Ethereum Wallet Recovery After a Hard Drive Crash
Excerpt: A crashed hard drive can wipe out your Ethereum wallet. Learn how to salvage keystore files and recover ETH in the 2020 DeFi boom.
Post: Ethereum’s 2020 DeFi surge, with ETH at $600, made wallet recovery critical. Software wallets like Mist or MyEtherWallet store private keys in JSON keystore files, encrypted with user passwords. A hard drive crash can delete these, but recovery is possible if data isn’t overwritten, per a 2020 TechRadar guide.
Recovery Process: Use data recovery tools like Recuva or TestDisk to retrieve keystore files. If found, the correct password decrypts the file for wallet access via MyEtherWallet or MetaMask. Forgotten passwords require brute-forcing, testing millions of combinations based on user hints. A 2020 Etherscan blog warns against online decryption tools, as phishing risks spiked during the DeFi boom.
Steps for Recovery:
- Stop Drive Use: Prevent overwriting data.
- Run Recovery Software: Tools like Recuva work on non-encrypted drives.
- Decrypt Keystore: Use offline systems for password attempts.
Crypto Basics for ETH Wallets: Ethereum’s blockchain uses public-private key pairs, with keystores as encrypted backups. Understanding wallet formats (e.g., UTC– files) aids recovery. Backing up keystores on USBs or cloud (encrypted) prevents loss. CoinDesk reported a 2020 surge in ETH recovery demand due to DeFi’s complexity.
Prevention Tips:
- Store multiple keystore copies offline.
- Use password managers for secure credential storage.
- Check r/ethereum for community recovery advice.
Sources:
- TechRadar, “Data Recovery Tools 2020,” 2020.
- Etherscan, “Wallet Security,” 2020.
- CoinDesk, “DeFi Boom 2020,” 2020.