Many legacy scripts online were written for Python 2. Modern systems use Python 3. print syntax error or bytes vs str exceptions. Fix: Ensure you are using the updated bitcoin2john.py from the official John the Ripper Jumbo repository—not a random 2013 forum post.
If you remember the structure (e.g., "My dog's name + 2 numbers + a symbol"), you can tell Hashcat: Bitcoin2john
Extracts the necessary cryptographic information from a wallet.dat file. Many legacy scripts online were written for Python 2
The output of bitcoin2john.py contains the salt and the encrypted master key. While this string does allow someone to spend your Bitcoin immediately, it is what they need to "brute-force" your password. Never share this hash string with anyone you do not trust, as they could use their own computing power to crack your password and steal your funds once the plain-text password is found. Alternatives for Other Wallets Fix: Ensure you are using the updated bitcoin2john