FredSmith2021
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 12:00 pm

Found Some old crypto keys

Wed May 19, 2021 12:02 pm

Found some old crypto keys on a hard drive back up but cant remember what they are from.
tried the in a bitcoin wallet but don't seem right or able to import sweep them.
Anyone have any idea what they could be for...
public Key: 563KL************************34char

private key MUi*************************************52char

User avatar
nandibear
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2612
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2016 7:04 am

Donate BTC of your choice to 1DYss8ztWEgcM93SJtnpfYVt6fp7cwmjBk

Contact: Website Twitter Telegram

Re: Found Some old crypto keys

Wed May 19, 2021 5:52 pm

Found some old crypto keys on a hard drive back up but cant remember what they are from.
tried the in a bitcoin wallet but don't seem right or able to import sweep them.
Anyone have any idea what they could be for...
public Key: 563KL************************34char

private key MUi*************************************52char
Hi Fred,

Keys can be encoded in different formats. Most wallet apps nowadays only support sweeping (and sometimes importing) WIF private keys. WIF is Wallet Import Format.

WIF private keys are 51 characters and WIFC (compressed) private keys are 52 characters. I haven't ever seen one that starts with a letter "M" though. There are WIF private keys which start with the number "5" though. Is there a chance that you might have mistaken the public key for the private key?

If not, you can try either of the following options:

- convert the private key encodings to WIF (private key encodings include WIF, WIFC (both mentioned above) and HEX, B64, B6, MINI, BIP38).

- find an application(s) which supports the encoding or format of your private key and from there sweep or import (sweep is probably best). Please exercise due diligence, do not trust just any app / software.

If you'd like more information in regard to how to convert your private key please post a reply below.

BEWARE of anyone who might contact you in direct message and please NEVER share your private key with anyone (including support teams).
Image

User avatar
nandibear
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2612
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2016 7:04 am

Donate BTC of your choice to 1DYss8ztWEgcM93SJtnpfYVt6fp7cwmjBk

Contact: Website Twitter Telegram

Re: Found Some old crypto keys

Thu May 20, 2021 9:49 am

I was thinking more about this.

You said "crypto keys," so maybe this isn't strictly bitcoins.

Could these be Litecoin keys?

For example a Litecoin p2sh address (wrapped Segwit) starts with "M"

I think also Litecoin address is up to 34 characters.

Other than that a Bitcoin Testnet address (pubkey hash) can start with an "M" (as opposed to a Bitcoin Testnet script hash address which starts with a "2")

Note also that Bitcoin Testnet coins do not have the same monetary value as bitcoins. They weren't intended to have any monetary value although someone may be willing to purchase them (for testing purposes).
Image

FredSmith2021
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 19, 2021 12:00 pm

Re: Found Some old crypto keys

Thu May 20, 2021 2:42 pm

Thank you for the response, I am still trying to work out what format these keys are in, i know they are from around 2014.

User avatar
nandibear
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2612
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2016 7:04 am

Donate BTC of your choice to 1DYss8ztWEgcM93SJtnpfYVt6fp7cwmjBk

Contact: Website Twitter Telegram

Re: Found Some old crypto keys

Fri May 21, 2021 3:58 am

Thank you for the response, I am still trying to work out what format these keys are in, i know they are from around 2014.
You're welcome, no problem.

You can try using the stand-alone files at https://www.bitaddress.org to convert your private key. DON'T enter your private key on the site itself.

I think the safest way to do this would be to download the zip file on one computer and then save to a memory drive and then connect that drive to a different computer which has NEVER been online (and that wont be EVER be online in the future either).

Most people don't have a computer dedicated to strictly offline use. So, a workaround would be the following:

1. Go to bitaddress.org and click the (zip) of the "GitHub Repository (zip)" to automatically download the standalone (link found towards the bottom left corner of the bitaddress.org website)

2. After you download the zip restart your computer.

3. Disable internet (and if using an ethernet cable you should unplug it)

4. Extract files from the zip.

5. Open a web browser (e.g., Pale Moon, Brave, Vivaldi, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)

6. Drag the bitaddress.org HTML file (not the sig file, unless you want to first verify the signature) into your browser.

7. The file (when opened in your web browser) should look like the bitaddress.org website. Click on "Wallet Details" (it's in the green colored part of the screen)

8. Type in or paste in your private key and then click on "View Details"

9. You should now see different encodings of your private key (and the public key too). (I embedded a screenshot below of an example of what you'll see).

10. If you're using the Bitcoin.com wallet app you can scan (with your Bitcoin.com wallet app, in Settings I think there is a sweep option) the private key that says Private key WIF Compressed and sweep it. The Bitcoin.com wallet app supports both BTC and BCH. Note: If your private key is from circa 2014 (as you mentioned in your reply above), and if you do indeed do have a BTC balance, you should also have equal amounts of all subsequent forks (for example: Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin Gold (BTG), Bitcoin Diamond (BCD), Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV)). Exercise due diligence when attempting to claim the other forks because many of the wallet applications which support some of those forks will steal your private key and any coins related to the key.

11. When you're done using the standalone file in your browser you should clear your browser cache and restart your computer.

Please let us forum geeks know how it goes.

Image
Image

Return to “Technical Support”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests