Author

Topic: Install desktop Wallet onto a USB Stick? (Read 1105 times)

jr. member
Activity: 188
Merit: 1
September 21, 2018, 01:49:40 AM
#17
I fully support this idea and have been doing so for a long time. Not all wallets retain on a flash drive and only those where a significant asset. You can also save data to the SD disk if the volume of the desktop wallet is small.
newbie
Activity: 29
Merit: 0
Is it possible to use the newest version of EXODUS to store everything on a windows thumb drive?

I need a good multi-coin thumb drive wallet for my windows.
legendary
Activity: 3472
Merit: 10611
August 19, 2017, 10:08:57 PM
#15
Yes, it is a good idea. You'll get a kind of hardware wallet. I suggest you to use the already-ready portable version of Electrum, check out on their official website: electrum.org. It is a very good wallet, which you can easily put in your USB stick.

If installing onto a USB stick, do you have to install the portable version of the wallets? I'm presuming that you can't install the Windows installer version and select the USB stick as the installation location, correct?

Electrum looks like it's the only software that gives you a standalone portable version of a wallet. So ones like Exodus, Copay, Jaxx don't have a portable version.

you don't really gain any additional security if you just install the wallet software on your USB, portable like. you are still going to be at the same risk as if you installed on your PC when you connect your USB to your computer.

what you can do is to install a linux on your USB so that it is a new environment (new OS that you boot up) and then install the wallet there. you can also encrypt that OS, your wallet, disconnect network, etc for additional security measures.
legendary
Activity: 2758
Merit: 6830
August 19, 2017, 09:15:31 PM
#14
If installing onto a USB stick, do you have to install the portable version of the wallets? I'm presuming that you can't install the Windows installer version and select the USB stick as the installation location, correct?

Electrum looks like it's the only software that gives you a standalone portable version of a wallet. So ones like Exodus, Copay, Jaxx don't have a portable version.
Electrum has the installer and executable edition which will create a folder called Electrum on your Program Files. And they have the portable edition which will create those files in the same directory that the file is. So, you can move the portable executable to a USB and it will get "installed" there.

If you keep your wallet stored in the same USB, you can and use your wallet wherever you go.
member
Activity: 112
Merit: 10
August 19, 2017, 07:15:22 PM
#13
Yes, it is a good idea. You'll get a kind of hardware wallet. I suggest you to use the already-ready portable version of Electrum, check out on their official website: electrum.org. It is a very good wallet, which you can easily put in your USB stick.

If installing onto a USB stick, do you have to install the portable version of the wallets? I'm presuming that you can't install the Windows installer version and select the USB stick as the installation location, correct?

Electrum looks like it's the only software that gives you a standalone portable version of a wallet. So ones like Exodus, Copay, Jaxx don't have a portable version.
full member
Activity: 161
Merit: 100
August 19, 2017, 02:54:30 PM
#12
I would suggest a Trezor rather than a regular USB drive.
full member
Activity: 178
Merit: 100
August 19, 2017, 07:04:37 AM
#11
I would use at least two usb drives just in case. Last thing you want is to be "secured" and lose it to a crash.
sr. member
Activity: 476
Merit: 250
August 19, 2017, 06:47:39 AM
#10
If you decide to use a USB Stick, then make sure you are using a durable one. Some cheap products tend to fail.
full member
Activity: 434
Merit: 107
August 19, 2017, 03:46:22 AM
#9
if you install desktop wallet on a USB stick without backup , sometime usb will have error  , and i don't want think about it.
But you need a backup anyway, even if you install the wallet on a hard drive
member
Activity: 98
Merit: 10
August 19, 2017, 03:26:20 AM
#8
i using cool store is better for information private key , if you install desktop wallet on a USB stick without backup , sometime usb will have error  , and i don't want think about it.
full member
Activity: 434
Merit: 107
August 19, 2017, 02:51:50 AM
#7
In this case it may be wise to copy your address (without the private key!) to a text file and watch your balance directly in blockchain or in a read-only wallet; and connect your usb only when you want to send money from your wallet.
hero member
Activity: 1005
Merit: 502
Sovryn - Brings DeFi to Bitcoin
August 19, 2017, 01:25:56 AM
#6
Yes, it is a good idea. You'll get a kind of hardware wallet. I suggest you to use the already-ready portable version of Electrum, check out on their official website: electrum.org. It is a very good wallet, which you can easily put in your USB stick.
mk4
legendary
Activity: 2870
Merit: 3873
📟 t3rminal.xyz
August 19, 2017, 01:23:05 AM
#5
if i was you i won't do that,
for me it's more dangerous doing that other than keep it in desktop,
everyday i am using USB as a place to transfer my data and i am connecting my USB to many computers,
and from my experience USB data,it's very easy to get infected by viruses,
all of my viruses in my computer come from USB
so i would not doing that.because i don't want to lose my money from doing that i am not really sure about it,

i prefer to not doing that,but it's up to you

It's actually a good idea. The reason to store a wallet on a USB stick would be to prevent malware or viruses from your main computer from accessing your wallet. It won't make your wallet invincible to hacks, but it does make it ALOT harder for the hackers. Your points are valid, but if you use common sense you wouldn't use your daily flashdrive to store your wallet(as that would be very stupid), you buy a new separate one solely for your wallet.

To coinsgod(OP), a hardware wallet like Trezor or Ledger Nano S is twice as better, but if your budget couldn't afford it (as they're worth like $70-$100), then a wallet on a flashdrive is definitely a good alternative compared to installing your wallet on your personal computer.
member
Activity: 143
Merit: 10
August 18, 2017, 10:08:15 PM
#4
That is a pretty good idea. It's like your own cheap hardware wallet.
Download and place a portable software wallet in you USB and transfer the coins on it.
Use it only to send and receive bitcoins.
full member
Activity: 178
Merit: 100
August 18, 2017, 09:41:43 PM
#3
It can be, but if the computer is infected with a virus it could still have the chance to access the drive. The better method would be to use a persistence Linux install and only have the wallet on the drive. Boot into the Linux system directly and bypass Windows. Once again, a rootkit virus on the bios could infect the usb drive too. Ultimately, the only true "safe" way is a hardware wallet, but you have options at least.
sr. member
Activity: 1274
Merit: 263
August 18, 2017, 09:34:52 PM
#2
if i was you i won't do that,
for me it's more dangerous doing that other than keep it in desktop,
everyday i am using USB as a place to transfer my data and i am connecting my USB to many computers,
and from my experience USB data,it's very easy to get infected by viruses,
all of my viruses in my computer come from USB
so i would not doing that.because i don't want to lose my money from doing that i am not really sure about it,

i prefer to not doing that,but it's up to you
member
Activity: 112
Merit: 10
August 18, 2017, 08:29:15 PM
#1
Would it be a better idea in terms of better security to install a desktop Wallet onto a USB Stick rather than into a Windows computer file system? Thoughts?
Jump to: