Plenty of people mined or bought Bitcoin years ago on a laptop or desktop that later died, got wiped or ended up in a closet. If that wallet still exists on the disk, the coins may be recoverable. This is also an area full of scams, so it pays to know how legitimate recovery works.
Where old wallets live
- Bitcoin Core: a file called
wallet.dat, in the Bitcoin data folder (on Windows, usually under%APPDATA%\Bitcoin) - Electrum: wallet files in the Electrum data folder
- MultiBit, Armory and other early wallets: their own wallet and key files
- Paper wallets and BIP38 keys: sometimes saved as PDFs or images
- Seed phrases: occasionally in old text files, notes or photos
If you think a drive holds a wallet
- Don't install a new operating system or a wallet app onto that drive. Writing to it can overwrite deleted wallet files.
- Don't keep powering a failing drive to "look around". If it clicks, is slow or isn't detected, stop.
- Work from a copy. Professionals image the drive first and search the image, never the original.
- Gather your hints: password patterns you used, years, likely wallet software, and proof of ownership such as exchange withdrawals to the address or purchase records.
How legitimate wallet recovery works
A legitimate lab recovers files from damaged or formatted media, then, for verified owners only, searches for a forgotten wallet password using hints you provide. Done properly:
- Ownership is verified before any password work
- Terms and pricing are agreed in writing, under NDA
- The lab never takes custody of your funds; you get access back and move the coins yourself
- Nobody asks you to type a seed phrase into a website or send one by chat or email
Warning signs of a recovery scam
We never ask for a seed phrase in live chat, and you shouldn't share one there. Learn more about crypto wallet recovery, or start a confidential evaluation.
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis of your device. Every case is different; a free evaluation tells you exactly what's wrong.