not tech savvy need some help

[navlfuzz]

bought some bitcoin in 2012 i forgot about, put in cold storage Armory wallet. I have paper backups for an offline and online. not really a computer person is there a good/simple tutorial i can follow? just want to do a one time transfer to exchange for some pocket cash.

[1714789588]

1714789588

[1714789588]

1714789588

[BitMaxz]

If you have the paper backup you can import it to Armory back but this time you need to extract the private keys from your backup on the Armory.
Once you get the private keys you can import it to Electrum so that you don't need to download the entire blockchain.

You can follow the guide below created by HCP

- https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4746784.msg43255691#msg43255691

[nc50lc]

-snip- not really a computer person is there a good/simple tutorial i can follow?

It's pretty straightforward: First, download Armory from https://btcarmory.com/
Install it on an offline machine.

Then, here are the steps to restore your paper backup:

• Launch Armory and click "Import or Restore Wallet" (right-hand side)
• Select "Single-Sheet Backup (printed)", click continue
• Since it's from 2012, I take that it has a "Chain Code" and doesn't indicate the backup version, right?
  If so, you can try to restore it with the option "Version 1.35 (4 lines)". Then type the "Root Key" and "Chain Code" below.
• Click "Restore Wallet" and finish the rest of the steps.
  
  

Then to extract the private keys, refer to the link in the reply above.
But it's safer to set-up Electrum with your private keys on an offline machine and restore only the addresses on an online machine as watching-only wallet.
Then, here's how to spend from that set-up: https://electrum.readthedocs.io/en/latest/coldstorage.html#create-an-unsigned-transaction (has outdated images but should be similar to the latest)

[un_rank]

I have paper backups for an offline and online.

Just pointing out that you should not keep online back ups, they expose you to security risks and a possible breach.
Of course there are those who use their wallets on their everyday device and have not yet been hacked, but this does not mean that an email back up or any form of electronic storage should be used when there is an offline option.

- Jay -

[navlfuzz]

tried following your advice but the 1.35 4lines wants a chain code and a root key but i have like a really long password with symbols i cant input under "chain code" area?is it a different option?

[BitMaxz]

tried following your advice but the 1.35 4lines wants a chain code and a root key but i have like a really long password with symbols i cant input under "chain code" area?is it a different option?

No, I guess you did it wrong after you paste your root key and check the "encrypt wallet" after restore the wallet you should be able to put any password you want.

If the guide above that I posted didn't help then I suggest check the video guide from Armory support from this link below.

- https://www.bitcoinarmory.com/tutorials/armory-basics/restore-wallet/

About chain code, it should be included in your paper backup if not, or if you don't have it try to restore the wallet on version 1.35c(unencrypted).

[navlfuzz]

Thank you so much for your help,I will watch the video and give it another go ty again

[nc50lc]

tried following your advice but the 1.35 4lines wants a chain code and a root key but i have like a really long password with symbols i cant input under "chain code" area?is it a different option?

Based from your description of "long password w/ symbols", it sounds like it's in BASE64 format.
Does it looks similar to this? (or something longer):

Code:

ra9gZBrlLJFzccxUMivcxayS5I2BliPqavhgqDk9/eI=

IDK if it's an Armory backup since I haven't used the 2012 version.
Or it might be an individual private key that you've imported to Armory so it's worth trying to decrypt it and encode into WIF format.
It's hard to tell with the current info.

For reference, Armory's "Root Key" and "Chain Code" both look like random groups of four letters separated by whitespaces.

[navlfuzz]

so its a 2 line and it had me make a new passphrase. but it popped up a message saying armory 0.96 has to mirror python wallets? says mirrored wallets are watch only and hold no keys? is it going make my wallet watch only?can i still transfer?

[goatpig]

so its a 2 line and it had me make a new passphrase. but it popped up a message saying armory 0.96 has to mirror python wallets? says mirrored wallets are watch only and hold no keys? is it going make my wallet watch only?can i still transfer?

That's part of internal design. It will result in multiple files for a given wallet. Don't concern yourself with that, you'll be able to spend.

[navlfuzz]

thank you guys so much for helping walk me through this getting closer! so i tried sending to the exchange but it keeps popping up a message that says:

the transaction that you just attempted to broadcast has timed out.

the RPC interface of your node is disabled therefor Armory cannot use it to gather more information about the timeout. it is recommended you enable the RPC and try again.

[nc50lc]

the transaction that you just attempted to broadcast has timed out.

the RPC interface of your node is disabled therefor Armory cannot use it to gather more information about the timeout. it is recommended you enable the RPC and try again.

You have two options: fix that issue or manually broadcast the transaction using other clients or push txn service.
If you only need to send this one time, I'd recommend the latter.

For the former, I've seen it in many topics here but there's no universal solution to it.
As per usual, check or share your logs (Armorylog.txt and dbLog.txt) to see the possible cause of the issue.

For the latter, you can get the signed raw transaction (HEX) and broadcast it elsewhere.
Here's how to do it:

• Click "Send Bitcoins", fill up the recipient and amount as usual.
• Tick "Create Unsigned" Below before clicking "Continue".
• The 'Review Offline Transaction' window show, click "Copy to Clipboard" and then "Continue".
• In the next window, paste that unsigned raw transaction, then click "Sign" (check if everything's correct and type your password).
• Next, click "Click here for more information about this transaction".
• Then in the 'Transaction info' window, click "Copy Raw Tx (Hex)".
• Go to your favorite broadcast service like blockstream.info/tx/push or blockchair.com/broadcast?chain=bitcoin; and paste that signed raw transaction to send it to the network.
  
  

You can also broadcast it using your Bitcoin Core by using sendrawtransaction command.