BitShares Forum

Main => Technical Support => Topic started by: .yoshi on July 28, 2015, 07:12:03 pm

Title: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: .yoshi on July 28, 2015, 07:12:03 pm
I'm using the 0.9.2 client on Windows 8 and I don't see a wallet.dat anywhere in appdata\roaming\BitShares

My goal here is to keep my funds and current BitShares account name.

Looking at the console commands in BitShares, it seems I might be able to do the following:

1) run wallet_backup_create <json_filename>
2) move json file to usb stick
3) reformat
4) install bitshares
5) put json backup in appdata\roaming\BitShares\wallets\.backups\default (not exactly sure if this is where the backup json should go)
6) run wallet_backup_restore <json_filename> <wallet_name> <imported_wallet_passphrase>

Is this the easiest path to migrate my wallet/account name/funds t? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I would like this transition to be as painless as possible :)
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: Akado on July 28, 2015, 07:15:19 pm
If I'm not mistaken, you could also copy the entire BitShares folder so next time you start the client you don't have to load the entire blockchain from 0%
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: chryspano on July 28, 2015, 11:08:49 pm
in appdata\roaming\bitshares you need to copy the "wallets" folder

also create another json backup from GUI or the console and copy them both (the json file and the wallet folder) to at least two different storage media (usb / cd or dvd etc) You can restore your wallet with only one of the methods(json file or "wallets" folder) but if you only have one backup its like you are asking for trouble, lot of things can go wrong.
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: .yoshi on July 29, 2015, 12:41:54 am
Thanks for replies guys, I'll give an update when I'm all set (or if I make a mess of things)!
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: Riverhead on July 29, 2015, 02:06:59 am

You're good with steps one and two. Once your machine is reset and Bitshares is reinstalled simply launch the client and select File->Import Wallet and select the .json file on the USB stick from step 2. You're good to go.
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: Riverhead on July 29, 2015, 02:08:26 am
If I'm not mistaken, you could also copy the entire BitShares folder so next time you start the client you don't have to load the entire blockchain from 0%

Correct. If the chain folder and wallet folder fit on your USB stick you can save yourself a bit of time.

Do steps 1 through 4, launch and then exit the client (this creates the file structure under the %appsdata%). Replace the chain and wallet folders with what you have on your USB stick and relaunch the client.
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: santaclause102 on July 29, 2015, 07:15:35 am
You have thought about it already probably but in case you have saved your password for your wallet with a password manager make sure you backup that too.
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: .yoshi on July 29, 2015, 09:02:46 pm

You're good with steps one and two. Once your machine is reset and Bitshares is reinstalled simply launch the client and select File->Import Wallet and select the .json file on the USB stick from step 2. You're good to go.

Oh cool, can't believe I didn't check the file menu ><

Selecting 'Export Wallet' in the file menu should function the same as wallet_backup_create <json_filename>, correct? Doing it this way generated a .json file and it looks good to go, but I just want to be 100% sure!

Also probably a silly question but here is goes: the client does NOT need to be fully sync'd at the time the export/backup is created, right?
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: .yoshi on July 29, 2015, 09:31:58 pm
Just reread this thread and realized chryspano had already answered my first question - thanks!
Title: Re: Looking to reformat PC - what is the best way to migrate bitshares wallet?
Post by: xeroc on July 30, 2015, 06:26:11 am
Also probably a silly question but here is goes: the client does NOT need to be fully sync'd at the time the export/backup is created, right?
Nop .. it does not ..
unless someone sent you funds that you have not "catched" up yet ... then the transaction details will not be a part of the backup ..
catching those transactions is still possible with the backup though :)