Wallet recovery

[Kamiil]

But I still don't know where to copy the backup file to my computer :-(

So change - I succeeded.
I am now in this chapter:

RECOVERING FROM PROTOBUF WALLET FORMAT

But something is wrong:

kamiil@vitasekk10:~$ cd bitcoinj/tools
kamiil@vitasekk10:~/bitcoinj/tools$ ./wallet-tool
./wallet-tool: line 19: gradle: command not found
kamiil@vitasekk10:~/bitcoinj/tools$ ./wallet-tool reset --wallet=/tmp/bitcoin-wallet-decrypted-backup
./wallet-tool: line 19: gradle: command not found
kamiil@vitasekk10:~/bitcoinj/tools$

[1715606175]

1715606175

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1715606175

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1715606175

[PawGo]

Command 'pwd' prints the name of folder in which you are (path)
But HOME in Ubuntu could be different than your Windows HOME.
I think it is well described here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/759880/where-is-the-ubuntu-file-system-root-directory-in-windows-subsystem-for-linux-an
and here: https://www.howtogeek.com/261383/how-to-access-your-ubuntu-bash-files-in-windows-and-your-windows-system-drive-in-bash/

./wallet-tool: line 19: gradle: command not found

https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-gradle-on-ubuntu-20-04/


If you do not want to play with Ubuntu, there is another tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGgY0MFtLFU
but still expects some extraordinary (for normal user) actions.

[Kamiil]

Thanks for the links, I'm going to study it.

[HCP]

Honestly, I think you're wasting your time mucking about with Linux/Ubuntu and attempting to decrypt the file manually.

If you were able to successfully import the backup file into "Bitcoin Wallet for Android" and use your password and it didn't give you any errors, then the app will have already decrypted the file correctly and loaded in all the private keys from the file.

So, if, after importing the backup file, the wallet was showing as zero balance, then the wallet is likely empty. If it also showed zero transaction history, then chances are that you have the "wrong" backup file... and the backup file you have is for a wallet that never contained any coins

[o_e_l_e_o]

So, if, after importing the backup file, the wallet was showing as zero balance, then the wallet is likely empty.

Maybe. However, OP's original addresses were all legacy (since they were from 2014). At some point between then and now, the Schildbach wallet switched to only recovering segwit addresses, which is what he now generates when he recovers his wallet file. Requesting to legacy addresses as I suggested above might not reveal the correct addresses, as Schildbach wallet does not follow BIP44 conventions. The only way to know for sure is to dump his private keys and import them in to a new wallet.

[HCP]

At some point between then and now, the Schildbach wallet switched to only recovering segwit addresses

Wait what??!? It only recovers SegWit addresses and does not also check the legacy addresses generated from the backed up keys for transaction history etc??!?

That is ridiculous!

[LoyceV]

At some point between then and now, the Schildbach wallet switched to only recovering segwit addresses

That's not what happened when I restored my old backup:  all legacy transactions from 2015 showed up just fine.

[HCP]

Well, in any case, if OP has managed to get as far as "decrypting" the wallet backup file using openssl... then they can very easily load their wallet/keys into a BIP39 compatible wallet that allows you to specify the derivation path (such as Electrum). If you simply open the "decrypted" file in a text editor, you should see "org.bitcoin.production" (as you say you are recovering from a PROTOBUF wallet)... and then shortly after that, you should see 12 plain english words... this is your 12 word seed.

Here is an example of a decrypted wallet backup:



If you load that seed into Electrum... ("New/Restore -> Standard Wallet -> I already have a Seed -> Enter seed, click options -> select the BIP39 seed option) and then on the derivation path screen select "legacy" and then set the derivation path to: m/0' ^[1] then it will load up all your old legacy addresses.



 







[1] NOTE: this derivation path is slightly different to the one used by ian coleman's tool below because of the way Electrum works





Alternatively, you can put the seed into iancoleman's BIP39 mnemonic code convertor... click the "BIP32" tab, and then select the "MultiBit HD" option from the "Client" dropdown box (This will automatically set the derivation path to m/0'/0 for you). Then it will show all your legacy addresses/private keys at the bottom:


All your keys displayed below:

[o_e_l_e_o]

That's not what happened when I restored my old backup:  all legacy transactions from 2015 showed up just fine.

That's strange. I recovered an old back up and was only given segwit addresses. The only way for me to view legacy addresses was to go in to options and select "Request to legacy address" repeatedly, as I suggested OP tried above. My old back up did have old transactions, but it was long emptied - maybe that's the issue? Did your back up still have coins on it?

[LoyceV]

That's strange. I recovered an old back up and was only given segwit addresses. The only way for me to view legacy addresses was to go in to options and select "Request to legacy address" repeatedly, as I suggested OP tried above. My old back up did have old transactions, but it was long emptied - maybe that's the issue? Did your back up still have coins on it?

My old wallet was empty since 2015. I checked if I may have had the Wallet app installed on that phone before (and Android may have left some settings), but I bought the (old) phone I used in 2017, years after I used that wallet.

Strange indeed. Well, yours is strange Mine works as expected