Author

Topic: Cold Storage: Laptop? (Read 1257 times)

newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
April 10, 2014, 05:55:47 AM
#19
Just the ticket.
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 10, 2014, 05:28:55 AM
#18
Oh, this thread's run away with itself. Thank you all for your replies.

I meant that in order to access my data, from a USB stick (of which I intent to keep the wallet and OS on), I would need a visual interface to do so i.e. a laptop, one which does not connect to the internet.

So I rather fancied one of those mini-laptops, but was not sure about removing the modem, what with everything being SoC these days.


Thanks again.

In that case then my original point still stands and it is trivial to remove the wifi card.

You mentioned liking the look of the aspire one...

Here's how simple it is to remove the wifi card

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Acer+Aspire+One+ZG5+Internal+Wireless+Card+Replacement/3778
newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
April 09, 2014, 08:54:59 PM
#17
Oh, this thread's run away with itself. Thank you all for your replies.

I meant that in order to access my data, from a USB stick (of which I intent to keep the wallet and OS on), I would need a visual interface to do so i.e. a laptop, one which does not connect to the internet.

So I rather fancied one of those mini-laptops, but was not sure about removing the modem, what with everything being SoC these days.


Thanks again.
hero member
Activity: 742
Merit: 502
Circa 2010
April 09, 2014, 07:13:00 AM
#16
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.

This would really be the most cost effective solution.

I understand ... but you can always sign a transaction offline and later from same offline device make an USB backups? Smiley
And it will be a cold storage? or not?

Technically speaking you could boot a liveCD version of your favourite Linus distro on the same computer and make sure you have you internet disconnected and sign it there, making sure that the files are on your USB at all times, but I'm not too sure whether it would exactly constitute cold storage. Buying a Pi is really the best way if you want to do it cheaply yet somewhat properly.
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 07:09:04 AM
#15
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.

Pi is overpriced IMO... but it is good device indeed.


$40  Huh

Exactly what is overpriced about that lol ?

is it $40 now???

Iw was more expensive when I was looking at it Tongue

Now it is only $40??? Good price Smiley not overpriced Tongue sorry Cheesy

Ok ... to download Pi is 30 euros ... but to buy a device Smiley is 124 euro - still overpriced Cheesy

I'm not sure you have any idea what your talking about, there is no polish amazon but the first result on German amazon is this

http://www.amazon.de/Raspberry-Pi-RBCA000-Mainboard-1176JZF-S/dp/B008PT4GGC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397045287&sr=8-1&keywords=raspberry+pi

Where are you looking...
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 07:02:54 AM
#14
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.

Pi is overpriced IMO... but it is good device indeed.


$40  Huh

Exactly what is overpriced about that lol ?

is it $40 now???

Iw was more expensive when I was looking at it Tongue

Now it is only $40??? Good price Smiley not overpriced Tongue sorry Cheesy

Ok ... to download Pi is 30 euros ... but to buy a device Smiley is 124 euro - still overpriced Cheesy
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 07:01:03 AM
#13
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.

Pi is overpriced IMO... but it is good device indeed.


$40  Huh

Exactly what is overpriced about that lol ?
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 06:57:41 AM
#12
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.

Pi is overpriced IMO... but it is good device indeed.
legendary
Activity: 1274
Merit: 1004
April 09, 2014, 06:55:22 AM
#11
Buy a pi and make a cheap cold storage with armory or generate a key offline and make paperwallets.
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 06:52:38 AM
#10
So backups you can keep without your laptop Tongue

And IMO it would be safer to buy 10 usb memory sticks and backup wallets than put them on an laptop.


Yes, but without an actual permanent offline solution you can't really consider it to be cold storage anymore. The whole thing works on the premise of signing the transaction offline and then transferring the transaction to an online computer to broadcast. By doing so you avoid connecting to the internet with your wallet and hence significantly reduce the probability of your coins being stolen. Don't get me wrong - USBs are fine for storing an encrypted version of your wallet however it doesn't constitute cold storage.

I understand ... but you can always sign a transaction offline and later from same offline device make an USB backups? Smiley
And it will be a cold storage? or not?

Which you need a laptop or similar to do, hence you have no point really. Your first post said "You wouldnt consider a laptop a good cold storage method", yet to create cold storage you generally need a laptop that is offline.
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 06:49:59 AM
#9
So backups you can keep without your laptop Tongue

And IMO it would be safer to buy 10 usb memory sticks and backup wallets than put them on an laptop.


Yes, but without an actual permanent offline solution you can't really consider it to be cold storage anymore. The whole thing works on the premise of signing the transaction offline and then transferring the transaction to an online computer to broadcast. By doing so you avoid connecting to the internet with your wallet and hence significantly reduce the probability of your coins being stolen. Don't get me wrong - USBs are fine for storing an encrypted version of your wallet however it doesn't constitute cold storage.

