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Topic: Bitcoin copying wallet.dat allows sending coins twice (Read 4039 times)

sr. member
Activity: 406
Merit: 250
Don't put too much energy into answering him, TheoryOfBitcoin is likely to be a troll...

I figured he was trolling if a newb like myself new it would only confirm once.

legendary
Activity: 2646
Merit: 1137
All paid signature campaigns should be banned.
Looking at his other 13 posts he is just not this ignorant, so TheoryollOfBitcoin.
legendary
Activity: 3472
Merit: 4794
Don't put too much energy into answering him, TheoryOfBitcoin is likely to be a troll...

Agreed.  I'm surprised his ignore button isn't yellow yet.  I suspect it will be before long.
b!z
legendary
Activity: 1582
Merit: 1010
You tried double spending.
Be careful because the network might mark you as a scammer, and you will have troubles (not sure)

This is untrue.
legendary
Activity: 1176
Merit: 1260
May Bitcoin be touched by his Noodly Appendage
Don't put too much energy into answering him, TheoryOfBitcoin is likely to be a troll...
hero member
Activity: 952
Merit: 1009
.. at least not any more than you would be able to send them twice by yelling "HERE, I SENT 'EM!!" from your balcony twice.
This one made me laugh.  Cheesy

niko has a run of great posts lately.
full member
Activity: 252
Merit: 100
MARKETPLACE FOR PAID ADVICE LIVE BROADCASTS
You tried double spending.
Be careful because the network might mark you as a scammer, and you will have troubles (not sure)
legendary
Activity: 2506
Merit: 1010
How can this be fixed?

Well, you now have two wallet.dat files which are out of sync.  Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind wasn't designed to work this way (running two copies of the Client with the same wallet.dat).  As a result, the two wallet.dat files are now out of sync.

In short, don't do this.   It doesn't affect the blockchain, but it will give you grief and multiple copies of a wallet getting out of sync can potentially cause you to end up with financial loss.

To resolve this ... you will have one Client in which the transaction confirms.  In the other instance you will have a transaction that won't confirm (presuming both are attempting to spend the same funds).  

So, if the balance on the one with the confirmation is correct, then simply discontinue use of the other instance -- the one with the transaction that will never confirm.
legendary
Activity: 3657
Merit: 1448
.. at least not any more than you would be able to send them twice by yelling "HERE, I SENT 'EM!!" from your balcony twice.
This one made me laugh.  Cheesy
legendary
Activity: 1764
Merit: 1002
TOB, not you again.
hero member
Activity: 756
Merit: 501
There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.
I did a small experiment, I copied the wallet.dat and put it on another offline computer. I was able to send the same bitcoins twice! How can this be fixed?
It can be fixed by you coming back here and providing an update. Specifically, you could write an essay titled "Why I am not rich yet?".

To help you get started, here is a hint: you were not able to send the same bitcoins twice, at least not any more than you would be able to send them twice by yelling "HERE, I SENT 'EM!!" from your balcony twice. Bitcoin transactions are verified, confirmed, timestamped, and entered into the ledger collectively by a p2p network.
legendary
Activity: 1792
Merit: 1111
I did a small experiment, I copied the wallet.dat and put it on another offline computer. I was able to send the same bitcoins twice! How can this be fixed?

You can send as many times as you want. Only one of them (at most) would be confirmed.
legendary
Activity: 1862
Merit: 1105
WalletScrutiny.com
Ok, guys, IMEI? please!

OP, which client are you talking about?
Generally sending coins twice should be resolved automatically, so as soon as both clients see which transaction went through, the one that violates this, will be "forgotten". No issue here. Just bring you computer online.
sr. member
Activity: 437
Merit: 255
private key using the IMEI number of a phone. these app's could become the more secure apps

Not sure - I think it is possible to change the IMEI on some phones. That is the way some stolen phones get a new identification.
legendary
Activity: 4270
Merit: 4534
phone apps can be produced that generate a private key using the IMEI number of a phone. these app's could become the more secure apps that are trusted to send funds without confirms as the private keys wont work unless used on that specific phone. thus if it is confirmed on the phone then sending it somewhere like starbucks, they can instantly see that it cant be double spent.
legendary
Activity: 1652
Merit: 1029
Once one is confirmed, the other can't be if I'm not mistaken. Is it decided by which client is more updated?
sr. member
Activity: 406
Merit: 250
you could send them but was the transaction confirmed?
newbie
Activity: 38
Merit: 0
I did a small experiment, I copied the wallet.dat and put it on another offline computer. I was able to send the same bitcoins twice! How can this be fixed?
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