Bitcoin core wallet password absent but required

[indubhushan]

hello, I have bitcoin core wallet. to open it I don't use any password.
I decided to send some moeny to new address which I created in same wallet. And it asks a password. I didn't create any password, but it asks a password - I wonder why?
it means I can't send money from Bitcoin core to my another bitcoin core address which is sad =-(

[LoyceV]

I didn't create any password, but it asks a password

If you didn't set a password, someone else must have done it. Try to restore an older backup from your wallet (but make sure not to overwrite your existing wallet).

[indubhushan]

If you didn't set a password, someone else must have done it.

could it be some default password?

I open my wallet without any password ok, I can see balance etc. But only when I try to send money to my other address - it asks password

[hosemary]

could it be some default password?

No, you set the password by yourself or as stated by LoyceV, someone else might have done it. It's not possible that your wallet is encrypted on its own.
Do you remember checking the "encrypt wallet" option when you were creating your wallet?




Or the window displayed in the following image?

[Cricktor]

How about you correct "Bicoin" to "Bitcoin" in your thread's title. It makes finding this thread easier when someone searches for keywords in titles.

hello, I have bitcoin core wallet. to open it I don't use any password.
I decided to send some moeny to new address which I created in same wallet. And it asks a password.

In contrast to e.g. Electrum, where you have to provide a wallet password to open an encrypted wallet, you don't need that with Bitcoin Core to open an encrypted wallet. This is normal behavior for Bitcoin Core.

To spend coins from an encrypted wallet, Bitcoin Core needs to decrypt private keys and therefore asks for the wallet password to perform the decryption.

I didn't create any password, but it asks a password - I wonder why?

You likely forgot that you opted for an encrypted wallet in Bitcoin Core and with this option a wallet password or passphrase has to be set. How long is it ago that this particular wallet has been created? A wallet encryption password doesn't setup itself and I don't know what is worse if someone else did it instead of you.

Do you have any notes about this wallet creation? If not, why not? I recommend to always document some details, when and for what purpose a wallet has been created because human memory is a fragile beast. Any helpful details to aid recovery should also be documented. Some specific details should not be kept in one spot, though.

[nc50lc]

I open my wallet without any password ok, I can see balance etc. But only when I try to send money to my other address - it asks password

That's normal, Bitcoin Core only encrypts the wallet's "secrets" like private keys and not the wallet.dat file itself.
That enables it to be opened without asking for the password, it'll only require you to type it if you need those encrypted data like when signing a transaction during send.

wallet.dat files wont encrypt by itself.
You might have either set a passphrase (Bitcoin Core use that term for password) during wallet creation, or encrypted it later.
Or you have multiple wallets created and loaded (check the wallet drop-down menu on the right) and you've been using the encrypted one.
It's your wallet so you should at least know a couple of possible passwords that you may have used.
Otherwise, it's not something that you can ask a developer to decrypt since no one has access to your password and wallet but you.

[indubhushan]

I've created this wallet in this summer, when bitcoin price was around 65 000$. I've bought some minimum amount and transferred it to bitcoin core wallet.
The thing is, I reinstalled windows and changed computer, some time passed so I don't remember details.
Yes, when I go to Bitcoin core menu -> settings -> I see checkbox near "Encrypt wallet". A window to create password seems to be familiar, but seems like I used only my common password for Bitcoin Core, I wonder why it is not working ;-(


Can I just take money out of the wallet without using a password?

[ABCbits]

I've created this wallet in this summer, when bitcoin price was around 65 000$. I've bought some minimum amount and transferred it to bitcoin core wallet.
The thing is, I reinstalled windows and changed computer, some time passed so I don't remember details.
Yes, when I go to Bitcoin core menu -> settings -> I see checkbox near "Encrypt wallet". A window to create password seems to be familiar, but seems like I used only my common password for Bitcoin Core, I wonder why it is not working ;-(

Since you use Windows, there's chance you enable some sort of backup (e.g. previous version or volume shadow feature) where it may store older wallet.dat file before it's encrypted.

Can I just take money out of the wallet without using a password?

No, since the password needed to decrypt private key. The private key is needed to sign transaction (in order to send your Bitcoin to different address).

