wallet password invalid after upgrade

[bb3456]

Hi everyone.  Been a lurker for years.....

Anyhow, I just started me software up, 3.1.2, and now four years later I upgraded to 3.3.8, and when trying to send funds, I get a password invalid error.  I worked in IT for 20 years, never really forgot a password, so I'm thinking the upgrade increased security a bit too much.  Is that possible?  Of course, I can not locate my seeds, and have tried every password combo I may have used.  Is there a possibility that I didn't have a password at all back in 2012, and now the upgrades have enforced this "invalid password" situation?  I really papprecaite your help, and not a total noob, so I'm willing to try btc-recover or whatever, but it just does't seem like a incorrect password.

I've opened the wallet file, and can see a string of text under the seed: section.  The wallet file also says it is encrypted, even though it is not, as I can read the file.  If I set the encryption to false, electrum shows me the long string which is hashed I'm sure, and attempts to change the password with failure of course.

My wallet file was upgraded from 3.1.2 to 3.3.8, which means the old version of electrum won't open it anymore.  It shows bip32, p2pkh, standard wallet.  Really hopeless here. 

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[BitMaxz]

Can you answer these questions below

- How did you upgrade it to 3.3.8?
- Where did you download this version?
- Have you tried to verify the signature first of this version?
- Do you have a backup seed phrase?

If you download it from the original website which is electrum.org and verified the signature your wallet is safe but if you are using a fake Electrum 3.3.8 your wallet is at risk.

Did you remember the bitcoin address you have from your wallet(Where your BTC is saved)? Can you share it here so that we can check if your Bitcoin still there?

I've opened the wallet file, and can see a string of text under the seed: section.  The wallet file also says it is encrypted, even though it is not, as I can read the file.  If I set the encryption to false, electrum shows me the long string which is hashed I'm sure, and attempts to change the password with failure of course.

That's a weird part it seems that your wallet file is corrupted?
What OS you currently using?

[Chikito]

Let's try using console >> help()

- Do you have a backup seed phrase?

look like he don't have

Of course, I can not locate my seeds

[nc50lc]

Are you seeing something like this when you open the wallet file with a text editor?:

Code:

    "keystore": {
        "seed": "yfA+4QQvOqv8LxpJIs9NroCl+9XY2Z32DxizCGmtW0QmwmdNCHY02BTMeMC+A2wXgwOgSryFToBkM0yBHxF3DD394Q0YBOrI5zj4W+EWpwQDXWf1MFXmi/ScdXIFHvFa",
        "type": "bip32",
        "xprv": "e2wBpnh3ZwrngS6m8Y3v3ycMlHNX+Ndvs8V7ha3kPkGfLyZSe62A1eLCNEOzs1mRx6loIph6xKMCYsae7c1RqKyYOTdjifm9Ekh3Ql7nTVbEEm71/YwHFE+OM//9BK5CEs2m/6v8pIbPibDVccHCDu7WxgTde2qAa8bAMW+Gv1s=",
        "xpub": "xpub661MyMwAqRbcEpcKb4W7YKsRYGDjdjSt1DotBB6GwZoqwmj8cyYpqsQNCvB4uVpooKgHFVmwsfgV58LBT357yLpAMSvy3JrX8SSVaPZN24c"
    },
    "pruned_txo": {},
    "seed_type": "standard",
    "seed_version": 16,
    "stored_height": 618784,
    "transactions": {},
    "tx_fees": {},
    "txi": {},
    "txo": {},
    "use_encryption": true,
    "verified_tx3": {},
    "wallet_type": "standard",

I've opened the wallet file, and can see a string of text under the seed: section.  The wallet file also says it is encrypted, even though it is not, as I can read the file.  If I set the encryption to false, electrum shows me the long string which is hashed I'm sure, and attempts to change the password with failure of course.

Looks like the answer to my question above is yes?
When you see something like those strings, it means that your wallet file isn't encrypted but the keys are encrypted (as you can see above).
When using that kind of wallet, it will only ask for your password whenever you need to access your private keys like signing tx and messages.

You can select that option after you typed the password below the text-boxes in the wallet-creation window or password-creation window.
It's the checkbox: "Encrypt wallet file", enabled by default.

BTW, I've tried to reproduce your issue by creating a wallet using 3.1.2 then open that wallet file using the latest version. It successfully upgraded.
I suspect that your wallet file was corrupted somehow.

