How to backup and restore Protoshares-qt wallet?

[Clueless]

hi there,

i dumped the private keys as describes here (long time ago)
now i cannot convert the key to WIF Format to import into bitshares client - i guess the conversion is somehow different from bitcoin?
 any idea?

[xeroc]

you probably do not have a good peer in your list.
run this in your debug window:

For new client https://github.com/BitShares/BitShares-PTS/releases it's unnecessary, it's has good DNS seed build in.

Good to know!

[testz]

you probably do not have a good peer in your list.
run this in your debug window:

For new client https://github.com/BitShares/BitShares-PTS/releases it's unnecessary, it's has good DNS seed build in.

[xeroc]

you probably do not have a good peer in your list.
run this in your debug window:

Code: [Select]

addnode 222.240.190.84:3888 add
addnode 211.101.15.143:3888 add
addnode 208.68.38.68:3888 add
addnode 195.177.250.202:3888 add
addnode 203.116.142.129:54792 add
addnode 107.170.207.147:3888 add
addnode 76.8.86.82:39110 add
addnode 122.225.82.150:3035 add
addnode 68.9.222.246:1166 add
addnode 61.178.119.26:62620 add
addnode 24.127.42.17:50517 add
addnode 195.93.239.31:3888 add
addnode 162.243.214.189:3888 add
addnode 86.196.170.180:58915 add
addnode 71.202.115.201:60846 add
addnode 114.158.134.34:62805 add
addnode 122.5.16.117:59729 add
addnode 208.40.79.146:57094 add
addnode 84.31.236.32:34055 add
addnode 218.16.254.130:4727 add
addnode 61.133.219.114:54547 add
addnode 78.0.68.184:14576 add
addnode 79.11.157.186:37586 add
addnode 213.114.71.89:55198 add
addnode 85.170.50.59:61473 add
addnode 121.8.210.23:2209 add
addnode 218.76.218.140:3888 add
addnode 172.248.45.93:51019 add
addnode 101.226.247.100:63077 add
addnode 173.161.13.5:27931 add
addnode 114.230.189.9:35670 add
addnode 50.142.185.40:65427 add
addnode 178.74.110.238:49289 add
addnode 66.37.81.34:56454 add
addnode 143.177.26.246:54605 add
addnode 54.200.225.81:57452 add
addnode 171.98.24.137:56400 add
addnode 218.104.71.166:47562 add
addnode 221.180.20.121:13199 add
addnode 123.108.223.86:55132 add
addnode 223.66.251.188:55913 add
addnode 174.55.90.4:50468 add
addnode 121.28.182.200:60515 add
addnode 117.8.71.123:42790 add
addnode 42.49.173.178:14386 add
addnode 173.66.76.45:61862 add
addnode 42.48.125.168:23048 add

It adding my list of pts nodes

[testz]

Hi guys,

I have a problem. I had to reinstall my Windows. So I did a backup of my wallet and, additionally, moved my wallet to other HDD. Reinstalled Windows, but now when I open my wallet it says 0 PTS and it doesn't synchronize. What do I do?

Make sure you have installed latest client from:
https://github.com/BitShares/BitShares-PTS/releases

1. Run the client and wait until it's get syncronized (it's take 1-2 hours)
2. Close the client
3. Navigate to %AppData%\Roaming\BitShares-PTS folder (typically C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming On Win7 and above)
4. Replace wallet.dat file with one from your backup
5. Run the client, you should see your balance

[feelgood2]

Hi guys,

I have a problem. I had to reinstall my Windows. So I did a backup of my wallet and, additionally, moved my wallet to other HDD. Reinstalled Windows, but now when I open my wallet it says 0 PTS and it doesn't synchronize. What do I do?

[Riverhead]

It depends if you're just trying to make a backup of your PTS wallet for safe keeping or actually run the client from the USB stick.

If it's the former all you need to do is the following:

1) Exit out of the client so that it is not running any more.
2) Navigate to %AppData%\roaming\protoshares folder (typically C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming On Win7 and above)
3) Copy your wallet.dat to your USB drive (I like to call it pts_wallet.dat on the backup drive so I can tell which coin is backed up. It should already be encrypted from the protoshares-qt client).
4) Restart client.

