time and installed the new bitcoin core wallet and installed the upgrade as I have in the past.

It crashed the computer, ram cpu were going off their head. I eventually rebooted in safe mode networking and got it working again but it had to reindex the blocks which is done but now the wallet says i have balance 0.00 and unconfirmed is my btc amount. T 

But that amount was confirmed years ago and obviously i was able to send funds. I can't find the wallet dat either.

Further, I looked at the address that i received the coins in originally and it has a balance of 0.00. I did transfer half to someone, but half went to another address on the same date, i dunno if i was hacked or if i am just reading this wrong. The core wallet only shows the receiving transaction and then the one i sent. I still have the email from them confirming their address. The other address the funds are still sitting there. 

Whatever happened the coins are still there but where there is i have nfi. I will try the btc forum as well but thought there might be a local that could help

The only person i trusted to help me with this was another bitcoiner techie, we use to talk about it when it was 50 cents. But he passed awaay a couple of months ago. Any help appreciated

[insert crying emoticon]

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[khaled0111]

Further, I looked at the address that i received the coins in originally and it has a balance of 0.00. I did transfer half to someone, but half went to another address on the same date, i dunno if i was hacked or if i am just reading this wrong. The core wallet only shows the receiving transaction and then the one i sent. I still have the email from them confirming their address. The other address the funds are still sitting there.  

Obviously, the second address is your change address since the remaining funds were sent to it at the same date and still sitting there.

From the  console type: listunspent
If you see the change address there then your funds are safe.

 type: dumpprivkey "change address" to get the change's address privatekey.


edit:

...

If he does not know what to do after that, then it would be better to start using an easier to use wallet like Electrum. All hé has to do is to import the private key into Electrum.

[nc50lc]

type: dumpprivkey "change address" to get the change's address privatekey.

You probably want to tell him the do's and don'ts on the private key, also what to do after retrieving it 

Newbies have a tendency to mishandle sensitive data if not instructed well.

[hellobtc123213]

[quote
Obviously, the second address is your change address since the remaining funds were sent to it at the same date and still sitting there.

From the  console type: listunspent
If you see the change address there then your funds are safe.

 type: dumpprivkey "change address" to get the change's address privatekey.


edit:

...


Thank you, where exactly am i typing listenspent though?

[joniboini]

You can access the console through Help - > Debug[1] iirc.

[1] https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/36712/how-do-i-open-my-rpc-console

[bitmover]

Obviously, the second address is your change address since the remaining funds were sent to it at the same date and still sitting there.

hellobtc123213,

This is probably the case. When you sent half your funds to your friend, the remaining coins were transferred to a change address. This can be confirmed looking at the transaction in any blockchain explorer (or pasting the address you said you have.

If you don't want to share the address here, just go to www.blockchain.com and paste the address you have there. You will probably see, in the same transaction, 2 destination addresses. One of them is yours.

If he does not know what to do after that, then it would be better to start using an easier to use wallet like Electrum. All hé has to do is to import the private key into Electrum.

I agree, OP really should get a more friendly wallet. Electrum is a good choice. Do you have private keys or the seed (12 words)?

[bob123]

Do you have private keys or the seed (12 words)?

Bitcoin core does not encode the seed into a mnemonic code.
OP probably only has a wallet.dat, if he is able to find that file.


OP, did you accidentally create a new wallet.dat ? Can you check the creation date of that file ?
If your (old) wallet.dat accidentally got deleted, you should stop using that hard drive and make an image of it to try some data recovery on the image.

If it has been deleted recently, your chances are high that you can recover it.

[hellobtc123213]

Thank you all for you comments they are appreciated.

So to confirm what has happened:


year 2013, receive first bitcoins (lets say 10 to make it easy)
year 2014, send 50% of bitcoins to associate - 50% or 5 bitcoins

