# Z cash files to backup

**URL:** <https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545>\
**Category:** Technical Support\
**Created:** [December 7, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545 "2016-12-07T23:19:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dan\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bc79bd/32.png) [@Dan\_H](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Dan_H)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/1 "2016-12-07T23:19:46Z")

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Ubuntu 16.04lts has been crashing randomly lately. It doesn’t matter if I’m running zcash or not.  
Before I format and reinstall what parts of zcash do I need to back up?  
-dan

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**Author:** ![Rastamany](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/rastamany/32/768_2.png) [@Rastamany](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Rastamany)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/2 "2016-12-08T01:52:11Z")

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You need to backup 2 hidden folders in your home/user/  
.zcash (your wallet)  
.zcash-params (your sprout.key)

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**Author:** ![anon47418038](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@anon47418038](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/anon47418038)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 11:27am UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/3 "2016-12-09T11:27:53Z")

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saving all of ~/.zcash/ will copy the blockchain up until you shut down zcashd, which will save you time when you’re back up as you won’t have to resync the entire zcash blockchain. ~/.zcash/wallet.dat is your wallet with the private key(s) in it, and is the most important file to backup and keep safe (and private!)

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**Author:** ![Dan\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bc79bd/32.png) [@Dan\_H](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Dan_H)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/4 "2016-12-10T17:45:11Z")

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Thanks, I wasn’t sure of what to copy.  
-dan

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**Author:** ![ray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9a140/32.png) [@ray](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/ray)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 9:11am UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/5 "2017-01-02T09:11:23Z")

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> [@anon47418038](#):
>
> blockchain

SO, If no mining work, just backup wallet.dat is enough.

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**Author:** ![anon47418038](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@anon47418038](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/anon47418038)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/z-cash-files-to-backup/12545/6 "2017-01-02T17:44:36Z")

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even if you ARE mining, all you really need to backup is wallet.dat, it’ll just take longer to re-download the blockchain when you come back up if you’ve deleted the other stuff