[bb3456]

Thanks already. 

I will try to reply to each of you.  I upgraded by just downloading the 3.3.8 from the official website.  I guess I just opened the new version, it stated that a few things had changed, and was going to update the wallet.  it seemed to work okay.  I can load my address here tomorrow, but funds are there, i can see the balances and transactions, I just can't sign/send/message due to this "forgotten/invalid" password.  I use the windows portable executable, windows 10 now, might have been win7 four years ago or initially.

Yes, the file does look like that.  agreed, the password in encrypted, but the file is not.

[nc50lc]

-snip- I use the windows portable executable, windows 10 now, might have been win7 four years ago or initially.

Portable? So the data directory will be the same directory as your Electrum-portable.exe.

Was your original wallet non-portable like "stand-alone"?
Because if it is, your real wallet might be in your user-roaming folders: Hit "WindowsKey+R", type %appdata% then enter.
Open 'Electrum', then 'wallets'; if there are files there, then that should be your original wallet file (make a backup copy).
Use a non-portable version to open it or browse to that location when selecting wallets using "File->Open" in Electrum.

[BitMaxz]

Are you sure about this below that you upgraded the 4 yrs old wallet to 3.3.8?

Anyhow, I just started me software up, 3.1.2, and now four years later I upgraded to 3.3.8, and when trying to send funds, I get a password invalid error.

Electrum 3.1.2 was release 2 years ago around 2018 so what I'm thinking is either you installed a fake Electrum 3.1.2 4yrs ago or the version you are talking about is 2.7.x which was released around 2016?

If it was 2.7.x version you will experience some compatibility issue if you upgraded it to the latest version
But if not and it was 3.1.2 and if you make a mistake on the year you mentioned it should be work after you upgrade it to 3.3.8 because I have a wallet file which was generated on 3.1.2 wallet and use the latest version without any issue.

Can you try to install the 3.3.4 version and import the wallet file(Follow the nc50lc suggestion) then test it again.
If you still have the error about the password well, I think you will need the help of BTCrecovery about the password.

[Abdussamad]

Do you have a backup of the wallet file from before the upgrade? I suggest opening it in the version from 4 years ago, disabling the password via wallet > password and then opening it in 3.3.8. Bitmaxz is right that the version you used 4 years ago is likely a 2.x one and there were warnings related to wallet file upgrades from such old versions:

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/master/RELEASE-NOTES#L663

It's also very likely that you just don't remember the password. There are recovery scripts you can try that will bruteforce the password. btc recover is the most recommended one:

https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover

The seed is encrypted so there is encryption. It's just not full wallet file encryption.

[bb3456]

BittMaxz, interesting.  The original wallet was from around ~2014 as you stated, then my transactions show I used it last in 2016, but yes, the original version was likely very old.  thanks for the info guys, I will have to try btc-recover I guess.  I hope it works and there's not some other issue.  I shouldn't have to have backup files, and I never forget passwords, but this lesson is one I get to learn again.  I will try 3.3.4....

[bb3456]

ok, weird......

(testA)   I just d'l'd 3.3.4, and open my of my copies(enc), and it asked me for password to even open the wallet.  it opens with my expected password.  I go to see seed, it shows me the hashed stuff.  The fact I could open the copy where I changed seed:enc to TRUE, opens with my expected password.  WILD.


(testB)  so then, I open 3.3.4 again, with a wallet copy(like orig);seed:enc=false, and it opens, but "password" still invalid, if I try to see my seeds or change password.  what gives?  Oh well, it's great to see different behavior, and at least re-assuring......


so this info is a valid test and all, right?  the wallet does open in scenario A, but still doesn't allow me access to my funds..

is it possible these "wallet or hardware" type changes affected my wallet like this?

[nc50lc]

Do you still have a virgin copy of the wallet file?
If you have, disable your internet, then create a copy of it and open the copy using Electrum version 2.7.18, then export your seed from it.
Download the previous releases here: https://download.electrum.org/

I go to see seed, it shows me the hashed stuff. -snip-

It's not hashed, it's your encrypted seed, in Base-64.

[bb3456]

TY for the clarification, I like learning the correct terms.  