-

Now
*Logged into laptop
*Updated Bitcoin Core Wallet as had message to upgrade
*Executed and installed. Did not back up prior. (previously not required)
*New Bitcoin Core wallet would not open, overloaded cpu and ram.
*Move to safe mode on win 10 (originally win
*Removed many apps and programs i.e. adobe , start up apps etc
*Run bitcoin from search menu
*old bitcoin core wallet runs
*Required to reindex blocks - proceed
*Coins pending
*Did attempt @khaled From the  console type: listunspent and returns []
*No other addresses appear
*At some stage bitcoins return to balance in old version of wallet
*0 active connections to bitcoin wallet
*no information that is is processing blocks on disc
*Shutdown
*nextday start up again, then reboot in safe mode with networking
*Open old bitcoin wallet
*wants to reindex blocks again
*open new wallet let it run
*Shows transactions
*Shows Balance 0.00
*Shows Pending 0.00
*Is processing blocks on disk 5 years behind
*no active connections to bitcoin network


*currently computer if off while i seek further advice from you guys

Other;
Old Bitcoin wallet is located in c:program files / bitcoin
New Bitcoin wallet is located in c: program files / bitcoin
DO NOT know where wallet.dat is located. A search can not find it
DO have a backup of Windows from 2015 on the same  computer

2019: can see original receiving address on bitcoin wallet
Can see funds sent in 2014
Original address shows balance of 0
Another address has has the balance of the coins which were received at same time as i sent. As suggested by @khaled these are mine
 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and post assistance. It is appreciated

[HCP]

*Move to safe mode on win 10 (originally win 8 )

How did you move from Win8 to Win10? Did you update your operating system?

*Is processing blocks on disk 5 years behind

It's quite possible that Bitcoin Core just didn't get to processing the blocks where your transactions occurred... thus it cannot "see" your transactions and therefore hasn't displayed them in the transaction history.

DO NOT know where wallet.dat is located. A search can not find it

This is could be somewhat problematic. You need to find your wallet.dat... then make a backup copy or two just in case.

It is highly likely (as you mentioned Windows 10), that your wallet.dat resides in a folder that is hidden by the Operating System by default. You would need to modify the windows settings to show hidden files/folders first. Refer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028316/windows-view-hidden-files-and-folders-in-windows-10

The file path should be: C:\Users\{YOUR-USER-NAME}\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin

But you should be able to confirm this inside Bitcoin Core, by looking for the "datadir" value displayed on the following Menu option: "Window -> Information":

[hellobtc123213]

*Move to safe mode on win 10 (originally win 8 )

How did you move from Win8 to Win10? Did you update your operating system?

*Is processing blocks on disk 5 years behind

It's quite possible that Bitcoin Core just didn't get to processing the blocks where your transactions occurred... thus it cannot "see" your transactions and therefore hasn't displayed them in the transaction history.

DO NOT know where wallet.dat is located. A search can not find it

This is could be somewhat problematic. You need to find your wallet.dat... then make a backup copy or two just in case.

It is highly likely (as you mentioned Windows 10), that your wallet.dat resides in a folder that is hidden by the Operating System by default. You would need to modify the windows settings to show hidden files/folders first. Refer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028316/windows-view-hidden-files-and-folders-in-windows-10

The file path should be: C:\Users\{YOUR-USER-NAME}\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin

But you should be able to confirm this inside Bitcoin Core, by looking for the "datadir" value displayed on the following Menu option: "Window -> Information":
https://i.imgur.com/blMrpD8.png

Thank you.

You were correct the file was hidden.

So Can I take a back up of that and move to another computer with electrum?

[AdolfinWolf]

Thank you.

You were correct the file was hidden.

So Can I take a back up of that and move to another computer with electrum?

Yes, but you cant import a wallet.dat into electrum.

You'll first need to dump all the private keys, and then import those into electrum.
See https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Transferring_coins_from_Bitcoin-Qt_to_Electrum / https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/7536/how-do-i-export-my-private-keys-from-my-bitcoin-qt-client

[bob123]

Don't use electrum... shitwallet for repsos people.

Repsos ? Who does count to 'repsos people' ?

Also.. electrum is one of the best SPV wallets out there.

Multiple vulnerabilities discovered and took a shitton of time for the dev to fix

Each wallet has and had vulnerabilities in the past.
Electrum did not have more or less.

But the time it takes the devs to fix it, is very low actually.

A 'shitton' of time is simply wrong.

and has a lot of shitcrap integrated like messages from server(owned by people(nodes)) which looks like actual update warnings with links to download malware....

Yes.. the message allowed HTML to be displayed, which some malicious server made use of.
So.. what ?

This vulnerability wasn't even of medium severity. In fact, it was 'low' based on CVSS.