If you want you want and have room you can copy the whole protoshares folder from %AppData%\roaming to your thumbdrive so you don't have to redownload the blockchain if you re-install your PTS wallet on another computer.

If you want to run your PTS wallet from your thumbdrive don't use the SanDisc software as it creates a file container on the USB drive (sort of like working from within a zip file).  Just copy them with normal Windows cut/paste.  You'll need to make a .bat file to start the protoshshares.exe file with a datadir flag pointing to your thumbdrive where you copied the blockchain.

Depending on which option you're trying to do we can get into more detail about either.

If you really want to run your PTS client-qt from the thumbdrive AND want it all encrypted on top of the normal encryption checkout TrueCrypt.  It's an easy to use free piece of software that allows you to create a container on the USB drive and mount it as a drive so you can have a read/writable thumbdrive that is encrytped really well (http://www.truecrypt.org/)

Good luck!

I'm not really tech savvy just an investor. I ran into a problem trying to download my pts to my usb drive, but I got two messages the first one said your file will be opened as read only. To edit move file outside of vault, open, make changes ,save then drag the updated file back into the vault.

then the second message stated that my libgcc_s_dW2-l.dll is missing from my computer. Try reinstalling to fix this problem.

I thought saving the file will be a 123 step but unfortunately an obstacle had to come about.
I'm using a SanDisk USB drive Cruzer Glider.

Assistance for this problem will be appreciated thanks.

1 pts to who ever can help me thoroughly.

[cryptkeeper]

 

[cryptkeeper]

I'm not really tech savvy just an investor. I ran into a problem trying to download my pts to my usb drive, but I got two messages the first one said your file will be opened as read only. To edit move file outside of vault, open, make changes ,save then drag the updated file back into the vault.

then the second message stated that my libgcc_s_dW2-l.dll is missing from my computer. Try reinstalling to fix this problem.

I thought saving the file will be a 123 step but unfortunately an obstacle had to come about.
I'm using a SanDisk USB drive Cruzer Glider.

Assistance for this problem will be appreciated thanks.

1 pts to who ever can help me thoroughly.

[canuck]

I created a simple bat file in windows, then I upload an encrypted copy to several cloud storage\external drives.
A program called 'duplicati' auto encrypts, backup and then sync's to your preferred cloud storage (drive, dropbox etc.)

[santaclause102]

Am I right that the Prototshares qt client doens't exist for linux? Then booting from a USB with Linux on it wouldnt be an option...

It works fine on Linux.  You would just need to build your own binary from the git hub source.

Haha I am not a techie guy! Sounds advanced... Can that easily be done?

[Riverhead]

Am I right that the Prototshares qt client doens't exist for linux? Then booting from a USB with Linux on it wouldnt be an option...

It works fine on Linux.  You would just need to build your own binary from the git hub source.

[santaclause102]

Am I right that the Prototshares qt client doens't exist for linux? Then booting from a USB with Linux on it wouldnt be an option...

[santaclause102]

OK. Thanks! 

[toast]

Ok. So as long as I copy the wallet.dat file that was in use every 100 transactions or less I am safe. And also it doesn't do harm to replace the original wallet.dat copy with the wallet.dat file that was recently used. Correct?
 

Correct. I always just keep my wallet backup up-to-date.

Offtopic: How can I empty the wallet on a USB stick that was connected to a Internet Cafe omputer? Does my system (potentially) get infected just by pluging a USB stick into an infected computer and afterwards into my main computer?

Potentially, yes. This is beyond my expertise though.

And would I be able to send coins from the wallet that is within Linux on an USB Stick? Will linux connect to the Internet via the computer to which the USB stick is connected to?

Yes. Another thing you can do (though it's not easy) is use createraxtransaction / signrawtrasaction via the debug console. Then you could manually do the "offline signing" strategy that the Armory BTC client enables: https://bitcoinarmory.com/about/using-our-wallet/

[santaclause102]

Ah, I see Riverhead has addressed that. Yes, before 100 transactions, your change will be safe because of the key pool. Please just be aware of how this works. I lost a lot of btc back in the day from not understanding this.

