complete beginner - i'm so lost - armory connection/go online help?

[gstamsons]

Oh no. Deleting that folder has taken me back in this process! 

I had to re-restore the wallet again and agree to everything again and now I don't have the node status or the transactions tab anymore... and it's saying offline in the bottom right again instead of node offline. And instead of the green bar in the preparing dbs, it's just showing grey/.

[gstamsons]

... Um, hello? Can someone please hellllllllllp

[jpmell]

Hi Gstamsons,

I came across this thread yesterday while doing some research, as I recently tried migrating the blockchain from my c: to a data drive and had no end of problems.

It finally worked today, with only a few differences from what you have been trying.  After many failed efforts, here is what I believe eventually worked for me.

Initially, I copied my up to date 320GB blockchain to a newly created E:\BitcoinData folder (along with everything else that was in the C:\Users\USER\Appdata\Roaming\Bitcoin directory).  I also copied everything from C:\Users\USER\Appata\Roaming\Armory to E:\Armory

Then I opened Armory and typed "E:\BitcoinData"  in the "Bitcoin Home Directory:" box in Settings, and typed "E:\Armory\databases"  in the "Armory Database Dir:" box. 
Then I unchecked the "let Armory run Bitcoin..." checkbox, saved, and closed Armory.

***** Before going further, I have to add that shutting down Armory alone does NOT shutdown all associated background processes! 
***** I later learned that without a restart, bitcoind (Bitcoin Node with JSON-RPC server) was still running in the background. 
***** Once I ended that process in Task Manager (or restarted) most everything else worked.

The next thing I did was create a desktop shortcut to bitcoin-qt (found in C:\Program Files\Bitcoin).   On the desktop, I opened the properties for the shortcut and amended the Target box to read Quote "C:\Program Files\Bitcoin\bitcoin-qt.exe" -datadir=e:\BitcoinData Unquote

Then I ran Bitcoin Core from the shortcut so that it would update the E: to fully sync the blockchain.  (Honestly, I was working on this for so long that I can't remember if it rebuilt the blockchain from the ground up or not....)

I then tried to leave Bitcoin core running and open Armory (as suggested in another thread).  This didn't work for me....

Then I opened Settings in Armory and checked the "let Armory run Bitcoin..." checkbox, quit Armory, quit Bitcoin, and restarted.

When I then opened Armory.  It opened Bitcoin and after a few minutes, started loading the database headers, scanning transaction and updating my wallet.

On this last step, the process took about 3 hours to complete indexing the database, but now I am up and running in seconds and I have 320GB+ extra space on my c:.

P.S.  Somewhere in this process, I developed another problem that may have contributed to many of my failed attempts (because I am sure I had tried my final configuration a couple of times before it worked).  At one point I was access denied when I tried to open the AppData directory with the File Explorer.  It turned out that my permissions were corrupted!  But once I removed and then re-added the account permissions, access was restored (this can be checked in File Explorer, if you can access the folder, it isn't an issue.

Hope this helps! This is my take, and is not coming from a position of significant knowledge.  Perhaps one of the more knowledgeable posters can weigh in. 

Perry
 

[HCP]

I need you to confirm a couple of things for me...

#1. In Bitcoin-Qt, check "Settings -> Options -> Main" and make sure that "pruning" is switched off:



#2. You mentioned you had not changed any configuration files for Bitcoin Core, so it's quite possible that Armory is not able to connect to your Bitcoin Core node, as by default the RPC server is switched off.

To fix this, you will need to create a bitcoin.conf file in the Bitcoin Core datadir... the simplest way is to simply click the "Open Configuration File" button on the "Settings -> Options -> Main" tab within Bitcoin-qt:



It should open a text editor, and you need to add the following line:

Code:

server=1

After you have done that, save the file... then shutdown Bitcoin Core... then start it up again.

Once that is done, you can start Armory and it should hopefully be able to connect to the Node. If you're still having issues, you'll need to repost your log file so we can see what Armory is doing now that you're made the changes.

[gstamsons]

Okay, that box is definitely checked. If I uncheck it, it says it will need to re-download all 320 GB. So I'm going to set back another week?! SIGH

Also, when I tried to do the config thing you said, it didn't know what program to pick and sent me to the app store. I tried to do it in notebook, but it just opens up blank. So I don't know what to do here either.

This seems to be generating more and more problems, rather than a solution T_T

[HCP]

Okay, that box is definitely checked. If I uncheck it, it says it will need to re-download all 320 GB. So I'm going to set back another week?! SIGH

Yes, if the node gets pruned, then earlier blocks are deleted from disk... unfortunately, the only way to "unprune" is to redownload the entire blockchain again.

Also, when I tried to do the config thing you said, it didn't know what program to pick and sent me to the app store. I tried to do it in notebook, but it just opens up blank. So I don't know what to do here either.

It's not unusual that the file is blank, by default it doesn't exist and/or is empty.