No malicious actor could abuse it to do ANY harm without a lot of mistakes by the end user.


The user had to be plain stupid to download electrum from a non-official website AND to not check the PGP signature.

Each user who lost coins this way is 100% responsible for this. Common sense is mandatory when dealing with crypto currencies.

No reason to blame electrum / devs here.

just not.. and stop advertising that shitwallet to people let it die like it should.. in peace and silently.

I guess you were one of these absolutely non-techy people who click on every link and are still running windows XP or 7 ?

Accept, that it was completely your fault and learn from your mistakes.

Electrum is perfectly fine.

[hellobtc123213]

Apologies for bumping this again

After doing a lot of reading. I think buying a new machine that's clean is my best option and then installing a new version of bitcoin core. I then just need to copy across the wallet.dat and let then run bitcoin core and let it sync. Can anyone confirm if anything else is required?


Cheers

[bob123]

Apologies for bumping this again

No need to apologize for it.
If your issue hasn't been solved yet or you still have other questions, feel free to post as much as you want.

After doing a lot of reading. I think buying a new machine that's clean is my best option and then installing a new version of bitcoin core. I then just need to copy across the wallet.dat and let then run bitcoin core and let it sync. Can anyone confirm if anything else is required?

Did i miss something ?
Why do you need to buy a new machine (hardware) which is 'clean' ?


What exactly do you want to achieve ?
Do you just want to access your BTC asap ? Or do you want to have core running ?

You can access them the fastest way by using electrum (see posts above).
If you want core running, simply reinstall it (make multiple backups of your wallet.dat!).

Or do you have some kind of hardware problem ?

[NeuroticFish]

I think buying a new machine that's clean is my best option and then installing a new version of bitcoin core. I then just need to copy across the wallet.dat and let then run bitcoin core and let it sync. Can anyone confirm if anything else is required?

This can be a solution, since I expect the new computer has enough disk space nowadays, but it's overkill.
A new computer costs money and most probably you can handle all that's needed on the old computer, so it's a waste.

If HDD is an issue, just export the relevant private keys and import them into a light wallet (Electrum), as others said.
It should work without full sync. The steps should match with these: https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/55279/how-can-i-get-the-private-key-from-wallet-dat-from-2011-bitcoin-software-on-winx

The only problem would be that if not sync-ed you will have to know what addresses are the relevant ones, but if you have that problem, just sync in pruned mode, that should not take too much space.


If you want to get another computer just because you don't want to make sure you don't overwrite the existing Bitcoin settings, you can try first with a virtual computer:
Download and install Oracle Virtual Box, download and install a windows (win10 works easily without a key, you can get win10 for any computer, 32 and 64 bit ISO)


Of course, all this takes time and maybe some skills too.

[hellobtc123213]

After doing a lot of reading. I think buying a new machine that's clean is my best option and then installing a new version of bitcoin core. I then just need to copy across the wallet.dat and let then run bitcoin core and let it sync. Can anyone confirm if anything else is required?

Did i miss something ?
Why do you need to buy a new machine (hardware) which is 'clean' ?


What exactly do you want to achieve ?
Do you just want to access your BTC asap ? Or do you want to have core running ?

You can access them the fastest way by using electrum (see posts above).
If you want core running, simply reinstall it (make multiple backups of your wallet.dat!).

Or do you have some kind of hardware problem ?
[/quote]

Other users above suggested I get a new computer. My computer may or may not have a virus, I wouldn't know. But after installing the bitcoin update, nothing works. It defintely needs more ram. The laptop only has 4gig. A freind suggested I should not f with old tech and install an additional 4 gig ram

I don't care about core running, I want to be able to access my coins so I can move them to trezor.

I am nervous about installing anything further on that computer. I can't access the btc gui without being connected to the net.

I am nervous about using electrum. I barely know how to use core which is why I thought this might be my best bet.


The second part of my issue is that the funds are sitting in a change wallet. I checked my version of core and it doesn't have xpub. But I do know what that address is

[bob123]

Other users above suggested I get a new computer. My computer may or may not have a virus, I wouldn't know. But after installing the bitcoin update, nothing works. It defintely needs more ram. The laptop only has 4gig. A freind suggested I should not f with old tech and install an additional 4 gig ram

Alright, but you also can format the drive and reinstall your OS to be relatively sure about your PC being clean.
But if you feel you need new hardware, sure.

