Bitcoin Wiki - User contributions [en]

Safely Transfer Bitcoin from a wallet.dat File to Anywhere, Using Air-Gapped Offline System, Bitcoin Core, and Electrum

2017-08-15T03:06:36Z

Womantis: Mention listaddressgroupings as well as listreceivedbyaddress

This guide is intended for former users of [[Bitcoin Core]] who wish to very securely transfer Bitcoin from an archived wallet.dat file into a new secure storage target (e.g. hardware wallet) using a process that keeps all private keys off of any online computer.

'''WARNING'''

Before reading this page, users should note that directly manipulating ECDSA [[private keys]] is dangerous and can result in losing bitcoins<ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/29948/why-doc-says-importing-private-keys-is-so-dangerous Bitcoin StackExchange - Why doc says importing private keys is so dangerous?]</ref><ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/18619/why-so-many-warnings-about-importing-private-keys Bitcoin StackExchange - Why so many warnings about importing private keys?]</ref>.

== Goal ==
* Safely sweep Bitcoin from a wallet.dat file and send to a new address.
* Never allow wallet.dat or any private keys to touch online computer.
* Use GUI tools that minimize complication and potential for mistake.

== Why ==
* You are paranoid and don't trust the security of your online computer.
* You have a hardware wallet or other secure means of storing Bitcoin.
* You like doing things in a more complicated way than otherwise necessary by more trusting folk.
* You aren't comfortable manually building [[ Raw Transactions ]] from UTXOs and playing with big opaque hex strings.

== Read This First ==
Less paranoid people may find the following article simpler and easier, which also describes in more detail obtaining the relevant software and other basic topics:
* [[ Transferring coins from Bitcoin-Qt to Electrum ]]
Less paranoid people seeking to move Bitcoin from a wallet.dat to another address may also simply use Bitcoin Core itself directly, bypassing all complexity of offline transactions.

== Ingredients ==
The following ALL-CAPS terms are introduced here and used below consistently.
* NET-PC : An online computer with potential malware.
* OFFLINE-PC : A secure offline computer without network access.
* USB-STICK : A USB stick to transfer files over air gap.
* WALLET.DAT : A high value wallet.dat file stored offline.

== Software (always verify signatures!) ==
* [[ Electrum ]]: Installed on both NET-PC and OFFLINE-PC.
* [[Bitcoin Core]]: Installed on OFFLINE-PC only.

== Instructions ==
# OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump addresses from wallet.dat using at least (NOTE: this part needs review - how best to simply and reliably list all addresses?):
## <code>listreceivedbyaddress 0 true</code>
## <code>listaddressgroupings</code>
# Copy addresses to NET-PC via USB-STICK.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Create "Watch Bitcoin Addresses" wallet using exported addresses. See which have balances.
# OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump each private key from wallet.dat: <code>dumpprivkey "$ADDR"</code>.
# OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Create "Standard Wallet" with "Use public of private keys" using (copy/paste) desired private keys.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Generate transactions and save them to USB-STICK.
# OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Sign transactions and save them back to USB-STICK.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Broadcast transactions from USB-STICK.
# OFFLINE-PC: Wipe drive.

== Simplifications for sweeping a paper wallet ==
If you have a paper wallet (with private key and address written on it) instead of a wallet.dat file, you may simply the instructions as follows:
* No need to install Bitcoin Core on OFFLINE-PC.
* Skip steps 1 and 2, and use address directly in step 3.
* Skip step 4, and use private key directly in step 5.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Instructional]]

Safely Transfer Bitcoin from a wallet.dat File to Anywhere, Using Air-Gapped Offline System, Bitcoin Core, and Electrum

2017-08-15T03:04:39Z

Womantis: fix formatting of list

This guide is intended for former users of [[Bitcoin Core]] who wish to very securely transfer Bitcoin from an archived wallet.dat file into a new secure storage target (e.g. hardware wallet) using a process that keeps all private keys off of any online computer.

'''WARNING'''

Before reading this page, users should note that directly manipulating ECDSA [[private keys]] is dangerous and can result in losing bitcoins<ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/29948/why-doc-says-importing-private-keys-is-so-dangerous Bitcoin StackExchange - Why doc says importing private keys is so dangerous?]</ref><ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/18619/why-so-many-warnings-about-importing-private-keys Bitcoin StackExchange - Why so many warnings about importing private keys?]</ref>.

