Transferring Electrum wallet to new online computer

[bhodler]

My old laptop is failing so I want to transfer my Electrum wallets to a new computer, which is also online. Seems the recommended method is to use seed phrase to set up the wallets on the new computer, but how safe is it to do this if the computer is temporarily disconnected from the internet? i.e. would i need to check if there are key loggers installed, and if so how?
Using a permanently offline computer is not an option for me right now, so I am really weighing up whether it's safe transfer the wallets by inputting the seed phrase or if I should just send the funds to new wallets and pay the fees

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[Lucius]

If you are worried about a new computer, you certainly have several options - to scan it with a good AV and preferably with a tool like Malwarebytes. If it turns out there are no threats you can be somewhat sure (though never 100%) that your computer is safe. Another option would be to format the disk and install the OS (if it is Windows) without any pirated versions/cracks.

After that, download Electrum from the official website, and for additional security, it is recommended to verify the file before installation. If you do everything by the rules, I don't see why you wouldn't recover your wallet with a seed on a new computer. Of course, in case you have more than $500 in BTC, it is not recommended to use any hot wallet, whether it is a desktop or mobile version.

[GUIDE] How to Safely Download and Verify Electrum [Guide]

[NeuroticFish]

I will add that:

1. You can also transfer the actual wallet files to the new computer and load them up in the new Electrum (in most of the cases there will be no error), and if you get errors/issues then you can go on the seed phrase approach.
2. If your computer has malware, it can steal your wallet file and password and hence your funds even without getting directly the seed phrase(s).


While I agree with @Lucius' post, for scanning I usually (also) look for images I can burn on CD/DVD, boot from them and use the AV scanner from there. Some of the major AV providers do offer such images for free (just make sure that at running those you check for updates too).

And yes, if the amount of money there is significant, you should consider either acquiring a hardware wallet, either learning how to make your own cold storage.

[bhodler]

After that, download Electrum from the official website, and for additional security, it is recommended to verify the file before installation.

[GUIDE] How to Safely Download and Verify Electrum [Guide]

Thanks Lucius. I'm currently trying to reinstall Electrum but GPG Suite is not finding Thomas V's public key - tried several times. GPG Suite is no longer supported for OSX 10.13 (my OS) but I guess this is not the problem as I've been able to find the keys of the other developers. Should I just keep trying until the server responds?

[NotATether]

Thanks Lucius. I'm currently trying to reinstall Electrum but GPG Suite is not finding Thomas V's public key - tried several times. GPG Suite is no longer supported for OSX 10.13 (my OS) but I guess this is not the problem as I've been able to find the keys of the other developers. Should I just keep trying until the server responds?

ThomasV's GPG key is also on Github (check the spesmilo/electrum repository - I forgot exactly which file it is, but it's at the top level of the repo). Then you should be able to import his GPG key directly into GPG suite, bypassing the key servers.

[TryNinja]

ThomasV's GPG key is also on Github (check the spesmilo/electrum repository - I forgot exactly which file it is, but it's at the top level of the repo).

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/tree/master/pubkeys

More specifically: https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/master/pubkeys/ThomasV.asc

[DireWolfM14]

GPG Suite is no longer supported for OSX 10.13 (my OS) but I guess this is not the problem as I've been able to find the keys of the other developers.

Is that High Sierra?  That's the version of MacOS I used for my tutorial, and ran into the same issue.  You can find GPG Suite for older versions of MacOS here:

https://gpgtools.org/releases/gpgsuite/release-notes.html#2021.3

As for importing ThomasV's key, I like using the command line interface for that; after installing GPG Suite open a terminal window and try one of the following commands:

Code:

gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6

Code:

gpg --keyserver hkps://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6

[bhodler]

GPG Suite is no longer supported for OSX 10.13 (my OS) but I guess this is not the problem as I've been able to find the keys of the other developers.

Is that High Sierra?  That's the version of MacOS I used for my tutorial, and ran into the same issue.  You can find GPG Suite for older versions of MacOS here:

https://gpgtools.org/releases/gpgsuite/release-notes.html#2021.3

As for importing ThomasV's key, I like using the command line interface for that; after installing GPG Suite open a terminal window and try one of the following commands:

Code:

gpg --keyserver hkps://keys.openpgp.org --recv-keys 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6

Code:

gpg --keyserver hkps://keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6

Yes I have the earlier version of GPG Suite for 10.13. I managed to import the key directly but when trying to verify the signature it says it "cannot be trusted"

[DireWolfM14]

Yes I have the earlier version of GPG Suite for 10.13. I managed to import the key directly but when trying to verify the signature it says it "cannot be trusted"

That's normal if you haven't certified the key.  I've address this in the tutorial in this section: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5240594.0#post_MacImport

Open your GPG keyring, select ThomasV's key, right-click, then click "Sign."  Once you've signed the key the results will no longer say that it's not trusted.  Keep in mind, you'll need your own GPG keypair to certify the key.

[nc50lc]

-snip- Seems the recommended method is to use seed phrase to set up the wallets on the new computer, but how safe is it to do this if the computer is temporarily disconnected from the internet?

Regarding the third post's suggestion to use the actual wallet file, you can get it from "wallets" folder inside  Electrum's data directory.
Location: https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/faq.html#where-is-the-electrum-datadir-located

It's better than seed method since the labels and contacts wont be restored by the seed phrase alone.

Reminder when copying the file: Make sure that Electrum isn't running while copying the file.
Also, in your new PC, Electrum should be at least run once for it to create its data directory, then have one wallet to have the wallets folder or manually create one.

[bhodler]

Regarding the third post's suggestion to use the actual wallet file, you can get it from "wallets" folder inside  Electrum's data directory.
Location: https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/faq.html#where-is-the-electrum-datadir-located

It's better than seed method since the labels and contacts wont be restored by the seed phrase alone.

Reminder when copying the file: Make sure that Electrum isn't running while copying the file.
Also, in your new PC, Electrum should be at least run once for it to create its data directory, then have one wallet to have the wallets folder or manually create one.

Thanks. what do you mean by the last part - that i need to create at least one new wallet in order for the wallets folder to be created, before I copy the old wallets over?

[nc50lc]

Thanks. what do you mean by the last part - that i need to create at least one new wallet in order for the wallets folder to be created, before I copy the old wallets over?

It's just because the data directory doesn't exist if Electrum haven't run at least once, it's same for the wallets folder inside it.
If there's no wallet created yet, the "wallets" folder wont exist.

The best route to export the wallet file to the new PC is:
Run Electrum for the first time - close it without creating a wallet (skip this line if you already did).
Go to the newly created data directory, create "wallets" folder inside the data directory if it's not present, then paste the wallet file there.