Big problem with Electrum. Can't restore my wallet and password not working

[killmultibit]

Hi,

I have a big problem with Electrum. I had 2.8 version and i go to 3.5 I verify the files and the install goes well. I change my password and i wrote it. I wrote my seed words.

5 days later i want to connect to my wallet. The password doesn't work. Ok i used my seed words. My wallet was restored but with nothing on it (no money, transactions, history, nothing...)

I tried 10 times and i did all again.

If someone can help retrieve my money. I will give him a reward. Thanks,

[ramontayag]

@killmultibit did you try and restore with version 2.8? What happens?

[AbdussamadA]

@killmultibit @ramontayag always use the latest version when restoring since electrum maintains backwards compatibility with old seed formats. new versions have bug fixes that old ones do not.

@killmultibit Seems like you are facing 2 here. See if the suggestions there help.

[killmultibit]

Ok thanks for you answers. I try to restore the old version ,doesn't work. I follow the instructions on electrum website for the seed doesn't work. I can't even restore a old version of my wallet.dat...

Nothing works. I'm dying...

[bauerj]

Could you verify if the addresses in your wallet match the addresses you used to have in your wallet?

If nothing else works and you still have a backup of your wallet file, try to restore it with the newest version from when that wallet was created. You can find old versions of Electrum here: http://download.electrum.org/ If that succeeds, you should be able to export the seed and check if that differs from what you wrote down.

[killmultibit]

I can't... I can't access to the wallet and when i restore it, there is nothing (no transactions, adresses...) I try all the versions 2.8 to 3.5. I am actually trying the oldest version but i'm very worried.

[ecdsa]

did you ever change the gap limit of your wallet?

[AbdussamadA]

You have to go to view menu > show addresses and then switch to addresses tab to see the addresses. It seems you ignored the link i posted above.

Use only 3.0.5.

[killmultibit]

@ramontayag I did click on the link. I try it nothing works.

The gap limit of my wallet ? I never touch that... I go to view menu show adresses, but nothing happens. I try oldest versions same problem. I think the wallet.dat file is corrupted some how... I can't reload an older versions with windows for my other wallet file i can) And i try to use btcrecover and it doesn't seems to reconize my wallet...

A nightmare

[AbdussamadA]

so the addresses tab doesn't show up?

[bauerj]

...or is the list empty?

[killmultibit]

The list is empty. I have only receive adresse. I just found a list of private keys of this wallet (.sv files) but when i wanna try to restore the wallet with this it can't work on Electrum, i can't click on "next" button.

[bauerj]

So the list is not empty. Do you recognize any of the receive addresses?

The .sv file is not from Electrum. You might be able to import or sweep the private keys though.

[killmultibit]

I can't tell... The last time who i receive money it's long time ago. I keep this wallet untouched or to send money not to receive...

EDIT : no i don't think so

[ecdsa]

is your wallet on an electrum seed, or a bip39 seed?

[killmultibit]

@ecdsa

It's Electrum Seed.

[lzsaver]

Do you have wallets in the %APPDATA%\Electrum\wallets folder? Did you use the portable version?

[killmultibit]

@lzsaver Yes all my wallets is this folder. I don't use portable version.

Just to know, i try to use btcrecover. Nothing happens, can't find my password.

I will give 1000 dollars who find me a solution.

[AbdussamadA]

• What color circle icon do you see in the bottom right?

• Click on that circle icon and tell me what the value is for "Blockchain"?

• Does switching servers help?

• What does it say in the bottom left? Does it show a balance there?

[lzsaver]

I go to view menu show adresses, but nothing happens. I try oldest versions same problem.

We still need to know - do you have the same addresses that you had before?

[killmultibit]

@AbdussamadA @Izsaver

1 / Green 2 / I don't know what you mean... 3/ Try all servers nothing happens. Nothing change 4 / Nothing

5/ I can't tell , i don't knwo they don't look like the same before... I can't tell.

I use btcrecover but i have a memory problem and he can't finish the process. I'm very worried.

I think my wallet was corrupted when i install the 3.4 version , then i change my password then i install the 3.5. I don't know what to do , maybe there is a way to restore old password ?

[AbdussamadA]

To change servers you have to right click on them and choose use server. Is that what you tried?

If yes then I can only conclude that you didn't save the seed for the wallet you are trying to restore. You saved the seed for a different wallet. Search for the correct seed.

[killmultibit]

Yes i do this. I'm sure of my seed 100 %.

[killmultibit]

Try it with btcrecover, no results. I can't loose this wallet it's all my wallet there. Please someboy help me. How can i repair the wallet ?

[bauerj]

You can try and manually decrypt the wallet if you're sure the password is correct. Otherwise, since you don't seem to have the seed for this wallet, there's not really much you can do.

[killmultibit]

@bauerj I have the seed for this wallet. They doesn't work. I get an empty wallet with no transactions.

[bauerj]

Maybe you chose a seed extension or used a different derivation path?

[killmultibit]

@bauerj I check it. No. All good. I'm devasted.

[bauerj]

Does your wallet require you to enter a password when you start it or only when you send coins from it?

[killmultibit]

@bauerj

When i start it.

[SomberNight]

@killmultibit Can you come to IRC? #electrum on freenode

[killmultibit]

@SomberNight

What for ? Do you have a solution for me ?

[AbdussamadA]

Communication is faster over IRC. If you come on IRC we can do this whole troubleshooting business much faster.

[killmultibit]

@AbdussamadA Done

[killmultibit]

Still not finding a solution of my problem . Someone know a good password recover service ?

[Near28]

Ok, I had a similar problem a while ago. Update from 2.6x to 3.0.3. You have a corrupt wallet, your seed and pw are different from those in your wallet. How much BTC are locked in the Wallet?

[killmultibit]

@Near28

2.5 btc. Now i'm pretty sure that the wallet is corrupted. I try every solution possible to make it work... Do you have a solution ?

[Near28]

@killmultibit

unfortunately, not really.

Electrum 2.8 was the first version of Electrum you used? is your whole wallet file encrypted?

[ecdsa]

@killmultibit what is in your .sv file? where does this file come from?

[killmultibit]

@Near28

1 : Yes. 2 : what do you mean "whole" ? The wallet is encrypted. @ecdsa sv file ? You mean the wallet file ? When i open it, it's only crypted data, acombinaison of letters and numbers...

[SomberNight]

@killmultibit

I just found a list of private keys of this wallet (.sv files)

^ you said that. what sv file(s) were you talking about?

[Near28]

@killmultibit yes, I just read that electrum 2.8 by default encodes the whole wallet.

if the wallet were not encrypted, you could have tried copying all the key files into a new wallet file. So I fixed a Corrupt Wallet. I think some HDD writing error has caused that. The only thing that surprises me is that Electrum opens the Wallet file - in my experience Corrupt Wallets are not opened at all.

You can try to decrypt it manually, but the chances are probably close to zero.

Check your Download History, have you download electrum 3.5 from electrum.org ?

[ecdsa]

@killmultibit I suppose the you means .csv file and not .sv file. Please also note that Electrum does not name its wallet file wallet.dat; Bitcoin Core does. Your statements are vague, and you do not provide accurate answers, I doubt someone will be able to help you if you do not communicate accurate information.

I believe there is a high chance that you saved the seed for a different wallet than the one you used, and that you forgot the password to the wallet that has your funds. If you ever imported a wallet.dat file into electrum, then your wallet is an imported wallet and does not have seed words.

[AbdussamadA]

You can import private keys using this guide. If you need one on one help you can email me at support+km@bitcoinspakistan.com.

[Near28]

@killmultibit

I believe the best option you have is to crack the Password. I had a similar problem, look into my thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2987479.0 . My password was probably changed by a bug - I think you have the same problem.

If you have not lost hope, contact me - I'll give you the instructions to install an Amazon instance and the tools to crack the password (Hashcat, JTR or BTCRecover).

[killmultibit]

@Near28

I think you are right about the password. I think when i change it , there was a bug. Remember that when i changed the password, i do it on the electrum version who has a serious "bug" and a security problem. And for the seed, i click on it right after. Then i installed the new version.

I think when i use btcrecover i can't make a "good" passwordlist"I don't know how to make the software try various form of my actual password. How can i do it ?

Just for info, i can open the wallet file, but i can't access it because of the password.

@AbdussamadA I will try to follow the guide. Thanks for the info.

[Near28]

@killmultibit

BTCRecover has a detailed tutorial page: https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover/blob/master/TUTORIAL.md I do not know your password (structure), so it is a bit difficult to give tips for a good token file.

Start with the Typos, so you can exclude that you have errors with upper/lower letters, swapt letters, missing letters or double letters. (these are usually the most common mistakes)

Now I have to ask - you ever used the password after you have changed it?

BTCRecover would not be my first choice, It does not support GPU acceleration.

[killmultibit]

If you have an another software to recommend, i open to any suggestion. I use btcrecover because its "easy" to use, even for a newbie for me. I will try all this week end with new passwordlist. I will let you know.