Topic: Something isn't okay with my key (Read 179 times)

The topic you linked was a Base58 WIF that was decoded to get the bytes then was encoded to get the hex which is where the extra bytes came from (version, compressed byte and checksum) not that hex encoding of a private key having them by some standard.

P.S. What OP has is most probably a public key though.

What are the first two characters of your 66 character key?
What are the first two characters of your 130 character key?
What software or method are you using to convert from one to the other?

It sounds very much like you public keys, and not private keys. Public keys only let you view your addresses and not spend any coins. Where did you get these keys from? Are they from your own wallet or did someone give them to you?

A raw bitcoin private key before you convert it to WIF will be 64 characters long, not 66 or 130. You cannot convert public keys in to WIF.

If your key starts with either 02 or 03 (+64 characters), then it's a compressed public key. In order to derive a bitcoin address from this key, the software first hashes it and encodes it in a special format, and then you can see your funds by pasting that address in a blockchain explorer search field. The key that starts with 04 (+128 characters) is called an uncompressed public key. When software hashes and encodes this lengthy key, it gives you a different address because the input data was different and the corresponding hash was also different. This is a completely different address that has no funds in it. If you have a private key (which, more often than not, starts with either L or K), you can derive both compressed (66 chars) and uncompressed (130 chars) and all corresponding addresses. If you don't have a private key, public key conversions from compressed to uncompressed won't help you to recover funds.

Examples:

With the 66 length key pasted in, it shows my address, but when i decompress it to 130 characters, it doesnt show my address no more, guess its maybe the prefix of. 00 or 05, but they're not added as I see, over that when i try to convert my 66 characters key to wif it doesn't show my adress? Like cmon, can't acces my funds and dunno why. I think to seek help from some services or I don't know no more.. Its not like I'm in hurry, anyway the btc stays in, but i do feel better when cann acces it indeed

Are you trying to say you tried to generate uncompressed public key (which has 130 character) or public key (which has 66 character) based on your private key?


HEX private key with 2 character padding which indicate compressed/uncompressed also exist, see Compressed hex private key with 66 characters?. It's also possible certain software decide to add prefix 0x to indicate the format is hex.

Warning: do not disclose your private key like (I just did) for your coin not to be stolen. Anyone that sees your private key or seed phrase can use it to compromise your wallet and still your coins.

Do not confuse yourself, you need to differentiate between private key and public key. Public key is in 130 characters in hexadecimal format if not in compressed format. But if the public key is in compressed hexadecimal format, it will has 66 characters. So not your private key is in 66 and 130 characters, it is your public key.

Private key in hexadecimal format has 64 characters
Example: 519AEF44454373646EB682F0B3281F99F53E6F48D019D08DDF676F9DB4BE6901

Private key that has 51 characters (of base58) starts with 5 and it has 51 characters , (not compressed).
Example: 5JSE5RpYy3P5WXkFHCGB2GrMM7PP5EBCHXRraiNyRwM2gyZbVfo

Private key that has 52 characters (of base58) starts with either K or L has 52 characters, (compressed).
Example: KyxLiYYt6MWSuLht2UhyEcxpomBnRf9zowJhqodz54sQTEdzaDgH

Private key that is of base64 has characters 44 characters
Example= UZrvREVDc2RutoLwsygfmfU+b0jQGdCN32dvnbS+aQE=


As for public key, it can either be in compressed format (66 characters) or not compressed (130 characters)

130 characters, not compressed, hexadecimal format. Start with 04
Example: 0446C936213B1C97D88D5C4BFF3D78FD0D2F03056D851F54E633BAAADDEC224FA5FEAEF45ADFA4C C3285D544BB914077DFFEC48FDCD8D5691557FAB7940F501FC2

66 characters, compressed, hexadecimal format. Start with 02 or 03
Example: 0246C936213B1C97D88D5C4BFF3D78FD0D2F03056D851F54E633BAAADDEC224FA5

A couple of things don't make sense in your post.
What kind of encoding does it use?
WIF (Base58) produces 51-52 characters, Hex (Base16) produces 64 characters and Base64 produces less (44 characters).

What does this mean? How do you even "validate" your address? You mean you generated the same address from those 66 characters? HOW? And if you could, then what is the problem?

One private key only corresponds to one public key and you can create multiple different address types from that public key.

It is a compressed public key of 33 bytes which is likely to have a length of 66 characters and not a private key, which is commonly 64 characters, but can be less.
In trying to change it to 130 characters, you are trying to convert your public key to an older, uncompressed format of 65 bytes.
Is the prefix of the key you are dealing with 0x02... or 0x03...?

No, for obvious reasons. Public keys are public and derived from private keys in a one way direction.

What sort of problems, inability to send out funds?
Public keys can be used to create watch only wallets from which one can monitor their wallet balance, but cannot sign transactions.

- Jay -

So my private key is 66 characters long, but when i conver it to 130 characters it no longer validate my adress, but the 66 one do? My adress is legacy p2pkh, it's an old adress, so is it possible to have only one key operating for public and private? Also i still have hella problems to import it, idk what to do anymore.