$500 challenge

I’ve stashed $500 in bitcoin away in a legacy address. The kicker? The private key is actually the SHA-256 hash of a random file from the Windows XP install disc. Sounds kinda random, right? It shouldn’t take forever to try each one and see if you can dig it up.

this information can help alot: Service Pack Version: A disc with Service Pack 3 (SP3) will have more files than one with SP2 or the original RTM (Release To Manufacturing) version, as service packs include numerous updates and bug fixes. Edition: While the core files are similar, there might be slight differences between Windows XP Home, Professional, Media Center Edition, or Tablet PC Edition discs. Language: Different language versions would naturally have different sets of language-specific files.

Roughly speaking, we need to go through all the XP options

The search itself is very fast, it's just a simple hash and a binary search. The problem is spending time to write the script that does the search without being confident about the existence of the reward

Once I sync my custom bitcoin client (coded completely using ai) I will have a go at the puzzle. Edits: 155,000 blocks synced 200,000 blocks synced, database size: 4.78GB 225,000 blocks synced, my custom wallet is too slow, switching to bitcoin core... 230,000 blocks synced 400,000 blocks synced 416,000 blocks synced - going to bed, will resume tomorrow 516,000 blocks synced - going to bed again, will resume tomorrow

Can you supply the address?

My sha256 to WIF code is as follows: I suspect the OP wanted an uncompressed version of WIF since a legacy address is being used here.

I think this is a hoax. Tried around 100k compressed/uncompressed legacy addresses over night, zero history or balance on any of them. There are around 7000 files in each ISO. Didn't bother to undupe the hashes, some files didn't change. Only tried english ISOs though. XP Pro/Home original OEM, all SPs, retail / VL. At this point it's not worth my time anymore, so good luck to everyone else.

where to get the file ?

address ?

When I see stuff like this I'm like damnnn why did I stop CSS and phyton back in the day lol... I doubt most programmers are gonna try to find it actually except they are just gonna make the script as a product of their hubby. Then again a couple persons might not believe its true though because it's coming from a newbie probably it would be better if he gave an address to prove there really is an address like that with funds in it. Thumbs up to anyone willing to crack it.

I don't want to conclude, so it doesn't look like I'm discouraging those that want to genuinely try but I don't totally believe what the Op said. It'll be very rare to see a newbie user want to genuinely put up such exercise with such amount as reward for anyone who finds the puzzle. I'll be happy to be proven wrong at the end but I strongly doubt especially after seeing that he didn't provide any address.