I don't care about core running, I want to be able to access my coins so I can move them to trezor.

Oh.. then i wouldn't try to get core running.
The fastest way is indeed to use electrum.

I am nervous about using electrum. I barely know how to use core which is why I thought this might be my best bet.

Tbh, electrum probably is more suitable for beginner (even tho it offers a lot of customization options).
But the basic usage of electrum seems to be better for beginner. I'd give it a try.

The second part of my issue is that the funds are sitting in a change wallet. I checked my version of core and it doesn't have xpub. But I do know what that address is

They are in your main wallet (you most probably just have one), they are sitting on an change address.


The fastest way to access your coins, to move them onto your trezor, is to export all private keys -> import them all into electrum -> send transaction to trezor.

To do that:

• Open core and unlock your wallet (using your password, if you have set one)
  
  
• Open the console of core (somewhere in the Debug-options)
  
  
• Use the 'dumpwallet' command:

Code:

dumpwallet C:/Path/to/dump.txt

• Open the dump.txt file (it contains all private keys)
  
  
• Open electrum and create a new wallet by importing private keys
  
  
• Import all of these private keys and send the full balance to your trezor

But please make sure to download the original electrum ONLY from https://electrum.org/#download and preferably verify the signature of the file (to be on the very safe side).

The whole process (downloading + verifying electrum + exporting private keys + importing into electrum + sending to trezor) takes about 10-20 minutes.


If you have any questions, concerns, etc.. feel free to ask.

[hellobtc123213]

Other users above suggested I get a new computer. My computer may or may not have a virus, I wouldn't know. But after installing the bitcoin update, nothing works. It defintely needs more ram. The laptop only has 4gig. A freind suggested I should not f with old tech and install an additional 4 gig ram

Alright, but you also can format the drive and reinstall your OS to be relatively sure about your PC being clean.
But if you feel you need new hardware, sure.

I don't care about core running, I want to be able to access my coins so I can move them to trezor.

Oh.. then i wouldn't try to get core running.
The fastest way is indeed to use electrum.

I am nervous about using electrum. I barely know how to use core which is why I thought this might be my best bet.

Tbh, electrum probably is more suitable for beginner (even tho it offers a lot of customization options).
But the basic usage of electrum seems to be better for beginner. I'd give it a try.

The second part of my issue is that the funds are sitting in a change wallet. I checked my version of core and it doesn't have xpub. But I do know what that address is

They are in your main wallet (you most probably just have one), they are sitting on an change address.


The fastest way to access your coins, to move them onto your trezor, is to export all private keys -> import them all into electrum -> send transaction to trezor.

To do that:

• Open core and unlock your wallet (using your password, if you have set one)
  
  
• Open the console of core (somewhere in the Debug-options)
  
  
• Use the 'dumpwallet' command:

Code:

dumpwallet C:/Path/to/dump.txt

• Open the dump.txt file (it contains all private keys)
  
  
• Open electrum and create a new wallet by importing private keys
  
  
• Import all of these private keys and send the full balance to your trezor

But please make sure to download the original electrum ONLY from https://electrum.org/#download and preferably verify the signature of the file (to be on the very safe side).

The whole process (downloading + verifying electrum + exporting private keys + importing into electrum + sending to trezor) takes about 10-20 minutes.


If you have any questions, concerns, etc.. feel free to ask.

I am nervous about doing this on the same laptop. Any issues at least doing this on my day to day lap top? Thank you for assistance

[hellobtc123213]

It seems I can't download electrum. Well I was able to last night, but it didn't run today. I have tried downloading it again, and mcafee keeps flagging/removing it

Seems to be an issue with it https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1639722.0
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2019/04/electrum-bitcoin-wallets-under-siege/

[Pmalek]

The site is under heavy ddos attacks and is not online at the moment so you wont be able to access it now.
You can still download it from here > https://download.electrum.org/ as posted by TryNinja in a different thread somewhere.

Electrum is often flagged as containing malware by some AV engines. It is a false positive and they mention it at the bottom of their official download page (not accessible right now).

The article from Malwarebytes that you posted was written back in April so it has nothing to do with what is currently happening. It discusses the phishing messages that were sent to users via malicious servers.