Ok. So as long as I copy the wallet.dat file that was in use every 100 transactions or less I am safe. And also it doesn't do harm to replace the original wallet.dat copy with the wallet.dat file that was recently used. Correct?
 
Offtopic: How can I empty the wallet on a USB stick that was connected to a Internet Cafe omputer? Does my system (potentially) get infected just by pluging a USB stick into an infected computer and afterwards into my main computer?

And would I be able to send coins from the wallet that is within Linux on an USB Stick? Will linux connect to the Internet via the computer to which the USB stick is connected to?

[toast]

Ah, I see Riverhead has addressed that. Yes, before 100 transactions, your change will be safe because of the key pool. Please just be aware of how this works. I lost a lot of btc back in the day from not understanding this.

[toast]

When I want to use coins I copy the wallet.dat file on the USB stick to the maleware free computer  (to appdata/protoshares) and send my coins either to the hot wallet address or directly to whoever I want to send coins to... Then I erase the wallet.dat file on the maleware free computer again without saving it.

Careful! Don't do quite this!
Your wallet will generate a change address and send some number of coins to that address. Your original backup will not have this change address!
You will either have to re-save it, or use sendmany via the console to send it back.
There is a bounty open to build a client that will control your change address so that this is not an issue.

[Riverhead]

Waoh that was accurate

...so I have to replace the originally stored wallet.dat file with the one that was recently used (by the client) every 100 (or less) transactions?

Yup.

...so storing my wallet.dat file, alongside with an installed client within a Linux environment on a USB Stick, helps me to not get my USB stick infected when I have to use it (in an internet cafe) with maleware infected computers?

It may or may not help you.  If you can reboot the cafe computer to boot off your USB stick you're probably more protected than not.  However if you're sticking a USB stick into a cafe computer running its, most likely, infected OS it won't make a difference if you have Linux installed on the stick or not unless your install, or at least home directory, is encrypted.  In that case though even you wouldn't be able to access the wallet.dat file haha.  So the whole putting Linux on a USB stick to protect your wallet.dat file only works if you can boot off the USB stick.

IMHO putting a wallet.dat file onto a cafe computer is very dangerous because you never know what has been done to them.  For example hardware key loggers can sit between the keyboard and the computer and then it doesn't matter what OS or security you're using.  That doesn't get them your private key per se but it's a step closer.  Basically once you expose your wallet.dat and your passphrase (to send money) in an unknown computer your taking a risk.  Maybe not always a big one but a risk none the less.

There's no reason you can't have another wallet with a very very small amount of coins in it for cafe use.  Just assume it's like cash in your pocket that could be lost or stolen.  Load it up before you leave your home and empty what you haven't spent when you get home again.

[arcke]

Waoh that was accurate

...so I have to replace the originally stored wallet.dat file with the one that was recently used (by the client) every 100 (or less) transactions?

...so storing my wallet.dat file, alongside with an installed client within a Linux environment on a USB Stick, helps me to not get my USB stick infected when I have to use it (in an internet cafe) with maleware infected computers?

I choose not to type my passphrase on a public computer. This is one part of wallet security. When there is malware on a public computer it might be logging keys and the passphrase gets stolen.

[santaclause102]

Waoh that was accurate

...so I have to replace the originally stored wallet.dat file with the one that was recently used (by the client) every 100 (or less) transactions?

...so storing my wallet.dat file, alongside with an installed client within a Linux environment on a USB Stick, helps me to not get my USB stick infected when I have to use it (in an internet cafe) with maleware infected computers?

[Riverhead]

So is it true that the wallet.dat file contains your public and your private key as well as the encryption you used? <- I am thinking that because you said the only thing that has to be done is to encrypt wallet (within the client) and then only safe the wallet.dat file. So the encryption must be stored in the wallet.dat file?

The wallet.dat file contains everything specific to the addresses you claim as yours.  The public/private key pairs, some transaction information, etc.  It is encrypted using your passphrase.  What the wallet.dat file specifically contains and how it is encrypted (using I believe AES-256-CBC) is well documented elsewhere.  The important takeaway from this thread is that the wallet.dat file is all you need.  Everything else is generic software that everyone has.

Also if I rename the wallet.da file I would have to re-rename it to "wallet.dat" again when I want to do a transaction with it, right?

Yes.  The renaiming is only for your personal reference.  The client looks for a wallet.at file in the specific location (%AppData%/Protoshares for example) and creates one if it doesn't find one.  When restoring your wallet from your pts_wallet.dat backup you'd need to rename it back to wallet.dat for the client to recognize and load it.

After having done a transaction there is nothing that changed within the wallet.dat file, right (its still just the public and the private key and the encryption)? So I don't have to replace this wallet.dat file that I just used with the one that I originally made a copy of, right?

The wallet.dat file holds a bit more information than that however the most import part, you are correct, is the public/private key pool.  This pool has a default of 100 key pairs and gets another 100 added once they are used up.

My solution would look like this: I have one Computer with a hot wallet for daily transactions. From this wallet I send all the PTS/Coins I want to store to an address that is generated by a client on a computer with a fresh OS (this Computer has no other function; surely maleware free). Then I encrypt this wallet and safe only the wallet.dat file on a USB Stick that is encryped with TrueCrypt.
When I want to use coins I copy the wallet.dat file on the USB stick to the maleware free computer  (to appdata/protoshares) and send my coins either to the hot wallet address or directly to whoever I want to send coins to... Then I erase the wallet.dat file on the maleware free computer again without saving it.

This works well.  Just keep in mind that unless you send ALL your coins from your address the coins you do not send get returned to a hidden change address.  So if your "fresh os" wallet has 100 PTS and you send 10 PTS to another address the remaining 90 PTS will get sent to a Change Address in your wallet - burning one of the 100 pub/priv keys in your pool.  It's for this reason you need to refresh your backups every 100 transactions.

I am pretty sure I doent have maleware on my laptop because no coins have been stolen yet. But by the solution with the additional computer that has a fresh OS I can make sure that I dont copy and maleware onto the USB where I also safe my wallet.dat. Does that make sense ?! 

Any flaws in there?

Other people suggest to install an OS (Linux) on an USB Stick. What advantage would that have?

Sounds like you have a good strategy.  The one nice thing about Linux on a USB stick is that you can pretty much boot it with any computer and have access to an already downloaded blockchain, client, etc. in a malware/virus free environment.  The client AES-256-CBC encryption for the wallet.dat is pretty good, especially if you use a good pass phrase, so you don't need to get too paranoid .

[Riverhead]

Riverhead that was a nice summary Thanks! But it didnt answer any of my questions (specifically)

Your post wasn't there when I started mine .  I'll read yours and reply shortly.

[santaclause102]

Riverhead that was a nice summary Thanks! But it didnt answer any of my questions (specifically)

[Riverhead]

The quickest, safest, and easiest way to make sure you backup all you need is to follow these simple steps:

0) Make sure your wallet is encrypted!  This should have already been done anyway so it's step 0 .

1) Shut down your client

2) Find your wallet.dat file (in %AppData%/Protoshares or /home/<user>/.protoshares)

3) Copy your wallet.dat to another location and called it pts_wallet.dat or something similar so you don't confuse it with your XYZcoin.dat wallets.  For example I have pts_wallet.dat, ftc_wallet.dat, ltc_wallet.dat, btc_wallet.dat, etc. etc.).

4) Put the USB stick or whatever you copied it to in another physical location (in a drawer at work and/or home, your garage, etc.).  Somewhere that can be accessed if one location burns to the ground, gets wiped out by a plague of locus, etc.

5) Restart the client.

6) Rinse and repeat about every 100 transactions to make sure your backups have all your latest change address key pairs.

