Cannot open wallet.dat

[delta]

I am not a geek, so computer stuff is not easy for me.

My problem is that I am not able to open wallet.dat in bitcoin client.

I ran Ubuntu from USB drive. I downloaded bitcoin client for Linux. Then I opened .bitcoin folder, and I tried to open wallet.dat and got the message:

Could not display “/home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/wallet.dat”
The file is of an unknown type.

I am sure I am missing something. What could that be?
I appreciate your help.

delta

[ZodiacDragon84]

did you change file type to .txt, instead of .dat?

[delta]

No, I did not change the file extension.

Also, I cannot delete this wallet.

[ZodiacDragon84]

what are you trying to do with it, just curious...

[delta]

I have a savings wallet, and I sent some bitcoins to its address.

I want to receive those bitcoins into my savings wallet, which I have to copy and paste into .bitcoin.
The wallet in .bitcoin cannot be deleted, and my savings wallet cannot be pasted there.
I have no idea what is happening.

[DeathAndTaxes]

what?

[ZodiacDragon84]

are you as confused as I am DT?

[the joint]

Correct me if I'm wrong OP, but it sounds like you are saying you have 2 Bitcoin wallets (one of which is a savings wallet) but the client you are using is using a different wallet and not your savings wallet.  And, then it also sounds like you are trying to take your savings wallet.dat and copy/paste it where your other wallet.dat is already located.

Yay or nay?

[delta]

Exactly!             


There are two wallets:

wallet #1 (savings wallet  on USB drive that I created following the steps here: http://startbitcoin.com/how-to-create-a-secure-bitcoin-wallet/    .

wallet #2 that came with bitcoin client.


A couple of months ago, I sent some bitcoins to my #1 wallet address, and and now I wanted to update it. I just booted Ubuntu from USB drive and installed Bitcoin Linux version.
When I opened Bitcoin, I first tried to delete wallet #2 that came in .bitcoin folder in order to paste my #1 wallet from USB stick.

For some reason, I was not able to delete wallet #2, or paste my savings wallet.

Also, when I tried to open wallet #2, I got the message:

Could not display “/home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/wallet.dat”
The file is of an unknown type.

When I first went through this process a few months ago, everything went well. This time, I am making a mistake somewhere.

[the joint]

Exactly!             


There are two wallets:

wallet #1 (savings wallet  on USB drive that I created following the steps here: http://startbitcoin.com/how-to-create-a-secure-bitcoin-wallet/    .

wallet #2 that came with bitcoin client.


A couple of months ago, I sent some bitcoins to my #1 wallet address, and and now I wanted to update it. I just booted Ubuntu from USB drive and installed Bitcoin Linux version.
When I opened Bitcoin, I first tried to delete wallet #2 that came in .bitcoin folder in order to paste my #1 wallet from USB stick.

For some reason, I was not able to delete wallet #2, or paste my savings wallet.

Also, when I tried to open wallet #2, I got the message:

Could not display “/home/ubuntu/.bitcoin/wallet.dat”
The file is of an unknown type.

When I first went through this process a few months ago, everything went well. This time, I am making a mistake somewhere.

I'm not familiar with using Ubuntu.  Maybe someone else can help you out now that people are more clear about the problem

[aurigus]

It sounds like you can not open the file because Ubuntu doesn't know what to do with a .dat file. That is why you have the Bitcoin client to open it (it reads its location automatically).

You can not remove or rename it because the Bitcoin program has the file open. Close the bitcoin program, and you will be able to delete / rename it and replace it with the other wallet.dat.

Hope that helps!

[DeathAndTaxes]

Why are you trying to "open" the wallet.dat?  It is a binary file.  It isn't intended to be read by a human.

Close Bitcoin and if that doesn't work reboot and simply delete the local wallet.dat and then copy the "savings" wallet.dat.

[delta]

Why are you trying to "open" the wallet.dat?  It is a binary file.  It isn't intended to be read by a human.

Yes, I finally realized that.

Thank you all for your help.

Greatly appreciated.

d

[JamesSandwitch]

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