[indubhushan]

I suspect that some hacker hacked/changed my password. I have no other explaination.
I had expectations that I would program bitcoin store, but now this all seems as ... fraud.
Since Satoshi Nakamoto is unknown person/group of people, how can I rely on bitcoin thus?

[LoyceV]

I suspect that some hacker hacked/changed my password.

Without stealing your Bitcoins?

I had expectations that I would program bitcoin store, but now this all seems as ... fraud.
Since Satoshi Nakamoto is unknown person/group of people, how can I rely on bitcoin thus?

How can you program your own Bitcoin store if you don't know you can check Bitcoin's Open Source if you have any doubt?

[Text]

I suspect that some hacker hacked/changed my password. I have no other explaination.
I had expectations that I would program bitcoin store, but now this all seems as ... fraud.
Since Satoshi Nakamoto is unknown person/group of people, how can I rely on bitcoin thus?

If the wallet is still working like seeing your balance, it's unlikely that someone has accessed it without your password. From what you've described, it seems like your wallet might have been encrypted at some point, even if you don't remember setting a password.

Since you think you might have used a common password, try variations of passwords you typically use, including any that might have been set as your Bitcoin Core password. Sometimes, we forget which one was set in the heat of the moment. You can also check if your password manager has any record of it if you use one.

If you created a backup of your wallet before reinstalling your system or changing computers, you might be able to restore the wallet from that backup. Sometimes backups will not be encrypted or have a different password.

Bitcoin's decentralization and open-source nature make it more resistant to tampering than traditional systems.

[hosemary]

If you created a backup of your wallet before reinstalling your system or changing computers, you might be able to restore the wallet from that backup. Sometimes backups will not be encrypted or have a different password.

It may worth mentioning that in the case OP can find an unencrypted backup of the wallet, it can only contain the keys generated before the encryption.
If OP has generated a new address after the encryption, it can't be generated on the unencrypted wallet file.

[Zwei]

I suspect that some hacker hacked/changed my password. I have no other explaination.

no, if a hacker got access to your wallet, your coins would be gone by now.
does anyone else have access to your device? maybe a family member set it up? but it's most likely that you set it up yourself and forgot, or didn't pay attention when you were asked to do it.

I had expectations that I would program bitcoin store, but now this all seems as ... fraud.
Since Satoshi Nakamoto is unknown person/group of people, how can I rely on bitcoin thus?

i don't want to be harsh, but maybe do some research before making dumb statements.

bitcoin is not a fraud, and Satoshi is not out here encrypting peoples wallet for laughs.
bitcoin is decentralized and open source. thus, anyone can review the code and verify how it works, if something fishy was going on, we would know.

can't help you on the technical side with your issue here @indubhushan, but please take the time to educate yourself on how bitcoin works, it's %100 worth it.