Windows, by default, doesn't know what application to use to open a ".conf" file, hence why it asked which one you wanted to use. Notepad (or any text editor) is fine... do not use "wordpad" or word. They have the potential to break things.

This seems to be generating more and more problems, rather than a solution T_T

There are other solutions for getting access to your coins, but it depends on whether or not you want to continue using Armory go forward. If you want to continue to use Armory, then you will absolutely have to redownload the full blockchain. There is no other option for that.

If you don't want to continue to use Armory and just want to access your coins and migrate to another wallet, then there are ways to achieve that without downloading the blockchain.

[gstamsons]

If you don't want to continue to use Armory and just want to access your coins and migrate to another wallet, then there are ways to achieve that without downloading the blockchain.

I literally want to do whatever is easiest and fastest. If that means I leave Armory behind, then that means I leave Armory behind. I don't know. I'm just figuring this all out for my boss, and he's been waiting weeeeeks now to get access to these funds. :/

[HCP]

I literally want to do whatever is easiest and fastest. If that means I leave Armory behind, then that means I leave Armory behind. I don't know. I'm just figuring this all out for my boss, and he's been waiting weeeeeks now to get access to these funds. :/

In which case, you might be better off exporting the private key that is holding your funds, and then importing that key into another wallet like Electrum that will allow you to sync/spend without downloading the entire blockchain.

Electrum is an "SPV" (aka Simple Payment Verification) wallet, and it connects to servers which do the "heavy lifting"... it offers "speed and simplicity" in exchange for sacrificing "privacy".

You can read my guide on how to extract your private keys from Armory here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4746784.msg43255691#msg43255691
You can download Electrum here: https://electrum.org/#download


NOTE:
When you create the wallet in Electrum, you need to select the "Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys" option:


If you have any issues with the export/import, just let me know

[Dufusss]

hey, new here as well, with the similar problem

"NOTE:
When you create the wallet in Electrum, you need to select the "Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys" option:


If you have any issues with the export/import, just let me know"

Hey, tried it, unfortunately it seems, the Electrum is not compatible with recovering wallets made in Armory with the Armory Root key...I think, that's the biggest problem..when you put in the two rows of  Root Key code (or scan the QR, tried both), the "Next" button stays unclickable, I guess, the info is not complete..tried by importing the .wallet file, it says, it cannot read the /Sdfgo346#$5sfk34$%/ksdfksd....

Correct me, if I'm wrong, I would love to be.. I would just like to return my funds, where I don't have to be a rocket scientist to be able to use them from..

Thanks

[nc50lc]

Hey, tried it, unfortunately it seems, the Electrum is not compatible with recovering wallets made in Armory with the Armory Root key...I think, that's the biggest problem..when you put in the two rows of  Root Key code (or scan the QR, tried both), the "Next" button stays unclickable -snip-

Just re-read what HCP have posted,
the instruction is to get the "private keys" of your addresses with balance then import it to Electrum.
There's also a link on how to get the keys from Armory.

If you do not have Armory installed, just install Armory and restore your wallet first.
Then you can extract the private keys even if Armory is offline.

[bob123]

Hey, tried it, unfortunately it seems, the Electrum is not compatible with recovering wallets made in Armory with the Armory Root key...

You need to export/import the private keys of the individual addresses containing the BTC. Trying to import the armory root key into electrum won't work.

To do so, open your wallet preferences -> click on Backup this wallet -> Other backup options -> Export Key Lists

Export the private keys and import them into electrum.

[Dufusss]

Super, thanks everyone, it worked like a charm!
Best namesday present ever! I'll sleep much better tonight! I also got a bit drunk..

Have nice lives!

[gstamsons]

Okay, I tried this with Electrum, but nothing I do seems to work. I tried doing the export following the thread that was posted, but the imported addresses had an extra line of data starting with 1, then underneath had the PrivBase58: 5numberhere...

I spent like an hour going through and deleting all the extra lines/info so that just the keys starting with 5s were showing, and then nothing. The "next" button just stays greyed out. No matter what I try. I tried copy/paste, I tried manually typing, I tried saving and importing the file... no matter what I cannot click next, it's just greyed out.

This has become a hassle and a half and I can't believe I've spent so much time on this damn thing, with literally no results! Sorry, a little frustrated. >.>

Other ideas/thoughts? Sigh.

[HCP]

I spent like an hour going through and deleting all the extra lines/info so that just the keys starting with 5s were showing, and then nothing. The "next" button just stays greyed out. No matter what I try. I tried copy/paste, I tried manually typing, I tried saving and importing the file... no matter what I cannot click next, it's just greyed out.

