Cant send coins. worried if I upgrade I'll lose my wallet.

[RogerBennett]

So, I've got an old bitcoin thing on my PC.
But the PC is bluescreening and about to die, so I wanted to transfer off the coins because they are worth something.
I setup a new wallet on a different PC and tried transferring 0.01 to test it was working and it didn't.
So I read on on fees. fees didn't really exist before I don't think. you could just transfer.
But the client said the minimum fee was 0.01 which sounds like a lot, so I sent 1.00 with a 0.01 fee.

Anyway both are "gone" from my wallet. But are 0/unconfirmed haven't arrived at the destination either.

I don't think I have any credentials to recover this wallet. I don't even know what I'd need.
But I can't transfer its coins either.

So maybe a software update fixes this? But if I do that will it lose my wallet? how will it connect to it? will i need to know keys and passwords and things? Cos I doubt I do. It was 8 years ago.

Can I safely update the software without loosing the wallet, and without needing to know secret keys and passwords?
Or is there another way to get confirmations?

Bitcoin Client Software and Version Number: 0.3.22-beta
Operating System: Win7-7601
System Hardware Specs: Intel-i7, 20GB Ram, ?? don't know what else is relevant
Description of Problem: Sending coins is just coming up 0/unconfirmed
Any Related Addresses:   1Afe6EABknu7eePKcz4FihG1x6Fj835RTe
Any Related Transaction IDs: I don't know how to get this.
Screenshot of the problem: Couldn't work out how to attach an image.
Log Files from the Bitcoin Client: .. any help finding these ?

This is the transaction details on my client
Status: 0/unconfirmed
Date: 08/11/2019 21:44
To: NTROGER 18XvrmGDb7UbKeFkPSSbSH7UxZ7msZu66b
Debit: -1.00
Transaction fee: -0.01
Net amount: -1.01

Status: 0/unconfirmed
Date: 04/11/2019 21:10
To: NTROGER 18XvrmGDb7UbKeFkPSSbSH7UxZ7msZu66b
Debit: -0.01
Net amount: -0.01

My address is? 1Afe6EABknu7eePKcz4FihG1x6Fj835RTe
But it looks like there are several receiving addresses.

[ranochigo]

The version of your Bitcoin Core is from a few years ago and that is before most of the protocol change and standards that affected Bitcoin. Your transaction was likely non standard and it wasn't propagated properly.

The wallet backup is your wallet.dat file. With that, you can recover the wallet even if you wipe your whole wallet. To get your wallet.dat file, there should be an option in the client to export a backup. If not, you can go to %appdata%/Bitcoin on your computer and you should be able to see the wallet.dat. After backing it up and making multiple copies, you can safely install a newer version of Bitcoin Core. 0.01BTC as fees is too excessive and not required.

Edit: You can't send any coins if you have a password on your wallet.

[jackg]

If you're on Windows try going to %appdata%\roaming\bitcoin or %appdata%\local\bitcoin and search for a file called either "wallet" or "wallet.dat".

Just copy it to the same place on the other computer and load up bitcoin core (remember to make backups). If your machine is getting repeated bsods it won't be wise to keep it syncing the new core so jus rkove it across. Your funds are likely still in the old address as core 3 can't connect to the Internet (but you might want to rename the new wallet you made to wallet.bak.dat just in case it does).

[RogerBennett]

OK Thanks.

I've found the wallet.dat file and made a copy of it. There isn't a "copy/backup wallet" option in the client, I guess its too old.

I have questions
1) "You can't send any coins if you have a password on your wallet."
I've sent coins before and don't remember a password.

2)
if there is no password, this means anybody with that wallet file can spend my coins? no additional security.

3)
If I install a new version and copy that in, then those to TXs should happen right? including the 0.01 fee. Which is going to cost me almost a hundred bucks?

Thanks for helping with the wallet file. I'm feeling safer already I think.
---
R

[BitMaxz]

I think you can open the wallet file into notepad it is not encrypted yet unlike the HD wallet.