I highly doubt I have a non-upgraded wallet file, but will look, and try that version either way.  Thx again for the thoughts, you guys are the stuff legends are made of, helpful and smart.  I had previously tried to reopen with 3.1.2, but wallet version was like already 18, too new.    so revise/downgrade the wallet, or maybe btc-recover, yet I seem to have already confirmed my password I think.

[Igrok222]

I have the same problem, but I am not good at it
Can anyone restore access to my wallet using my default_wallet file?
I did not save the password (if there was one), and the seed phrase is also lost

[nc50lc]

If it's encrypted, it will be hard to gain access to your funds even if he got the wallet file.
If it's strong (long, numerals, lower/upper-case letters & symbols) and you don't have an idea of the possible missing characters, it's almost impossible.

But it depends on how strong is your password because it's fairly easy to bruteforce a weak password like 8-character-password which  is purely composed of numbers.

[Igrok222]

I remember that when I created the password, when I re-entered, a password error appeared, maybe there was a typo in the password, I remember 2 options for the password that could be there (these are only letters, if there were numbers then this is only 1 or 7)
Can you help me with password recovery?
If yes, do you have any other way to contact you?

[Pmalek]

@Igrok222
Have you tried entering your password with CAPS LOCK turned on?
Are you maybe using a non-English keyboard that could have changed a few letters around, like the letters 'Z' and 'Y'
Maybe you disabled NUM LOCK so when you were setting up your password it didn't recognize your numbers (1/7).

Try with these options in mind and see if it helps. 

[nc50lc]

Can you help me with password recovery?
If yes, do you have any other way to contact you?

Just use BTCRecover, there's a tutorial on how to set it up, it's outdated but working.

If you got any problem, create your own thread with the question and information (this is quite off-topic).
To get you started, after setting-up btcrecover, use this command:

Code:

python btcrecover.py --wallet wallet_name --tokenlist tokens.txt --typos-replace %a --typos 12

Change "wallet_name" into your wallet file's name, --typos-replace '%a' into '%A' if you think you've used uppercase
& --typos' value depending on how many characters you think is wrong;
Take note: The higher the number of possible passwords, the higher RAM you will be needing.

And a 'tokens.txt' file in the same directory as btcrecover.py with the lines:

Code:

"possible_password"
1
7

It can be improved as I'm not an expert when it comes with btcrecover.

If you need help with the token file, there's also a guide on how to set it up: https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover/blob/master/TUTORIAL.md#btcrecover-tutorial
Or typos: https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover/blob/master/docs/Typos_Quick_Start_Guide.md

As for me, I can only bruteforce weak passwords (there's no other way to contact me),
you can contact this guy though: walletrecoveryservices He's got positive reviews and trust rating.

[Igrok222]

Ok, thanks everyone, I'll try all of the above

P.s. TC, sorry for the flood in topic

[nc50lc]

Ok, thanks everyone, I'll try all of the above

BTW, I've tested a sample wallet with 1 lower-case letter typo and possible 2 missing numbers using the same setup:

My test:

wallet file: bananapeal12
Password: bananapeal12
token file: bananapeal-token.txt
Contents:

Code:

bananapear
0
1
2

Command used: python btcrecover.py --wallet bananapeal12 --tokenlist bananapeal-tokens.txt --typos-replace %a --typos 2

Results:

Code:

C:\Python\Python27>python btcrecover.py --wallet bananapeal12 --tokenlist bananapeal-token.txt --typos-replace %a --typos 2
Starting btcrecover 0.17.10 on Python 2.7.17 64-bit, 16-bit unicodes, 32-bit ints
btcrecover.py: warning: can't find PyCrypto, using aespython instead
Wallet difficulty: 2 SHA-256 iterations
Counting passwords ...
Done
Using 4 worker threads
814676 of 2024605 [##############----------------------] 0:00:39, ETA:  0:00:58
Password found: 'bananapeal12'

And I said above, you need more than 8GB of RAM if you want to bruteforce higher than 2 typos with that password length.

[Igrok222]

It seems that I did everything right ..
but I have such an error ...

C:\Users\user>CD d:\distr\btcrecover-master\btcrecover-master

C:\Users\user>  C:\python27\python btcrecover.py --wallet default_wallet --tokenlist token.txt --typos-capslock --typos-swap --typos-repeat --typos-delete --typos-case --autosave savefile
C:\python27\python: can't open file 'btcrecover.py': [Errno 2] No such file or directory