== Goal ==
* Safely sweep Bitcoin from a wallet.dat file and send to a new address.
* Never allow wallet.dat or any private keys to touch online computer.
* Use GUI tools that minimize complication and potential for mistake.

== Why ==
* You are paranoid and don't trust the security of your online computer.
* You have a hardware wallet or other secure means of storing Bitcoin.
* You like doing things in a more complicated way than otherwise necessary by more trusting folk.
* You aren't comfortable manually building [[ Raw Transactions ]] from UTXOs and playing with big opaque hex strings.

== Read This First ==
Less paranoid people may find the following article simpler and easier, which also describes in more detail obtaining the relevant software and other basic topics:
* [[ Transferring coins from Bitcoin-Qt to Electrum ]]
Less paranoid people seeking to move Bitcoin from a wallet.dat to another address may also simply use Bitcoin Core itself directly, bypassing all complexity of offline transactions.

== Ingredients ==
The following ALL-CAPS terms are introduced here and used below consistently.
* NET-PC : An online computer with potential malware.
* OFFLINE-PC : A secure offline computer without network access.
* USB-STICK : A USB stick to transfer files over air gap.
* WALLET.DAT : A high value wallet.dat file stored offline.

== Software (always verify signatures!) ==
* [[ Electrum ]]: Installed on both NET-PC and OFFLINE-PC.
* [[Bitcoin Core]]: Installed on OFFLINE-PC only.

== Instructions ==
# OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump addresses from wallet.dat: <code>listreceivedbyaddress 0 true</code>
# Copy addresses to NET-PC via USB-STICK.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Create "Watch Bitcoin Addresses" wallet using exported addresses. See which have balances.
# OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump each private key from wallet.dat: <code>dumpprivkey "$ADDR"</code>.
# OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Create "Standard Wallet" with "Use public of private keys" using (copy/paste) desired private keys.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Generate transactions and save them to USB-STICK.
# OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Sign transactions and save them back to USB-STICK.
# NET-PC [Electrum] Broadcast transactions from USB-STICK.
# OFFLINE-PC: Wipe drive.

== Simplifications for sweeping a paper wallet ==
If you have a paper wallet (with private key and address written on it) instead of a wallet.dat file, you may simply the instructions as follows:
* No need to install Bitcoin Core on OFFLINE-PC.
* Skip steps 1 and 2, and use address directly in step 3.
* Skip step 4, and use private key directly in step 5.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Instructional]]

Safely Transfer Bitcoin from a wallet.dat File to Anywhere, Using Air-Gapped Offline System, Bitcoin Core, and Electrum

2017-07-31T07:57:15Z

Womantis: Created page with "This guide is intended for former users of Bitcoin Core who wish to very securely transfer Bitcoin from an archived wallet.dat file into a new secure storage target (e.g...."

This guide is intended for former users of [[Bitcoin Core]] who wish to very securely transfer Bitcoin from an archived wallet.dat file into a new secure storage target (e.g. hardware wallet) using a process that keeps all private keys off of any online computer.

'''WARNING'''

Before reading this page, users should note that directly manipulating ECDSA [[private keys]] is dangerous and can result in losing bitcoins<ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/29948/why-doc-says-importing-private-keys-is-so-dangerous Bitcoin StackExchange - Why doc says importing private keys is so dangerous?]</ref><ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/18619/why-so-many-warnings-about-importing-private-keys Bitcoin StackExchange - Why so many warnings about importing private keys?]</ref>.

== Goal ==
* Safely sweep Bitcoin from a wallet.dat file and send to a new address.
* Never allow wallet.dat or any private keys to touch online computer.
* Use GUI tools that minimize complication and potential for mistake.

== Why ==
* You are paranoid and don't trust the security of your online computer.
* You have a hardware wallet or other secure means of storing Bitcoin.
* You like doing things in a more complicated way than otherwise necessary by more trusting folk.
* You aren't comfortable manually building [[ Raw Transactions ]] from UTXOs and playing with big opaque hex strings.

== Read This First ==
Less paranoid people may find the following article simpler and easier, which also describes in more detail obtaining the relevant software and other basic topics:
* [[ Transferring coins from Bitcoin-Qt to Electrum ]]
Less paranoid people seeking to move Bitcoin from a wallet.dat to another address may also simply use Bitcoin Core itself directly, bypassing all complexity of offline transactions.

