Old clients are unable to open new wallets.

[cyberterrorist]

I'm curious why I can't open a wallet created with a newer version of bitcoind with an older version of bitcoind.

When I try, it displays a message stating that a new client is required and then kills itself.

The new wallet is HD

[1715090339]

1715090339

[jackg]

Why would you want to do this?

Wallet software puts its version in a wallet file and compatible software can then open it afaik, why would you want to be able to do this and if you did, have you got a backup of an old version?

There's probably a way to change the version string and regress the file to.a form an old wallet will accept but I don't know why you'd want to. Also you can always import private keys into old software (providing it's compatible).

[cyberterrorist]

I don't believe it's possible because the new wallet is an HD wallet.

I'm thinking of making a new wallet that isn't HD, transferring the funds there, and then dumping the new and importing in the old version.

What motivates me to do it?

Because I despise taproot and segwit and refuse to use any new client.

[n0nce]

What motivates me to do it?
Because I despise taproot and segwit and refuse to use any new client.

You can use legacy addresses with new clients, for what it's worth. Since those are soft-fork updates, your node will also still accept and relay SegWit / Taproot transactions.

[cyberterrorist]

The issue is that I want to use a wallet created with segwit/taproot compatible versions of bitcoind in the old version of clients.
All wallets created with new software are incompatible with older versions.


You cannot use a wallet created with the latest bitcoind in an older version of bitcoind!
Impossible!

[NotATether]

The issue is that I want to use a wallet created with segwit/taproot compatible versions of bitcoind in the old version of clients.
All wallets created with new software are incompatible with older versions.


You cannot use a wallet created with the latest bitcoind in an older version of bitcoind!
Impossible!

Bitcoin Core wallets use a versioning system where you have to explicitly upgrade the wallet using an RPC call if you want it to use a newer version. They are not automatically upgraded when they are imported into a newer Core.

Even if you could manage to import the newer wallet format into an older version, the older Core versions have no taproot or Segwit support at the consensus level.

[DaveF]

The issue is that I want to use a wallet created with segwit/taproot compatible versions of bitcoind in the old version of clients.
All wallets created with new software are incompatible with older versions.


You cannot use a wallet created with the latest bitcoind in an older version of bitcoind!
Impossible!

Go get a copy of Microsoft Office 2021 create a word document then install a copy of office 2003 and try to open that doc. It wont.
Its the way software has worked since forever, older versions of applications cannot always open files created with never versions.

You could probably tweak the code a bit and compile it that it will open it, but you can't be sure that something else isn't going to cause an issue.

-Dave

[ABCbits]

The issue is that I want to use a wallet created with segwit/taproot compatible versions of bitcoind in the old version of clients.
All wallets created with new software are incompatible with older versions.

Bitcoin Core and most software isn't designed to be forward compatible, so what you want is impossible. Besides, i find it's ridiculous idea to use SegWit/Taproot wallet on client which doesn't implement SegWit/Taproot.

You could probably tweak the code a bit and compile it that it will open it, but you can't be sure that something else isn't going to cause an issue.

More recent Bitcoin Core switched from Berkeley DB 4.8 to SQLite as wallet.dat database, so simple tweak won't do the job.

[NeuroticFish]

It may worth mentioning that cyberterrorist is now shown as banned by the BPIP extension.
Plus, this already got more and better answers than deserved.

[DaveF]

You could probably tweak the code a bit and compile it that it will open it, but you can't be sure that something else isn't going to cause an issue.

More recent Bitcoin Core switched from Berkeley DB 4.8 to SQLite as wallet.dat database, so simple tweak won't do the job.

Forgot about that, so a fine a major rewrite will do that job :-)

Goes back to the point that I make about a lot of things here, just because you can does not mean you should. Add to that just because it's possible does not mean you can.

And in the end it's probably pointless.

It may worth mentioning that cyberterrorist is now shown as banned by the BPIP extension.
Plus, this already got more and better answers than deserved.

You replied while I was posting, but this topic at least a very very very little bit did being up a valid point about version compatibility.

-Dave