<blockquote>
<p><strong>I ran the blockchain during 2009 and 2010</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>By &quot;ran the blockchain&quot; I guess you mean you ran Bitcoin-core wallet software sometimes known as Bitcoin-qt.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>I downloaded the Bitcoin.org wallet</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Bitcoin.org lists many wallets, I guess you mean Bitcoin-core wallet.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>I found an old file I had renamed to xxxx.dat.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are many different data formats and software applications that use &quot;.dat&quot; as a filename extension. So your xxxx.dat might not be a wallet.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Any suggestions?</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Check the format of your xxxx.dat file. See if it matches the expected format.</p>
<p>There are tools that <em>might</em> assist with this - such as <a href="https://github.com/jackjack-jj/pywallet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">pywallet</a>.</p>
<p>Otherwise maybe you have to download an ancient version of Bitcoin-core</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-07T16:24:14.777Z
It is from 2011. I thought it was a wallet from bitcoin core I purchased in 2011 to 2012.
Preston 
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-07T16:30:11.157Z
Down load an ancient? I thought it would handle any bitcoin core wallet. Back then it was the only wallet. I've forgotten who or where I purchased them.
Preston 
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-09T09:34:22.743Z
Bitcoin wallets are free, you would not have needed to purchase a wallet in 2011 or 2012.
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-06T15:53:23.027Z
2020-07-09T09:35:08.490Z
2020-07-09T09:35:08.490Z
RedGrittyBrick
<p>I ran Bitcoin during 2009 and 2010.</p>
<p>I found an old file I had renamed to xxxx.dat. I recently downloaded the Bitcoin.org wallet and let it run.</p>
<p>I get the &quot;wallet.dat corrupted, salvage failed&quot; message after I put in the file I believe to be my old wallet.dat. I have deleted the installation and restarted my computer. I hope to be able to start over. Any suggestions?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-06T05:07:16.043Z
Can you be more precise about what it is you are trying to do? Do you have bitcoins you want to recover?
David Schwartz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-06T06:24:49.267Z
I'm trying to see how many bitcoins are in it, and to recover them to cash in.
Preston 
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-06T06:30:19.733Z
I fear all of my bitcoins and altcoins have been stolen by mg
Preston 
<wallet.dat>
Wallet.dat corrupted
Preston 
# Wallet.dat corrupted

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-05)

I ran Bitcoin during 2009 and 2010.

I found an old file I had renamed to xxxx.dat. I recently downloaded the Bitcoin.org wallet and let it run.

I get the "wallet.dat corrupted, salvage failed" message after I put in the file I believe to be my old wallet.dat. I have deleted the installation and restarted my computer. I hope to be able to start over. Any suggestions?

**Tags:** wallet.dat

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you be more precise about what it is you are trying to do? Do you have bitcoins you want to recover?  
> **username_0**: I'm trying to see how many bitcoins are in it, and to recover them to cash in.  
> **username_0**: I fear all of my bitcoins and altcoins have been stolen by mg  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-07-06. Score: 1

> **I ran the blockchain during 2009 and 2010**

By "ran the blockchain" I guess you mean you ran Bitcoin-core wallet software sometimes known as Bitcoin-qt.

> **I downloaded the Bitcoin.org wallet**

Bitcoin.org lists many wallets, I guess you mean Bitcoin-core wallet.

> **I found an old file I had renamed to xxxx.dat.**

There are many different data formats and software applications that use ".dat" as a filename extension. So your xxxx.dat might not be a wallet.

> **Any suggestions?**

Check the format of your xxxx.dat file. See if it matches the expected format.

There are tools that *might* assist with this - such as [pywallet](https://github.com/jackjack-jj/pywallet).

Otherwise maybe you have to download an ancient version of Bitcoin-core

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: It is from 2011. I thought it was a wallet from bitcoin core I purchased in 2011 to 2012.  
> **username_0**: Down load an ancient? I thought it would handle any bitcoin core wallet. Back then it was the only wallet. I've forgotten who or where I purchased them.  
> **username_2**: Bitcoin wallets are free, you would not have needed to purchase a wallet in 2011 or 2012.  

---

