Question for Bitcoin Gurus - GoFuckYourself.com

2MuchMark · 06-05-2019, 06:26 AM

A friend of mine is going through a divorce. Long story, blah. He thinks that there may be a bitcoin address in one of the files on a computer that he may lose in a settlement, but has no idea what file type it might be (text, html, word, excel, anything).

Is there a way to search a PC for a Bitcoin address, or bitcoin wallet? If she was to use file find or some other type of search program that would search all files for a string, what would it be?

Constant Phil · 06-05-2019, 06:36 AM

An address would be a text file...or word doc. Really depends on how he saved it...

2MuchMark · 06-05-2019, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Constant Phil

An address would be a text file...or word doc. Really depends on how he saved it...

Right. So not knowing the format of how it was saved, lets say its a .txt file for now, is there anything about the address itself that could be searched for? For example, do addresses always have the same number of characters, or have the same prefix or suffix, etc?

Constant Phil · 06-05-2019, 06:45 AM

Amazing what you find on google ;)

A Bitcoin address, or simply address, is an identifier of 26-35 alphanumeric characters, beginning with the number 1 , 3 or bc1 that represents a possible destination for a bitcoin payment.

Smack dat · 06-05-2019, 06:56 AM

wallet.dat

NoWhErE · 06-05-2019, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smack dat

wallet.dat

This is the correct answer. Unless your friend changed the file name to something else, the default name is "wallet.dat".

For safety, he can search for any .dat file. If he didn't move anything, it will most likely be under a folder named after a crypto currency.

Constant Phil · 06-05-2019, 08:06 AM

Thats where private key info is stored. He asked where his address was stored...i read it as he wrote it in a file then saved it. Perhaps I'm off base :shrug:

purecane · 06-05-2019, 08:54 AM

an address does not necessarily give you access to a wallet. you either need the .dat file, or you'll need the private key to open that address.

ghjghj · 06-05-2019, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2MuchMark

A friend of mine is going through a divorce. Long story, blah. He thinks that there may be a bitcoin address in one of the files on a computer that he may lose in a settlement, but has no idea what file type it might be (text, html, word, excel, anything).

Is there a way to search a PC for a Bitcoin address, or bitcoin wallet? If she was to use file find or some other type of search program that would search all files for a string, what would it be?

https://gist.github.com/chriswcohen/...5ba7354a986c34

06-05-2019, 06:26 AM	#1
2MuchMark Videochat Solutions Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 48,597	Question for Bitcoin Gurus A friend of mine is going through a divorce. Long story, blah. He thinks that there may be a bitcoin address in one of the files on a computer that he may lose in a settlement, but has no idea what file type it might be (text, html, word, excel, anything). Is there a way to search a PC for a Bitcoin address, or bitcoin wallet? If she was to use file find or some other type of search program that would search all files for a string, what would it be?

06-05-2019, 06:36 AM	#2
Constant Phil Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 270	An address would be a text file...or word doc. Really depends on how he saved it... __________________ [email protected]

06-05-2019, 06:45 AM	#4
Constant Phil Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 270	Amazing what you find on google ;) A Bitcoin address, or simply address, is an identifier of 26-35 alphanumeric characters, beginning with the number 1 , 3 or bc1 that represents a possible destination for a bitcoin payment. __________________ [email protected]

06-05-2019, 08:06 AM	#7
Constant Phil Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 270	Thats where private key info is stored. He asked where his address was stored...i read it as he wrote it in a file then saved it. Perhaps I'm off base :shrug: __________________ [email protected]

06-05-2019, 08:54 AM	#8
purecane Annakin Skywalker Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: megaminds' secret lair Posts: 1,324	an address does not necessarily give you access to a wallet. you either need the .dat file, or you'll need the private key to open that address. __________________ [email protected]

06-05-2019, 06:56 AM	#5
Smack dat So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 4,613	wallet.dat