I understand ... but you can always sign a transaction offline and later from same offline device make an USB backups? Smiley
And it will be a cold storage? or not?
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 06:46:57 AM
#8
Further to the fact that for long term cold storage a physical medium is likely better it is very trivial to remove the laptops wifi card and can easily be put back in if it is no longer needed for cold storage.

And what you will do if your HDD fails in your laptop? Which is happening every day to many users? Smiley


Have back ups...

So backups you can keep without your laptop Tongue

And IMO it would be safer to buy 10 usb memory sticks and backup wallets than put them on an laptop.


Yes but how are you going to create them? Use an online computer ? Defeats the whole point of cold storage...

Anyways, OP clearly doesnt really want cold storage as he talks about wanting it to be small and portable to take places and to confirm transactions face to face.

Maybe OP can clarify what they want?
hero member
Activity: 742
Merit: 502
Circa 2010
April 09, 2014, 06:44:55 AM
#7
So backups you can keep without your laptop Tongue

And IMO it would be safer to buy 10 usb memory sticks and backup wallets than put them on an laptop.


Yes, but without an actual permanent offline solution you can't really consider it to be cold storage anymore. The whole thing works on the premise of signing the transaction offline and then transferring the transaction to an online computer to broadcast. By doing so you avoid connecting to the internet with your wallet and hence significantly reduce the probability of your coins being stolen. Don't get me wrong - USBs are fine for storing an encrypted version of your wallet however it doesn't constitute cold storage.
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 06:34:19 AM
#6
Further to the fact that for long term cold storage a physical medium is likely better it is very trivial to remove the laptops wifi card and can easily be put back in if it is no longer needed for cold storage.

And what you will do if your HDD fails in your laptop? Which is happening every day to many users? Smiley


Have back ups...

So backups you can keep without your laptop Tongue

And IMO it would be safer to buy 10 usb memory sticks and backup wallets than put them on an laptop.
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 06:22:18 AM
#5
Further to the fact that for long term cold storage a physical medium is likely better it is very trivial to remove the laptops wifi card and can easily be put back in if it is no longer needed for cold storage.

And what you will do if your HDD fails in your laptop? Which is happening every day to many users? Smiley


Have back ups...
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 06:14:28 AM
#4
Further to the fact that for long term cold storage a physical medium is likely better it is very trivial to remove the laptops wifi card and can easily be put back in if it is no longer needed for cold storage.

And what you will do if your HDD fails in your laptop? Which is happening every day to many users? Smiley
hero member
Activity: 798
Merit: 1000
April 09, 2014, 05:57:35 AM
#3
Further to the fact that for long term cold storage a physical medium is likely better it is very trivial to remove the laptops wifi card and can easily be put back in if it is no longer needed for cold storage.
legendary
Activity: 2212
Merit: 1199
April 09, 2014, 05:04:54 AM
#2
I've done some research on what USB to get for Cold Storage, but am actually finding it difficult to find the right kind of laptop.. Oh, a cheap one is no problem, even first hand (which is safest), it's just that nobody seems to sell them without Wi-Fi any more!

Imagine asking Asus or Compaq (he he) for a laptop without a modem in, yea, imagine!

So, it seems that some tinkering will be required?


I really wanted something small and portable, especially for confirming transaction face-to-face, something like a Mini Laptop from Asus or Acer e.g.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/Acer-Aspire-One-Netbook_Laptop_review
http://www.tlbhd.com/asus-1018p-eee-pc-review-white-version-what-a-mini-laptop-4157/


But even if they had a physical "off" switch, could I rely on that?


Has anybody got a solution to this, I think it's overlooked, too much focus on the USB side of things from what I've found.


Thanks in advance.

do you think laptop is good device for cold storage?? I think it is not.
newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
April 08, 2014, 07:28:03 PM
#1
I've done some research on what USB to get for Cold Storage, but am actually finding it difficult to find the right kind of laptop.. Oh, a cheap one is no problem, even first hand (which is safest), it's just that nobody seems to sell them without Wi-Fi any more!

Imagine asking Asus or Compaq (he he) for a laptop without a modem in, yea, imagine!

So, it seems that some tinkering will be required?


I really wanted something small and portable, especially for confirming transaction face-to-face, something like a Mini Laptop from Asus or Acer e.g.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/Acer-Aspire-One-Netbook_Laptop_review
http://www.tlbhd.com/asus-1018p-eee-pc-review-white-version-what-a-mini-laptop-4157/


But even if they had a physical "off" switch, could I rely on that?


Has anybody got a solution to this, I think it's overlooked, too much focus on the USB side of things from what I've found.


Thanks in advance.
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