Windows cold storage?

[Buo]

I know, Linux is better, but is this method safe to secure btc?

- Disconnect internet
- Create a new Windows partition on the hd
- Install a previously downloaded bitcoin-qt and run it
- Crypt the wallet
- Copy the generated wallet.dat on usb drives
- Write down the public address to receive coins
- Erase the partition
- Connect internet and send coins to the "cold" wallet address
- Never use the usb drives untill you want to withdraw coins

Can this be done within a virtual os (Vmware/virtualbox) or the keys can be intercepted from the main os?

[InwardContour]

It would probably be better if the computer you use to install QT on has never been connected to the internet.

When you say you are creating a new windows partition do you mean that you are installing windows on this partition and starting up your computer using this version of your OS or are you simply using it as a different hard drive with the same version of windows running? If for example you are using this partition as a "D" drive then it would really not provide any additional security and you would be at an elevated risk of having your bitcoin stolen if an attacker previously knew about your bitcoin holdings

[Buo]

Partitions:
1- Infected Win
2- Fresh never connected Win

I mean doing a simple dual boot, in the first partition there's the "infected windows", in the second the "cold" one.
If I boot the "cold" without being connected, can the "infected" on the other partition be dangerous?

[Dare]

I know, Linux is better, but is this method safe to secure btc?

- Disconnect internet
- Create a new Windows partition on the hd
- Install a previously downloaded bitcoin-qt and run it
- Crypt the wallet
- Copy the generated wallet.dat on usb drives
- Write down the public address to receive coins
- Erase the partition
- Connect internet and send coins to the "cold" wallet address
- Never use the usb drives untill you want to withdraw coins

Can this be done within a virtual os (Vmware/virtualbox) or the keys can be intercepted from the main os?

It should be, but I'd advise against just using a VM as a screen capture / keylogger on the host could potentially get at the private keys. A dualboot should be sufficient, but a live linux flash drive would be MUCH easier (windows does funny things when you try to dualboot it sometimes, particularly if the other OS is something different).

Even if you've never used linux, something as simple as creating a cold wallet is pretty easy. There are several tutorials available on the internet as well if you get stuck (though you'd need to read them beforehand or use a different computer, as you shouldn't connect the live linux install to the internet if you're using it for cold wallets).

[Kprawn]

Is this for storing BTC over a long period?

When I want to store BTC ...I create paper wallets on a pc, not connected to the internet. {Old computer} and then format it 7 times. I then just drop the BTC from my online wallets into those paper wallets.

Partitions can be recovered, with special data recovery software, if you really worried, that your data could be retrieved.

Have very little coins online.

[Buo]

Is this for storing BTC over a long period?

When I want to store BTC ...I create paper wallets on a pc, not connected to the internet. {Old computer} and then format it 7 times. I then just drop the BTC from my online wallets into those paper wallets.

Partitions can be recovered, with special data recovery software, if you really worried, that your data could be retrieved.

Have very little coins online.

Where can I find a trusted paper wallet software? There are millions of them 

[ajareselde]

I know, Linux is better, but is this method safe to secure btc?

- Disconnect internet
- Create a new Windows partition on the hd
- Install a previously downloaded bitcoin-qt and run it
- Crypt the wallet
- Copy the generated wallet.dat on usb drives
- Write down the public address to receive coins
- Erase the partition
- Connect internet and send coins to the "cold" wallet address
- Never use the usb drives untill you want to withdraw coins

Can this be done within a virtual os (Vmware/virtualbox) or the keys can be intercepted from the main os?

yes you can do this with vmware without having to worry about intercepting keys/screen capture.

what i do for cold wallet is this; i boot "bootable windows" (no installation), copy bitcoin content from my usb drive there, do what i need and close everything.
its important not to allow usb to be shown in main windows, only in vmware.
* you can also break every conection between vmware and host windows by closing vmware data connections in "network connections" in host windows.

cheers

[Kprawn]

Is this for storing BTC over a long period?

When I want to store BTC ...I create paper wallets on a pc, not connected to the internet. {Old computer} and then format it 7 times. I then just drop the BTC from my online wallets into those paper wallets.

Partitions can be recovered, with special data recovery software, if you really worried, that your data could be retrieved.

Have very little coins online.

Where can I find a trusted paper wallet software? There are millions of them 

Millions... nope not that many. 

Try bitaddress.org

Remember to disconnect from the internet, when you create them. Yes ...You can create them offline.
By searching this forum, you will find ways of doing this more securely. {I am just to lazy to search now} But it's here.

[bitcoinforhelp]

Im using http://bitcoincoldstash.com because i like the look of paper wallet

[Bernard Lerring]

They've also misspelled 'blockchain' on that site. Is their html trustworthy?

You might be better off using bitaddress org because it's overtly open source and I believe people from here have scanned the code and have verified it's not a scam site.

[Buo]

yes you can do this with vmware without having to worry about intercepting keys/screen capture.

what i do for cold wallet is this; i boot "bootable windows" (no installation), copy bitcoin content from my usb drive there, do what i need and close everything.
its important not to allow usb to be shown in main windows, only in vmware.
* you can also break every conection between vmware and host windows by closing vmware data connections in "network connections" in host windows.

cheers

This is the easiest solution but are you sure keys can't be intercepted from vmware? Some people discouraged me from using the vm approach.

[ajareselde]

yes you can do this with vmware without having to worry about intercepting keys/screen capture.

what i do for cold wallet is this; i boot "bootable windows" (no installation), copy bitcoin content from my usb drive there, do what i need and close everything.
its important not to allow usb to be shown in main windows, only in vmware.
* you can also break every conection between vmware and host windows by closing vmware data connections in "network connections" in host windows.

cheers

This is the easiest solution but are you sure keys can't be intercepted from vmware? Some people discouraged me from using the vm approach.

i have some past related to security, and like i allready said, if you disconnect data connections from host machine and vmware windows, you will be fine.
but also, dont forget to move your wallet to removable storage when ure done, and delete it on vmware machine after.

[Buo]

OK thanks, I'll try with vmware.   

[Bitsaurus]

One thing about security - keep it simple

Don't do steps you're not comfortable doing or you may end up killing your nestegg.

Don't use a 125 character password.  8 random words that you can memorize and spell is fine.

[DrG]

If you have a significant amount of coins and you really don't need access to them constantly, put them in cold storage and offline.  Use Armory and make a offline wallet for the coins.  Armory is very simple to use and has been under development for quite some time.  Also check out the other wallets - each has it's own niche.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=37.0