Topic: Bitcoin core, (wallet.dat) (Read 339 times)

Did you try pywallet an open source Python library?

It can parse your wallet.dat without downloading the entire blockchain and export the private keys

You can find it here
https://github.com/jackjack-jj/pywallet

Good luck!
/KX

Take note that automatically loading a "wallet.dat" file as default_wallet has these conditions:
if copied in the wallets folder, it will only be automatically loaded after a restart if there are no other wallets already loaded.
if copied in the datadir instead of wallets folder, it will only be automatically loaded after a restart if there are no other loaded wallets or "wallets" folder isn't available.
The Restore option, on the other hand, restores it by creating its own folder (wallet name) inside 'wallets' folder, copy then loads it.

Either option still subject to the same chain check procedure and rescan once Bitcoin Core tries to load it.
So make sure that you have walletcrosschain=1 in your config since it's initially detected as non-mainnet or altcoin wallet.dat.

You can even load it right now so you can see if there are transactions after syncing through year 2013 blocks.

@nc50lc

Thank you so much for the detailed reply.

To prevent any issues and hopefully have things run smoothly, I've plugged in a 1TB SSD and will just download the entire thing.

I've purged all instances/files related to Bitcoin Core - and then re installed.

I've unchecked all "purged" options, and once fully downloaded/synced.

I'm going to place the .dat directly into the folder instead of trying to restore.

Hopefully I'm following all advice correctly + will have no issues.

"Restore Wallet" menu can go to any directory and see any ".dat" file, even if it's not a wallet file or an already loaded wallet file.
Being able to select a specific wallet.dat doesn't indicate that there's no issue in the file, the issue shows after it tries to restore and load it.

A single wallet.dat that's restored twice isn't an issue, each restore attempt needs to set a different wallet name anyways.

It will always output "$bitcoin$" even if it's a similar wallet.dat from an altcoin, Bitcoin testnet, regtest, etc.: github.com/openwall/john/blob/bleeding-jumbo/run/bitcoin2john.py#L248

Since you've set your blockchain to be pruned, you'll have to redownload the blockchain.
And since you don't have enough space in your drive, you can't store the entire blockchain, you'll have keep your prune block storage setting.

But only start over once you've successfully loaded the wallet.dat file or you'll have to re-download again if you want to load and scan your wallet later.
Since you're going to re-downloads anyways, try to start with a fresh datadir by renaming your current bitcoin datadir inside %appdata% (use "run" or "windows explorer").
rename it from "bitcoin" to "bitcoin_bk", create a new bitcoin folder and copy your bitcoin.conf (with walletcrosschain=1 setting) and wallet.dat file there.
Then start Bitcoin Core, it'll immediately load the wallet as [default_wallet] and redownload the blockchain.
If you have to scan multiple wallets, it wont be automatically loaded if you pasted more than one in the wallets directory,
instead, you'll have to restore them all immediately or keep network disabled until you're finished restoring all the wallets.

Alternatively, disable pruning and set a custom data directory to a bigger drive in the Welcome menu (start Bitcoin-qt with --choosedatadir arg), then redownload the blockchain to that directory.
That way, you're free to load wallet.dat files without re-downloading the blockchain again and again, it'll only need to rescan the existing blockchain.

Since your mentioned date is 2013, the transactions (if there's any) might show up earlier in the sync process.

Obviously you need to download the entire full blockchain. Did you Bitcoin core app few mb but After downloading bitcoin core app than whole file 600gb didn’t download it. You need to download the whole file and then use it.If you don't download the whole file it won't open and work properly.  As far as I know it takes about 14 days to download the entire file.

Am doing it too:

Thanks for your reply.

In the event I want to import an old wallet.dat and see transaction history from possibly 2013.

Do I need to download the entire blockchain?

This is how I installed Bitcoin Core yesterday, and I think I did it incorrectly.
https://imgur.com/afzKvBm

I think the mistake is, I had the "Limit block chain storage" ticked.

Please let me know, thankyou

You don't need to reimport the wallet.dat on the GUI since you already placed the wallet.dat file on the wallet directory which is "C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin"

Look you already opened the Bitcoin core GUI it should show some error if the wallet.dat on the wallet directory is corrupted but it's not and you are still able to go to File > Restore Wallet.

That is why this error comes up because you are attempting to reimport the wallet.dat that is already in the wallet directory.

Hi thankyou for the quick reply.

I've managed to use Bitcoin2john.py and the hash extracted is something like this: $bitcoin$64$

I have also added the flag -walletcrosschain but Bitcoin Core seems to close abruptly when I attempt to restore the wallet.

I'm not 100% sure it's a Bitcoin wallet.dat but maybe the hash extraction confirms it is?

Another potential issue I'm receiving:
"Wallet loading failed. Prune: last wallet synchronisation goes beyond pruned data. You need to -reindex (download the whole blockchain again incase of pruned node).

If I want to see my balance, and view historical transactions (years ago) do I still need to store the ENTIRE blockchain? or can I use the prune feature. I think I have only stored 2GB (or whatever the default Bitcoin Core size was).

Are you sure it's a Bitcoin wallet.dat? Because the error message seems to say it's not.
Maybe you've played with testnet and it's from there, or, usually more probably it's from an altcoin, since most of them have their wallets based on various versions of Bitcoin's wallet.

Hi I have came across a few old wallet.dat files on my PC.

After letting Bitcoin Core sync for 24 hours, the program is now ready.

I have a few questions.

I have pasted the file inside of this directory
C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin

I then opened BTC core and did the following:
File > Restore Wallet > C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\wallet.dat

It the asked for "Wallet Name" I just entered anything.

After this I had the error:
Wallet loading failed. Wallet files should not be reused across chains. Restart bitcoind with -walletcrosschain to override.

I'm wondering do I simply just add the this (-walletcrosschain) or am I importing the wallet incorrectly?

Any help is appreciated!