Did you remember to tick the box that says "omit spaces in key data"... by default this is left ticked and you end up with a private key that looks something like this:

Code:

5Kb8k Lf9zg WQnog idDA7 6MzPL 6TsZZ Y36hW XMssS zNydY XYB9KF

Electrum won't work if you have those extra spaces... it needs to be:

Code:

5Kb8kLf9zgWQnogidDA76MzPL6TsZZY36hWXMssSzNydYXYB9KF

Also, make sure you're not copying the "PrivBase58:" part... you ONLY want the long string of characters starting with a 5... like this:

[gstamsons]

Yes and yes.

I spent like 30 mins deleting out the "PrivBase58:" parts and the strings with 1s that weren't right. When I got to the end the next button was still greyed out and wouldn't let me do anything else.

[HCP]

So, the private keys you are exporting start with a "5"?

If so, there must be something wrong with the exported data or the format it is in... perhaps trailing whitespace of some description or something? Are you copy/pasting that data directly into Electrum or were you copy/pasting into a text editor first? If so, what text editor were you using?

[nc50lc]

I spent like 30 mins deleting out the "PrivBase58:" parts and the strings with 1s that weren't right. When I got to the end the next button was still greyed out and wouldn't let me do anything else.

You seem like doing the deletions manually, there are lots of keys and ended up having a single error (or more). That made the next button un-clickable.

My suggestion is to import the keys one or five at a time, then import the rest later using the option: "Wallet->Private keys->Import".
That way, you're less prone to errors and may find where the wrong key(s) are.

Also, in Electrum, where did you tried to paste the private keys?
Because it won't work in other options other than "Import bitcoin addresses or private keys" at the very first window after typing the new wallet's name and clicking next.

[gstamsons]

How else can you delete the strings that it brings unnecessarily? Other than manually? I tried every export variation i saw in armory and they all came with either not the info i needed (the keys) or too much. The first time i tried it i just copied them directly into the import keys window and did it there, but nothing i did ever made the next box ungrey. Now I've got them pasted in a word file and I'm taking out the extra data manually again. But this process take ages and is sooooooo frustrating when you do all that work and then it doesn't even bloody work.

[HCP]

I wouldn't recommend using "word"... it has a bad habit of including extra whitespace like line breaks/paragraph breaks etc... you can't see it visually, but the computer will interpret these hidden characters and it's possible they are preventing Electrum from parsing the private key properly. Use either plain old "notepad"... or, my personal recommendation, something like Notepad++ (https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/) it has some excellent features for bulk editing text.

Couple of things to try:

Try and import this private key into Electrum... see if the "next" button is enabled.

Code:

5Kb8kLf9zgWQnogidDA76MzPL6TsZZY36hWXMssSzNydYXYB9KF

it's the "example" private key from the Bitcoin Wiki for address 1CC3X2gu58d6wXUWMffpuzN9JAfTUWu4Kj

If the next button is not enabled with this key, then your Electrum is "broken". If it is enabled, then the data you're extracting, or something in the way you're editing it is causing issues.



Double check the Armory export, just to be 100% clear, the ONLY boxes that you should tick for exporting your keys are:

- Private Key (Plain Base58)
- Include Unused (Address Pool)
- Omit spaces in key data



You can then click "Copy to Clipboard" and paste the contents into a text editor to strip out the headers at the top and all the "PrivBase58:" parts.

Essentially you want a list of "WIF" formatted private keys like this:

Code:

5JWNxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx5he
5Jwtxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh8f
5JRyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxYYu
5KaCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxLyW
5KbyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxVD2
5J6RxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxBkr
5JXyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxgqV
5KJ5xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx8Sp
5Hwzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx7Ab
5JrXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWJ6

I have just the private key strings that start with a "5"... and are 51 characters long... and nothing else.



If the data from Armory looks "OK", then like nc50lc has suggested, I would also recommend that you try and import just one key to start with... So in Electrum:

1. Select "File -> New\Restore"



2. Enter wallet name like "Imported Armory Keys" (click Next)



3. Select "Import Bitcoin addresses or private keys" (click Next)



4. Copy/Paste in just the first private key from Armory:



- If the next key is enabled, then you can continue adding keys in batches of say 10-20 until it stops working... which will help narrow down which key(s) are "breaking" it...

- If the next key is not enabled with just one key then, can you please take a screenshot and blur out/coverup the middle part of the private key that you're pasting in so we can see what the entry screen looks like? (You'll need to post the screenshot to an image hosting sight like imgur etc and then post the link here)

Hopefully, one of us will be able to spot what is causing Electrum to refuse your private key(s)

[nc50lc]

How else can you delete the strings that it brings unnecessarily? Other than manually? -snip-

If you're using Windows, you can use Notepad++ (link) to delete common stings throughout the document/txt file.
Using that, it's as easy as searching for the strings that you want to remove.

You'll get something like this after following HCP's guide:


Hit CTRL+F and there will be an advanced "find" dialogue box, follow the next image:

The string to search in "Find what" is (including the spaces):

Code:

   PrivBase58: 

Then in "Replace with", don't type anything, just blank.

After clicking "Replace All" it will turn into this: