Moved coins to armory before downloading Bitcoin Core

[cferriss]

Hi folks, total rookie here.  

As the subject states, i purchased some bitcoins via newton.....im in canada, and sent them to my wallet which is armory for the purpose of paying a bill.  Now being a total rookie i didnt realize i needed bitcoin core installed in order to go "online" and pay the bill.  I then downloaded bitcoin core v0.20.1 and let that run overnight, wake up, check progress.....fatal error.  So i try again 3 more times all ending in the same issue.  Any one have any ideas??

Thanks for the help.

Edited : Windows 10 64 bit

[HCP]

By default, Bitcoin Core will download and save the blockchain data to your C: drive (unless you explicitly tell it to store it somewhere else)... currently, this is over 350+ gigs worth of data. Do you have enough free space on your C: drive to hold that data?

If not, and your drive is out of space... that is likely the reason for getting the fatal error.

Otherwise, have a look in C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin and look for the "debug.log" file. You can open this in a text editor like Notepad++. Have a look towards the very end of the file and see if there are any "obvious" error messages for why Bitcoin Core is crashing.

You can also copy/paste the contents of debug.log to https://pastebin.com/ then click "create new paste"... that will generate a unique URL which you can copy/paste here and we can take a look at your debug file to see what is wrong.

[cferriss]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have installed bitcoin core to my E:\ drive, it has 600 GB free space.  Here is the link to the fatal error debug where it failed.

https://pastebin.com/CJwhRL6f

[bob123]

What do you want to achieve?

Do you want to get core running such that you can use core/armory in the future?
Or do you just want to quickly access your BTC?

If it is the latter, the easier option would be to export that single private key (you received just one transaction, right?) and import it into a lightweight client (e.g. electrum).
I'd recommend this option if you don't want to use core/armory at all, but just want to quickly access your coins and have it as easy as possible.

[cferriss]

I'd like to get this bill paid and move to a lightweight client.  I only received the one transaction, so how do i go about doing that?  I have downloaded electrum but am going to wait for your response to set it up, so i dont screw this up.

Again, thanks for all the help

[bob123]

Then exporting that one private key indeed is the easiest way for you.


To export your private key:

• Open armory and go to Wallet Properties
• -> Backup this Wallet
• -> Select "Export Key Lists"
• -> Click "Export Key Lists"
• -> Select "Address String" and "Private Key (Plain Base58)

You'll see the address and the private key.

To import it into another wallet, download any lightweight client (e.g. electrum) (please verify the signature, take these 3 minutes to learn how to do it) and import the private key by creating a new wallet:

• -> "Import Bitcoin address or private keys"
• -> Enter your private key with the prefix matching the address you want to recover:
  
  • p2pkh: for addresses starting with 1..
  • p2wpkh: for addresses starting with bc1..
  • p2wpkh-p2sh: for addresses starting with 3..
• -> Click "Next"

You'll need to wait a few seconds until electrum is synchronized and afterwards you can spend your BTC.

If you want to keep electrum: Create a new wallet and backup the mnemonic code.

[cferriss]

ok so i got the signatures verified and have copy and pasted the all wallets keys text to the but the next tab is greyed out.  Do I import all the addresses just as theyre copied from the all wallet keys text including the wallet id/name and created date??  or do i have to trim all the PrivBase58/PrivHexBE off of the addresses and add the prefix?  do i do all of the address or 1 at a time?

i feel like a fucking 3 year old trying to learn sign language!

I think im making progress.  I had to use just the privbase58 text with the prefix for the address.  that allowed me to click next.

[cferriss]

Thanks for all the help, I got everything sorted out! 

[HCP]

For the record... your Bitcoin Core error was caused by corruption in your block database... you'd need to delete the contents of your Bitcoin Core blocks folder and resync Bitcoin Core from scratch.

In any case, I'm glad you managed to get your private key(s) successfully exported and imported into Electrum. As bob123 said, if you want to continue using Electrum, I'd also recommend that you create a new "standard" wallet that has a 12 word backup phrase... it's like the Armory "Root Key", it will enable you to restore/recover your wallet using just the 12 words in case of hardware failure/data loss etc.

[DSRUK36]

What do you want to achieve?

Do you want to get core running such that you can use core/armory in the future?
Or do you just want to quickly access your BTC?

If it is the latter, the easier option would be to export that single private key (you received just one transaction, right?) and import it into a lightweight client (e.g. electrum).
I'd recommend this option if you don't want to use core/armory at all, but just want to quickly access your coins and have it as easy as possible.

Hi Bob,

I also did the same thing the op did! I'm new to BTC and downloaded armory as I thought a multisig wallet sounded nice and secure. But failed to realize in my haste that I needed to run bitcoin core as well! So I created a wallet in Armory then sent a small amount of BTC to test the address. But it wouldn't go online or show the balance. So can I follow the same instructions you gave to simply migrate the wallet to another client for now until I get my head around the bitcoin core/armory situation?

Also I'm under the impression (remember guys I'm totally new to the crypto world) that using armory and bitcoin core you can always be secure and anonymous if it's done correctly. Is this true? Now I've found this forum I'll be doing a lot of reading and hopefully be up to speed in a few weeks. I'm going to be taking over a coin desk in 6 months time so I've got a learn a lot before then!

Kind regards, Dave

[HCP]

So can I follow the same instructions you gave to simply migrate the wallet to another client for now until I get my head around the bitcoin core/armory situation?

Yes, bob123's instructions are sound. I have a slightly more thorough guide (with pretty pictures) here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4746784.msg43255691#msg43255691

Also I'm under the impression (remember guys I'm totally new to the crypto world) that using armory and bitcoin core you can always be secure and anonymous if it's done correctly. Is this true?

Secure, yes... anonymous, No.

Bitcoin is far from anonymous... pseudo-anonymous at best if you follow best practice. Don't make the mistake of ever believing that you're anonymous.

[bob123]

Hi Bob,

I also did the same thing the op did! I'm new to BTC and downloaded armory as I thought a multisig wallet sounded nice and secure. But failed to realize in my haste that I needed to run bitcoin core as well! So I created a wallet in Armory then sent a small amount of BTC to test the address. But it wouldn't go online or show the balance. So can I follow the same instructions you gave to simply migrate the wallet to another client for now until I get my head around the bitcoin core/armory situation?

Yes, the same works for you.
Feel free to follow HCP's pictured guide as its a bit more extensively described .

Also I'm under the impression (remember guys I'm totally new to the crypto world) that using armory and bitcoin core you can always be secure and anonymous if it's done correctly. Is this true?

That's a tough question you are asking here.

The security heavily depends on how you set everything up. Do you have armory with your private keys on an offline computer? Or on an online PC?
Offline obviously is way more secure than online. You will never "always" be secure with a standard desktop wallet on an online device. It really heavily depends on your whole setup.

It is also important to not get caught in paranoia looking for perfect security (which doesn't exist) as other people here are (shoutout to jerry0  ).


Privacy is a bit easier to answer: Bitcoin is not anonymous at all. It is pseudonymous (at best).
Adversaries with knowledge and money can easily identify you. There are ways to increase the privacy (e.g. proper coin control, coinjoin, etc...), but you'll never be completely anonymous with bitcoin.

[DSRUK36]

Hi Guy's,

Thanks for the advice. I've decided to download bitcoin core and my coins popped up :-) I felt it was possibly for the best based on what I want to do. It wasn't a large amount anyway only a few £ as a test but I want to get my head around this. I have a trezor currently with my bulk of btc on which I access via vpn. But I'm still paranoid that the trezor wallet might one day ask for KYC before allowing me to spend funds etc. So I thought if I can do a node/armory and utilize offline Keys etc as you mentioned possibly Tor then I'm possibly on the right path?

Kind regards, Dave

[HCP]

I have a trezor currently with my bulk of btc on which I access via vpn. But I'm still paranoid that the trezor wallet might one day ask for KYC before allowing me to spend funds etc.

That would be pretty much impossible.

For a start, you should have a 24 word, BIP39 seed. That is compatible with a whole host of other wallets, which means that you could just import into another wallet and then spend your coins (but would effectively compromise your Trezor seed). Additionally, there are other wallets with direct support for interfacing with the Trezor, like Electrum, Sparrow etc... you could just connect with them and spend away regardless of what SatoshiLabs might try to do and it won't compromise your seed!

Finally, I don't see SatoshiLabs ever going down the KYC path (like Shapeshift attempted to do with the KeepKey)... but, to be fair, it's not "impossible" (how improbable it might be). At worst, they would require KYC to be able to use their software... but the main point here is that you don't actually need to use their software!


Also, the Trezor is arguably as secure as having Bitcoin Core and (air-gapped) Armory... and offers much more convenience. For one, you don't need Bitcoin Core (although that will sacrifice some privacy)... and you don't have to faff about with moving unsigned/signed transactions back and forwards between 2 machines to make a transaction.

[DSRUK36]

Hi,

I set it up with a 4 of 8 shamir back up. I was a bit paranoid on hearing how many people have lost their wallet keys and made those coins inaccessible forever. So I made it a bit more unlikely that I could ever do that by giving them to different people whom don't know one another.

I was under the impression that bitcoin core and armory was the ultimate way to operate bitcoin once you get your head around it all? Privacy is of the utmost importance to me. I've already dropped a clanger once by forgetting to switch on my vpn and accessing trezor wallet. So they already have a copy of my ip linked to that wallet which is not good. I really need to move the coins. I was thinking of using join market to A. make some extra money as a maker, and B. use it as a mixer to be able to eventually gradually move my coins back out onto a more pseudonymous private holding facility. But I've a lot to learn before doing that. I nearly had a heart attack buying them in the way I did just to be able to source them without going via an exchange.

To sum up I'm far too new at this to really be doing what I'm trying to do, but I didn't wanna resist the urge to get in now before it goes mental. I have a lot of faith in max keiser who say's 6 figures by the end of this year. I've been watching him for years and he's not often wrong. Then when Elon bailed in that made me even more confident. But now I'm more paranoid than ever I'll wake up one morning and my world will come crashing down, either by coming pilling through the door with a battering ram lol. Or my wallet will have been emptied by some 15yr old smart arse from god knows where.

So I'm taking the time to learn all I can. But I'm by no means a computer whizz. Every page I read has a good few highlighted link words I need to click and follow to learn what they mean. It literally for me is like learning Chinese. I end up with about 20 tabs open every night lol.

Kind regards, Dave

[HCP]

At least you're taking the time to investigate and learn before really diving in... a lot of folks just think it's like fiat banking, open "an account" somewhere and then wonder why they're being asked for KYC/AML, passports, driver's license when they attempt to withdraw etc.

I was under the impression that bitcoin core and armory was the ultimate way to operate bitcoin once you get your head around it all? Privacy is of the utmost importance to me.

It is definitely secure if you're using the offline airgap setup etc... no doubt about that... but I wouldn't say it was necessarily any more or less "private" than any other Bitcoin Full Node solution.

I've already dropped a clanger once by forgetting to switch on my vpn and accessing trezor wallet. So they already have a copy of my ip linked to that wallet which is not good.

I believe Trezor claim they don't log IP addresses... they seem to take privacy fairly seriously, so maybe not something you need to be too concerned about? Additionally, the new "native" Trezor Suite application includes a TOR switch.


But, I'm by no means a privacy "expert"... so, I would definitely encourage you to continue to do your own research... and/or have a conversation with @bob123, his knowledge of that sort of stuff is a lot better than mine