If you are planning to update your bitcoin core wallet make sure to backup the wallet file first as suggested above before you update your wallet for safety purposes.

The right path where you can find the wallet file if you are using Windows this is the path "C:\Users\YourUserName\Appdata\Roaming\Bitcoin" for Linux is this one "~/.bitcoin/"

I think the old wallet file of bitcoin core wallet is not encrypted yet so I think you can get the public key and private keys if you open the wallet file with notepad.

You can use the private key to recover your wallet to other wallets or in HD wallets.

[Rath_]

2)
if there is no password, this means anybody with that wallet file can spend my coins? no additional security.

Yes, the private keys, which are needed to spend the coins, are stored in the wallet file. They are not encrypted if there is no password set.

3)
If I install a new version and copy that in, then those to TXs should happen right? including the 0.01 fee. Which is going to cost me almost a hundred bucks?

Once you update Bitcoin Core, launch it with -zapwallettxes=1 parameter to make sure that all the transactions which are not on the blockchain are removed. Right-click on the Bitcoin Core shortcut, select Properties and add that parameter after '.exe'. It won't cause any harm if it turns out to be redundant. The mempool should be emptied after such an upgrade.

[loafof]

Grab the private key, use the private key and access you wallet from elsewhere with the most up-to-date wallet. I am pretty sure your tx was propagated properly though. It just requires some time to get it confirmed. If it is stuck for days, you might want to rebroadcast it using a tx accelerator.

[LoyceV]

I've found the wallet.dat file and made a copy of it.

Two things first:
1. Make another copy, then another copy (on another USB-stick or disk).
2. Don't trust anyone who sends you a PM offering to help you, people have been scammed that way!

Then, continue from a new, secure PC, and don't even touch your old PC anymore until you're absolutely sure you've recovered your Bitcoins. Install the latest version of Bitcoin Core on it, and copy one of your wallet.dat backups into it's data directory.
I'm not sure if there's anything else you need to do for compatibility from a very old wallet though.

You'll also be looking at a decent amount in Forkcoins. Just remember it for later, and don't try to do anything with them before recovering your Bitcoins (people have lost funds to scammers from using Fork wallets too).

[The Cryptovator]

I think there nothing to be panic since I think your fund still safe. Just make copy your "wallet.dat" file and keep it on 3/4 place including USB drive as suggested above. So you will not on risk of loss wallet file in case if happen something wrong. Try to export all the private keys, check there should option on your old wallet. Just do the correct job with patience and I believe you will recover your fund succesfully. If you successfully exported private keys mean you already own your fund and could spend it from any wallets who are supporting import private keys. I believe your wallet file isn't encrypted with password. So try to recover privates keys and follow above reply to do it.

PS: Don't reply to anyone who will PM you for recover fund. Ask them come on this thread if they like to help and discuss front of all people. Otherwise you might loss your fund.

[jackg]

I am pretty sure your tx was propagated properly though.

It wasn't, as I said above his client won't be able to connect to the netowrk as there were a lot of changes to the network at 8.8.0 making wallets before then incompatible (afaik).

The address he posted can be checked here: https://www.blockchain.com/btc/address/18XvrmGDb7UbKeFkPSSbSH7UxZ7msZu66b


If you can wait out the sync, you might be better off doing it that way but if you do go with electrum (or any other wallet), search on how to verify signatures.

Private keys begin with a 5, K or L in the format we use now, it might be the same back then (5 type I think was started with). Don't put these keys online and try not to keep your computer online while you put them into the electrum wallet if you can help it until you've set up a password for the wallet.

[Bidkoin]

Hi,

You will need to export the private key in a wallet like Blockchain.info or another software if you do not prefer the web.
That is the only way, if you need help feel free to reply.

[LoyceV]

You will need to export the private key in a wallet like Blockchain.info

This is terrible advice!

Don't export your funds to a web wallet! If you want anything, get Electrum, but be sure you download it from the real website and not one of many fake sites that give you malware.

[DannyHamilton]

Note, it can be difficult at times to tell the difference between a signature advertising spammer that posts HORRIBLE advice and an expert that is sincerely trying to provide you with GOOD advice.

In case it isn't yet obvious...

Please ignore anything written here by: BitMaxz, loafof, Bidkoin, and HardwarewalletAttacker1
Their advice is more likely to cause you to lose bitcoins than to recover them.

You are getting good advice so far from jackg, BitCryptex, and LoyceV
They are generally helpful and any additional instructions or advice from them are likely to be helpful.

The most important thing is not to panic and not to rush.  If someone posts a suggestion here, take a moment to decide if you fully understand what they are asking you to do and what the effects will be.  If you have any concern or feel uncertain about what the effect will be, then instead of following those instructions immediately it's likely a good idea to wait a day or so to see if anyone else comes along and says: "No! That's a terrible idea".  That's the great thing about a public discussion like this.  You'll have the eyes of many experts. They may not post anything as long as the advice you are currently receiving is reasonable, but they can step in and warn you if something is said that might give someone else control over your bitcoins, or might increase your risk of losing your keys.

The key things you are trying to do right now are:

1. Make sure that you have safe and secure copies of the wallet.dat file.  This way, if anything happens to the original, you aren't completely without hope.  Everything needed to access the bitcoins is in that wallet file, so it is very important that YOU can access a copy of it AND that NOBODY else has access to any of its contents.

2. Get a copy of your wallet.dat file and/or the keys from that file running with a more modern version of the wallet software on a more reliable computer. This will provide you with access to the bitcoin network including the blockchain and any bitcoins associated with that wallet.

3. Prevent the recently generated transactions from being broadcast to the bitcoin network. This will keep you from spending that 0.01 BTC fee from the earlier transaction attempt.

Any advice that doesn't seem to accomplish any of these three things should certainly be looked at with suspicion.  Any advice that seems like it might risk exposing private keys outside of your immediate control (to other software, to websites, to people, etc) should certainly be looked at with suspicion. Do not run software or commands on your computer that you do not understand and/or that haven't been vetted by multiple people on this thread.

[Jet Cash]

If you are getting blue screens, then I would back up the whole of your hard disk onto a USB stick, or an SD card. It is more than your Bitcoins that is at risk.

[keychainX]

So, I've got an old bitcoin thing on my PC.
But the PC is bluescreening and about to die, so I wanted to transfer off the coins because they are worth something.
I setup a new wallet on a different PC and tried transferring 0.01 to test it was working and it didn't.
So I read on on fees. fees didn't really exist before I don't think. you could just transfer.
But the client said the minimum fee was 0.01 which sounds like a lot, so I sent 1.00 with a 0.01 fee.

My address is? 1Afe6EABknu7eePKcz4FihG1x6Fj835RTe
But it looks like there are several receiving addresses.

I would recommend downloading pywallet from github and dumping your keys. Then import them into electrum.

The steps involved would be this:

1) download pywallet from here https://github.com/jackjack-jj/pywallet
2) dump the wallet private keys
3) download electrum from here https://electrum.org/#download
4) import the private keys.

Now you can spend and move your funds from electrum with ease...

If you want to be really safe, disconnect from internet before dumping the keys

Good luck
/KX

[RogerBennett]

Note, it can be difficult at times to tell the difference between a signature advertising spammer that posts HORRIBLE advice and an expert that is sincerely trying to provide you with GOOD advice.

Thanks for opening with that, and for telling me not to rush. That's pretty much what I wanted to hear. There wasn't a consensus of advice, and this doesn't fill me with confidence.

My worries were that I couldn't transfer/copy/move my wallet without knowing additional keys/passwords or having to do something clever, and/or that a software upgrade would loose my wallet or make it inaccessible. My experience so far has not been great - I lost 12.9 on an exchange that closed down and a few more coins in a mining group I can't access anymore and some from the Ubuntu machine I was mining from - loosing the rest of my wallet to a software update would suck.
I never really understood what I was doing, but had a wallet with some coins and figured I'd make the best of a bad situation when the machine started bluescreening - and then discovered I couldn't transfer them.