[Cricktor]

~~~

Seriously?

Your lame excuse that a hacker has encrypted your wallet is not even a bad joke. It's convenient to look for other causes than at your own ones. Why would a hacker encrypt your wallet and not better steal your coins? It makes no sense.

Having a non-encrypted software wallet is already quite stupid on an online computer which you likely use daily for whatever stuff (I may be wrong here about the daily use pattern, correct me if you want).

It's much more likely you've enabled or setup encryption in the first place, but forgot to document the password/passphrase properly in a spot where you can easily retrieve it.

I've first-hand experience how my memory failed me when I created a mnemonic passphrase for a (fortunately only) Testnet Bitcoin wallet. I thought I've documented enough clues to recreate the passphrase, but after weeks or months when I tried a recovery, I failed miserably.

I still had access to the value-less wallet and could move all Testnet coins out of it (I haven't lost the wallet encryption passphrase, I had properly backed up the mnemonic recovery words, only I couldn't figure out what exact optional mnemonic passphrase I used for this particular wallet).

It still hurts my pride, but was a priceless wakeup call. I knew, I had to document better, much clearer and avoid silly obfuscation, that mostly only shoots you in your own foot. Learn your lesson!

And the icing on the cake is you now doubt Bitcoin.   Go figure!

P.S.
I know this is a kick in the pants, but if you can't even spell Bitcoin in your title properly, who knows how you messed up your wallet's encryption passphrase...

[nc50lc]

You might have either set a passphrase (Bitcoin Core use that term for password) during wallet creation, or encrypted it later.

Yes, when I go to Bitcoin core menu -> settings -> I see checkbox near "Encrypt wallet". A window to create password seems to be familiar, but seems like I used only my common password for Bitcoin Core, I wonder why it is not working ;-(

Typo, capslock, mis-click, etc.
If you're certain of the passwords that you might have used, there are bruteforce software that can iterate possible typos and extra characters like "BTCRecover".

Or contact a legitimate wallet recovery service with good track record like Dave's "walletrecoveryservices": https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=240779.0
Note that this type of service do basically the same as BTCRecover (bruteforce the password) but with more specialized software and good hardware, they do not control the Bitcoin Blockchain for recovery.
If someone contacted you that they can recover it using other methods, it's a scam.

Can I just take money out of the wallet without using a password?

Let me expand this part:

Otherwise, it's not something that you can ask a developer to decrypt since no one has access to your password and wallet but you.

• Your wallet isn't saved anywhere except the one in your disk named "wallet.dat" file (and the backups you've created)
• Your money isn't saved in that wallet.dat file, it's in every blockchain in every Bitcoin node but only the hodler of the correct private key(s) can spend it.
• The private key(s) that you need to spend your bitcoins are saved in that wallet.dat file, encrypted with your password.
• Without the password and given that it's only saved in your drive, there's no way to "take out" bitcoins the way you want it.

I had expectations that I would program bitcoin store, but now this all seems as ... fraud.
Since Satoshi Nakamoto is unknown person/group of people, how can I rely on bitcoin thus?

The reference client is "Open Source", you can check the code in this link or ask an auditor: https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin
The release binaries are reproducible BTW.

[indubhushan]

Hello. thank you all for answers. I'm sorry for writing anything against bitcoin. it was my fault that I didn't write down the password (as I usually do).
The real cause of this loss of password / problem is that I was scared by Bitcoin Core developers. They were frightening me that if I 'll write down the password - then some thief can enter my home, and steal my computer, wallet, and with written down password, which indeed sounds now crazy to me. So I simply did what I was asked by bitcoin programs: they told me to never write down password, and it was very bad advice! And also because they asked more long passwrod than usual (10, not 8 characters), I had to create new passwrod which I never used, and I forgot it. Very bad.
I storngly advice for anyone who develops bitcoin software to remove all the messages like "never write password anywhere" - because it can happen again to other people like me - at moment of creation of wallet I was too scared, so I created password and intentionally didn't write as advice. Very bad advice!

It is like the advice to remove secret CVV code from bank card (visa / master card) on back side of card. Take something and scratch to remove the written 3 digits. So that it is not written anywhere. Thus it is safe. how starnge and dengerous it sounds now to me! Now, when I again see bitcoin/crypto software  who say not to write password - I feel like they stolen my 100 $.

Ok, sorry, wrong thinking.
I'll try to use Bitcoin password cracking software adviced in previous message (BTCRecover ?). It looks like it's official site is https://btcrecover.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ , right?
I do have bitcoin wallet file. is there a way to restore passwrod (simply extract it ) by some command in some software? or anly cracking is the only way (try to use all possible passwords)?

[nc50lc]

That was a very late reply..

I storngly advice for anyone who develops bitcoin software to remove all the messages like "never write password anywhere" - because it can happen again to other people like me - at moment of creation of wallet I was too scared, so I created password and intentionally didn't write as advice. Very bad advice!

Can you provide any reference on this because I've never seed such message in any Bitcoin wallet that I'm using.
Perhaps you misunderstood some writings about "do not write your password anywhere online", because that's just one of the basic security practices.

Ok, sorry, wrong thinking.
I'll try to use Bitcoin password cracking software adviced in previous message (BTCRecover ?). It looks like it's official site is https://btcrecover.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ , right?
I do have bitcoin wallet file. is there a way to restore passwrod (simply extract it ) by some command in some software? or anly cracking is the only way (try to use all possible passwords)?

Yes, that's their official documentation website with links to its GitHub repository and Youtube tutorials.

And No, it's not as simple as extracting the password from the wallet file, it doesn't work that way. (it would've been insecure it it does)
Bruteforcing is your only way and it's only possible if you at least know a large part of it or your known password is similar to your actual password.
Setting the software differs on how much info you currently know about the password. (refer to the "token file" in the documentation)