bitcoinwallet-salvage

This Rust crate is a direct translation from C++ to Rust of the Bitcoin Core salvage wallet implementation. It provides functions for recovering a corrupted Bitcoin wallet database file and extracting the private keys and Bitcoin addresses stored in it.

Notice: This crate is part of a direct translation from C++ to Rust of the Bitcoin Core. As such, some of the function bodies may still be in the process of translation. Please note that this system will become testable once the translation process is complete.

There are no mathematical concepts associated with the tokens used in this crate. The functions in this crate involve reading and parsing data from the wallet database file and performing file I/O operations to create a new, recovered database file. The KV and KeyValPair types represent key-value pairs stored in the database file, and the key_filter function filters a list of keys based on a given criterion. The recover_database_file function is the main function of the crate and performs the actual salvage operation on the database file.

8> when would we need to do this? what do we need to do to recover the information?

A Bitcoin wallet database file may become corrupted due to various reasons such as a software bug, hardware failure, or a power outage during a write operation. When this happens, the wallet may become inaccessible and the private keys and Bitcoin addresses stored in it may be lost.

The bitcoinwallet-salvage crate provides functions to recover the private keys and Bitcoin addresses stored in a corrupted wallet database file. The recover_database_file function reads the corrupted file and attempts to salvage as much data as possible. It extracts the private keys and Bitcoin addresses from the file and writes them to a new, recovered database file.

To use the bitcoinwallet-salvage crate, you would need to have a corrupted Bitcoin wallet database file and access to the file system where the file is located. You would then call the recover_database_file function, passing in the path to the corrupted file and the path to the location where you want the recovered file to be written. The function will then attempt to salvage the data from the corrupted file and write the recovered data to the new file.

It's important to note that while the bitcoinwallet-salvage crate can recover some data from a corrupted wallet database file, it may not be able to recover all of it. It's always a good practice to regularly back up your wallet and store the backup in a secure location to prevent data loss in case of a wallet database file corruption.

9> where ought we to secure our backup?

When backing up your Bitcoin wallet, it's important to store the backup in a secure location to prevent unauthorized access and ensure that the backup is available in case the original wallet becomes inaccessible. Here are some guidelines for securing your Bitcoin wallet backup:

1. Choose a secure storage location: Store your backup in a location that is physically secure and not easily accessible to unauthorized persons. A good option is to use a hardware wallet, which is a physical device that stores your private keys and can be locked away in a safe or other secure location.

2. Encrypt your backup: Encrypt your backup with a strong, unique password to prevent unauthorized access. Use a password manager to generate a strong password and store it securely.

3. Keep multiple backups: Make multiple copies of your backup and store them in different locations to ensure that you have a backup available in case one copy is lost or destroyed. However, make sure to store the backups in secure locations.

4. Test your backup: Test your backup by restoring it to a separate device or a different location to make sure that it works and that you can access your Bitcoin wallet.

5. Keep your backup up-to-date: Regularly update your backup to include any new private keys or Bitcoin addresses that you create.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your Bitcoin wallet backup is secure and that you have a reliable backup available in case of a wallet database file corruption or other issues.