Depending on your level of trust in online storage solutions you could rename the pts_wallet.dat file to something like mittens.jpg and put it in the pictures folder of your Google Drive or other service.  Since it's encrypted it's reasonable safe from theft (though technically not totally safe) and renaming the file would save you from quick scans by someone who hacks an online storage site and scans for wallet.dat files.

The wallets are really really small.  On most $10 USB sticks now you could even back up the entire blockchain if you wanted to save yourself the time of downloading it again in the future but it's not required.  Your wallet.dat file is like your SIM card in your phone.  Everything else is generic software.

[santaclause102]

So is it true that the wallet.dat file contains your public and your private key as well as the encryption you used? <- I am thinking that because you said the only thing that has to be done is to encrypt wallet (within the client) and then only safe the wallet.dat file. So the encryption must be stored in the wallet.dat file?

Also if I rename the wallet.da file I would have to re-rename it to "wallet.dat" again when I want to do a transaction with it, right?

After having done a transaction there is nothing that changed within the wallet.dat file, right (its still just the public and the private key and the encryption)? So I don't have to replace this wallet.dat file that I just used with the one that I originally made a copy of, right?

My solution would look like this: I have one Computer with a hot wallet for daily transactions. From this wallet I send all the PTS/Coins I want to store to an address that is generated by a client on a computer with a fresh OS (this Computer has no other function; surely maleware free). Then I encrypt this wallet and safe only the wallet.dat file on a USB Stick that is encryped with TrueCrypt.
When I want to use coins I copy the wallet.dat file on the USB stick to the maleware free computer  (to appdata/protoshares) and send my coins either to the hot wallet address or directly to whoever I want to send coins to... Then I erase the wallet.dat file on the maleware free computer again without saving it.

I am pretty sure I doent have maleware on my laptop because no coins have been stolen yet. But by the solution with the additional computer that has a fresh OS I can make sure that I dont copy and maleware onto the USB where I also safe my wallet.dat. Does that make sense ?! 

Any flaws in there?

Other people suggest to install an OS (Linux) on an USB Stick. What advantage would that have?

[MrJeans]

Can someone link to the process of entirely restoring your address and private key in a new wallet from an encrypted wallet.dat backup?

So for mac you would download the client, allow it to sync. Then enable viewing of hidden files.
Then look for your .protoshares folder. This may be under your user name.
Open the .protoshares folder. Make sure the protoshares client shows 0 protoshares in the wallet. Delete the wallet.dat file in there (provided its a wallet you not using)!!!!
And replace the wallet.dat file with your encrypted wallet.

[renkcub]

Can someone link to the process of entirely restoring your address and private key in a new wallet from an encrypted wallet.dat backup?

[pvaladares]

You may print your Private Key in a paper and keep it in a safe.

[danielauhlig]

is there anyway to create a paper wallet and just get them off the computer all together?

[Riverhead]

Technically you can dump your private key and write it down somewhere.  However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

I have found my .protoshares folder on mac. I have made multiple copies of the wallet.dat file and stored it on cds and flash drives.
If I now cut and past the .protoshares folder on my mac onto a flash drive. Will this effectively remove my wallet from the computer and place it on the flash drive? I don't want to leave any vulnerable data on my computer.

If so, I will just plug my flash drive in every time I want to make a transaction

Correct.  The wallet.dat file has all the good stuff in it.  Everything else is generic software that'll be about the same on everyone's computer.  I keep my wallets in tar/zip file on flash memory and just copy whichever one I want to do a transaction with into the right folder, fire up the client, make my transaction, close the client and then delete the wallet.dat file.  You'll want to refresh your wallet.dat file backups every one hundred transactions to make sure it contains a complete and up to date copy of the key pool.

[MrJeans]

Technically you can dump your private key and write it down somewhere.  However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

I have found my .protoshares folder on mac. I have made multiple copies of the wallet.dat file and stored it on cds and flash drives.
If I now cut and past the .protoshares folder on my mac onto a flash drive. Will this effectively remove my wallet from the computer and place it on the flash drive? I don't want to leave any vulnerable data on my computer.

If so, I will just plug my flash drive in every time I want to make a transaction

[Riverhead]

thanks allot!
Outside of forums I am the only person I know who knows what ProtoShares are.
So your help is greatly appreciated 

Glad to help coins from being lost forever . 

This is true for ANY coin using a Bitcoin forked wallet: Bitcoins, Litecoins, Feathercoins, Protoshares, Digitalcoins, Primecoins, and I'm sure a number of others.

[MrJeans]

thanks allot!
Outside of forums I am the only person I know who knows what ProtoShares are.
So your help is greatly appreciated 

[Riverhead]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.

However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

The wallet.dat file is small and fits easily on usb sticks, SD cards, etc.  Make a few copies of it and keep them in different physical locations (home, work, etc.).

I just want to be 1000% sure before I do this.
So I have encrypted my wallet.
I have made backup .dat files (which I have saved multiple copies of on USB sticks to keep on the shelf).

I am now going to delete all other photoshare related stuff from my computer (like the client etc).

The only thing I am keeping are the .dat files. Which I will use to claim shares in DACs.

Please someone confirm if this is right.

Thanks!

Correct.  I do this all the time since I don't keep my .dat file on my active computers.  If you want to test this just throw a different HD in there or boot off a live CD and download and sync the block chain, exit the client, overwrite the wallet.dat file that's there with your backup of your wallet and restart the client.  You'll see all your coins.

Keep in mind though that your wallet.dat (probably more accurately called a keyring) contains your pool of private/public keys.  It is important to refresh your backups every 100 transactions.  Read up on "Change Addresses" to understand how the client uses a pool of priv/pub keys in your .dat file.

[MrJeans]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.

However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

The wallet.dat file is small and fits easily on usb sticks, SD cards, etc.  Make a few copies of it and keep them in different physical locations (home, work, etc.).

I just want to be 1000% sure before I do this.
So I have encrypted my wallet.
I have made backup .dat files (which I have saved multiple copies of on USB sticks to keep on the shelf).

I am now going to delete all other photoshare related stuff from my computer (like the client etc).

The only thing I am keeping are the .dat files. Which I will use to claim shares in DACs.

Please someone confirm if this is right.

Thanks!

[MrJeans]

Encrypt your wallet with at least 15 chars of password (alphanumeric with special chars) in Setting -> Encrypt Wallet

Backup / print your private keys
Get the private key of each of your PTS address using command dumpprivkey <address>
To import private key to wallet importprivkey <privatekey>

Hi there,


Where on the client does one use those commands?  Cant mess this up.  Are you talkng about the console?  Sorry Im really computer dumb but love PTS, thanks...

So you would type the commands in the debug window (on the client). You can open the debug window by opening the client, then clicking on 'help' then 'debug window'. Type in the commands and press enter to let them execute.

As a fellow newbie I would say that you need to be very sure of what you doing before using the debug window.
I would follow the advice of Riverhead above.

[Knox500]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.

Technically you can dump your private key and write it down somewhere.  However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

The wallet.dat file is small and fits easily on usb sticks, SD cards, etc.  Make a few copies of it and keep them in different physical locations (home, work, etc.).

It is also important to understand that you should refresh this backup of your wallet.dat file at least every 99 transactions.  The reason for this is that the wallet starts out with a pool of 100 key pairs that are used for transactions that require new key pairs.  When you have burned through your pool of keys the wallet-qt client will create an additional 100 keys in the pool.  At this point you would need to refresh all your backups of your wallet.dat file so that the new transactions using these keys are backed up as well.

If you need to use your backup simply install the client somewhere and copy your wallet.dat back into the directory you backed it up from.  Once the block chain catches up you'll see all your transactions.

You can keep your wallet.dat file off line all the time and only drop it into a client data directory when you want to do a transaction.  It doesn't need to stay in sync with the network until you're ready to do a transaction.  None of my wallet.dat files with balances stay on a computer for more than the few minutes it takes to do a transaction.  Even the best hackers can't steal a file sitting on an SD card on a shelf  .

Think of the wallet.dat file sort of like a SIM card for a cell phone.  It's the only thing that matters...the rest is just generic hardware/software.

I encrypted the wallet and changed the file name.  Where does one find the directory on the client?  Are you talking about the console?  Im trying to understand this, "wallet.dat back into the directory you backed it up from".  Thank you.

[Knox500]

Encrypt your wallet with at least 15 chars of password (alphanumeric with special chars) in Setting -> Encrypt Wallet

Backup / print your private keys
Get the private key of each of your PTS address using command dumpprivkey <address>
To import private key to wallet importprivkey <privatekey>

Hi there,


Where on the client does one use those commands?  Cant mess this up.  Are you talkng about the console?  Sorry Im really computer dumb but love PTS, thanks...

[MrJeans]

I am using the windows PTSqt. How do I dump the private key?
Is this the private key that one would use when claiming shares one new DACs?
Or would I use the .dat file to obtain the new DAC shares?

Thanks

The .dat file should be enough to claim your new DAC shares.

If you want to dump the privkey. Type "dumpprivkey PXXXXXXXXXX" in the windows QT debug window. Replace the PXXXXXX with your public key.

A little embarrassing... but how to I find the public key.

[Riverhead]

Folks,

Please Google "change addresses" and understand them before backing up just your private key.

[cass]

Encrypt your wallet with at least 15 chars of password (alphanumeric with special chars) in Setting -> Encrypt Wallet

[Amazon]

I am using the windows PTSqt. How do I dump the private key?
Is this the private key that one would use when claiming shares one new DACs?
Or would I use the .dat file to obtain the new DAC shares?

Thanks

The .dat file should be enough to claim your new DAC shares.

If you want to dump the privkey. Type "dumpprivkey PXXXXXXXXXX" in the windows QT debug window. Replace the PXXXXXX with your public key.

[MrJeans]

I am using the windows PTSqt. How do I dump the private key?
Is this the private key that one would use when claiming shares one new DACs?
Or would I use the .dat file to obtain the new DAC shares?

Thanks

[Riverhead]

Can a Linux-Qt client read a Windows-Qt client's wallet?

Yup.

[GoldTiger69]

Can a Linux-Qt client read a Windows-Qt client's wallet?

[joele]

Encrypt your wallet with at least 15 chars of password (alphanumeric with special chars) in Setting -> Encrypt Wallet

Backup / print your private keys
Get the private key of each of your PTS address using command dumpprivkey <address>
To import private key to wallet importprivkey <privatekey>

[Riverhead]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.

Technically you can dump your private key and write it down somewhere.  However all you really need to do is make sure to 1) encrypt your wallet and 2) make a copy of your wallet.dat file found in %AppData%/protoshares on Windows and ~/.protoshares on Linux.

The wallet.dat file is small and fits easily on usb sticks, SD cards, etc.  Make a few copies of it and keep them in different physical locations (home, work, etc.).

It is also important to understand that you should refresh this backup of your wallet.dat file at least every 99 transactions.  The reason for this is that the wallet starts out with a pool of 100 key pairs that are used for transactions that require new key pairs.  When you have burned through your pool of keys the wallet-qt client will create an additional 100 keys in the pool.  At this point you would need to refresh all your backups of your wallet.dat file so that the new transactions using these keys are backed up as well.

If you need to use your backup simply install the client somewhere and copy your wallet.dat back into the directory you backed it up from.  Once the block chain catches up you'll see all your transactions.

You can keep your wallet.dat file off line all the time and only drop it into a client data directory when you want to do a transaction.  It doesn't need to stay in sync with the network until you're ready to do a transaction.  None of my wallet.dat files with balances stay on a computer for more than the few minutes it takes to do a transaction.  Even the best hackers can't steal a file sitting on an SD card on a shelf  .

Think of the wallet.dat file sort of like a SIM card for a cell phone.  It's the only thing that matters...the rest is just generic hardware/software.

[fav]

chain, wallet and additional data lies in %appdata%\protoshares if you use windows

[her0]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.

I think you just need backup you private key .

[ahpigsy]

Is there any information online on how to do this. I see there's a backup function but no restore.  Noob.