Bitcoin core with wallet on fried harddrive

PolarPoint

hero member

Activity: 672

Merit: 500

Quote from: shorena on May 17, 2015, 12:52:26 PM

I tested this and bitcoin core actually refills the keypool the next time you enter the password (e.g. for signing a message). Thus it tries to keep 100 private keys at all times (check with: getwalletinfo).

Nice to know this has been tested. So bitcoin core is protected against wallet corruption when using new addresses if we do not use 100 new addresses each time we login.

shorena

copper member

Activity: 1498

Merit: 1528

No I dont escrow anymore.

Quote from: ranochigo on May 17, 2015, 11:10:09 AM

Quote from: PolarPoint on May 16, 2015, 04:56:16 PM

I think your old wallet.dat backup has the key to your new address. I read it on here that bitcoin core do not create new addresses when you request them. They are picked from a pre generated list in your wallet.dat, so your old backup may have the key to your new address even though it is a backup. Use pywallet to look inside your wallet file.

Half correct. Bitcoin core pregenerates 100 address for use when the user clicks to get new address. After 100 address, a new set of addresses would be created. You would then have to rebackup it. HD wallets eliminates this limitation.

Data from hard disk failures can be restored but they certainly don't have 100%. My advice is that you can bring it for a quote and if it's too expensive or impossible to recover, consider it as an expensive lesson.

I tested this and bitcoin core actually refills the keypool the next time you enter the password (e.g. for signing a message). Thus it tries to keep 100 private keys at all times (check with: getwalletinfo).

ranochigo

legendary

Activity: 3038

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Quote from: PolarPoint on May 16, 2015, 04:56:16 PM

I think your old wallet.dat backup has the key to your new address. I read it on here that bitcoin core do not create new addresses when you request them. They are picked from a pre generated list in your wallet.dat, so your old backup may have the key to your new address even though it is a backup. Use pywallet to look inside your wallet file.

Half correct. Bitcoin core pregenerates 100 address for use when the user clicks to get new address. ~~After 100 address, a new set of addresses would be created.~~ [Correction: After each key is generated by user and user interacts with the wallet.dat, the wallet pregenerates one more key to maintain 100 key in keypool. (Thanks shorena for correcting!)] You would then have to rebackup it. HD wallets eliminates this limitation.

Data from hard disk failures can be restored but they certainly don't have 100%. My advice is that you can bring it for a quote and if it's too expensive or impossible to recover, consider it as an expensive lesson.

PolarPoint

hero member

Activity: 672

Merit: 500

I think your old wallet.dat backup has the key to your new address. I read it on here that bitcoin core do not create new addresses when you request them. They are picked from a pre generated list in your wallet.dat, so your old backup may have the key to your new address even though it is a backup. Use pywallet to look inside your wallet file.

achow101_alt

sr. member

Activity: 268

Merit: 258

Quote from: shorena on May 16, 2015, 04:36:37 PM

No, just restore from your backup. The wallet file includes the private keys you need to spend the coins. There is no (important) change when you receive coins. If you failed to create a backup chances are high that can say goodbye to your bitcoin, yes.

If you don't have a backup, you can still retrieve your private keys. There are ways and tools that can recover data from dead hard drives, just google it and you will be able to find such things.

shorena

copper member

Activity: 1498

Merit: 1528

No I dont escrow anymore.

Quote from: jaberiii on May 16, 2015, 04:24:46 PM

I just opened a new recieve adress and sent bitcoins to it in bitcoin core.
Seconds later the hard drive is fried , I tried everything but the hard drive is just gone.

The thing is bitcoin core never got the chance to recieve anything since it was still updating and then died on me.
I still have the bitcoin transaction ID

I am afraid I already know the answer to this question, but can I say goodbye to my bitcoins? Sad

No, just restore from your backup. The wallet file includes the private keys you need to spend the coins. There is no (important) change when you receive coins. If you failed to create a backup chances are high that can say goodbye to your bitcoin, yes.

jaberiii

newbie

Activity: 1

Merit: 0

I just opened a new recieve adress and sent bitcoins to it in bitcoin core.
Seconds later the hard drive is fried , I tried everything but the hard drive is just gone.

The thing is bitcoin core never got the chance to recieve anything since it was still updating and then died on me.
I still have the bitcoin transaction ID

I am afraid I already know the answer to this question, but can I say goodbye to my bitcoins? Sad

Topic: Bitcoin core with wallet on fried harddrive (Read 945 times)