== Ingredients ==
The following ALL-CAPS terms are introduced here and used below consistently.
* NET-PC : An online computer with potential malware.
* OFFLINE-PC : A secure offline computer without network access.
* USB-STICK : A USB stick to transfer files over air gap.
* WALLET.DAT : A high value wallet.dat file stored offline.

== Software (always verify signatures!) ==
* [[ Electrum ]]: Installed on both NET-PC and OFFLINE-PC.
* [[Bitcoin Core]]: Installed on OFFLINE-PC only.

== Instructions ==
#. OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump addresses from wallet.dat: <code>listreceivedbyaddress 0 true</code>
#. Copy addresses to NET-PC via USB-STICK.
#. NET-PC [Electrum] Create "Watch Bitcoin Addresses" wallet using exported addresses. See which have balances.
#. OFFLINE-PC [Bitcoin Core] Dump each private key from wallet.dat: <code>dumpprivkey "$ADDR"</code>.
#. OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Create "Standard Wallet" with "Use public of private keys" using (copy/paste) desired private keys.
#. NET-PC [Electrum] Generate transactions and save them to USB-STICK.
#. OFFLINE-PC [Electrum] Sign transactions and save them back to USB-STICK.
#. NET-PC [Electrum] Broadcast transactions from USB-STICK.
#. OFFLINE-PC: Wipe drive.

== Simplifications for sweeping a paper wallet ==
If you have a paper wallet (with private key and address written on it) instead of a wallet.dat file, you may simply the instructions as follows:
* No need to install Bitcoin Core on OFFLINE-PC.
* Skip steps 1 and 2, and use address directly in step 3.
* Skip step 4, and use private key directly in step 5.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Instructional]]

Transferring coins from Bitcoin-Qt to Electrum

2017-07-31T07:33:43Z

Womantis: Add link to new related page: Safely Transfer Bitcoin from a wallet.dat File to Anywhere, Using Air-Gapped Offline System, Bitcoin Core, and Electrum

This guide is intended for users of [[Bitcoin Core]] who do not want to wait for their wallet to be synchronized with the network, which may take many hours or days depending on the hardware spec.

It's a somewhat common situation that users don't open their wallet for months or years, after which they come back to find it will take them hours to have be able to use Bitcoin Core. Another example is where the block files on hard disk have become corrupted requiring parts of the [[blockchain]] to be downloaded and verified again.

'''WARNING'''

Before reading this page, users should note that directly manipulating ECDSA [[private keys]] is dangerous and can result in losing bitcoins<ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/29948/why-doc-says-importing-private-keys-is-so-dangerous Bitcoin StackExchange - Why doc says importing private keys is so dangerous?]</ref><ref>[https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/18619/why-so-many-warnings-about-importing-private-keys Bitcoin StackExchange - Why so many warnings about importing private keys?]</ref>. This guide is for the impatient or time-stressed, it is recommended that users of [[Bitcoin Core]] simply wait out the [[block chain download|blockchain synchronization]]. There are many benefits to running a [[Full node]] including trustlessness, security and privacy which lightweight wallets cannot match.

== Obtain new Electrum wallet ==
Download [[Electrum]], verify the signature to prove it was not modified in transit. Create a new normal wallet (not watch-only!). Write down the mnemonic recovery seed on paper.

== Obtain private key(s) from Bitcoin-Qt ==

Click Help -> Debug. Click the Console tab.

If your wallet is encrypted, use this command to decrypt it for 5 minutes (300 seconds):

walletpassphrase your-wallet-passphrase 300

Use the [[Original Bitcoin client/API calls list|dumpprivkey]] command to get the private key. Repeat for as many bitcoin addresses as have money in them.

dumpprivkey <your bitcoin address>

Do not send this private key to anybody else, they could use it to steal your bitcoins(!)

== Sweep private keys with Electrum ==

In the Electrum window, click Wallet -> Private Keys -> Sweep. Paste the private keys from Bitcoin-Qt here. Check the resulting transaction is okay and click Broadcast to sweep from the addresses in Bitcoin Core to the Electrum wallet.

The [[transaction]] will be relayed to every node in the bitcoin network and should soon be visible as unconfirmed in Electrum's window. It is likely to soon be [[mining|mined]] into a [[block]] giving it [[confirmation|confirmations]] that make it an irreversible transaction.

==Related Documents==
* [[Safely Transfer Bitcoin from a wallet.dat File to Anywhere, Using Air-Gapped Offline System, Bitcoin Core, and Electrum]] (a more complicated extended version of this document for more paranoid people)

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Instructional]]