I've now got confidence that I can safely use that wallet on a different PC, and have located and taken a copy of the walllet.dat file.
I believe I can just download a new Bitcoin Core and use the same wallet.

So I've built a new PC, will get all the installs done, and hopefully its plain sailing after that.

Also somebody mentioned forks. Is this a thing that effects me?

There was mention of Electrum. And seems to be a lot of different wallets out there. I'm assuming I can ignore this as noise?

[LoyceV]

I've now got confidence that I can safely use that wallet on a different PC, and have located and taken a copy of the walllet.dat file.
I believe I can just download a new Bitcoin Core and use the same wallet.

So I've built a new PC, will get all the installs done, and hopefully its plain sailing after that.

That should work. But just to make sure: if you're in doubt, don't do it until you're absolutely sure you're doing the right thing. DannyHamilton makes a good point: don't rush things. You've waited many years, a few more days isn't going to matter as long as you keep your coins secure.

Also somebody mentioned forks. Is this a thing that effects me?

Only if you want to. You own "old" Bitcoins, which means these coins also exist on many Fork chains. Some of them are worth something (with Bitcoin Cash being the most valuable), but none of them are worth risking your Bitcoins.
I'll quote myself on this:

Precautions
My favourite precaution is being very careful. Assume any wallet can steal your money, and try all you can to prevent that from happening.
Be very careful not to send Forkcoins to the wrong chain!
I don't trust many wallets, so I use a VM for anything I install on my PC. An alternative would be using another computer.
Some of the new Forkcoins have a very wide spread in trading price (see the Markets-tab on CMC), and not all of the exchanges accept deposits (or withdrawals) for each Forkcoin. Be very careful which exchange you trust.

How to claim forks
1. Setup a new secure Bitcoin wallet (create backups!), and move all your Bitcoins from your old wallet to your new wallet. To avoid confusion later, label your old wallet (I suggest "compromised for forks") and make sure nobody is going to send any Bitcoin to any of the addresses anymore. Don't delete your old wallet.
2. Wait until your Bitcoins are confirmed on their new addresses.
3. Export the private keys to the addresses that hold Forkcoins.
4. Start with the most valuable fork, and work your way downwards from there. That means Bitcoin Cash comes first, followed by Bitcoin Gold.
5. Install a Forkcoin wallet. Make sure this wallet can't compromise the rest of your system.
6. Import one private key at a time (this reduces the risk if you installed a rogue wallet), and send it to the exchange of your choice.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for all other forks.

TL;DR
1. Move all BTC to a secure new wallet.
2. Sweep all forks into their own wallet.
3. Find an exchange to deposit each fork.

There was mention of Electrum. And seems to be a lot of different wallets out there. I'm assuming I can ignore this as noise?

If you're okay with Bitcoin Core (just know you'll be downloading 250 GB of data), there's no reason to switch to anything else.

[jackg]

Just to reiterate important notes from loyce.

1. If you want to claim forks, make sure you move your btc first into a different wallet.
2. Depending on the speed of your machine, a 10 year old laptop will downloqd the blockchain in about a week. Newer machines should be able to download a lot faster, I've seen it take 10 hours or less on a fast computer with an os that can push things to the graphics chip - if you're in no rush it's a good idea to go this way and you can also educate yourself on what you're doing in the meantime if you haven't used bitcoin recently (of you haven't touched it in 5 years you might not remember some parts of how the network works). You can always test with a smaller amount when core syncs too. Moving 0.1 10 times will not cost much more (or 0.1 and then 0.9 - just to check you're sending to the right place).

[ewaspiro]

There was mention of Electrum. And seems to be a lot of different wallets out there. I'm assuming I can ignore this as noise?

Electrum is a great choice if you want to make sure you have funds without downloading and syncing the whole bitcoin blockchain, otherwise you have to wait a while and then maybe figure out the wallet did not contain what you thought.