FMPro 7 password no longer working

[Yvonne Garcia]

I am trying to open a database I developed and none of the users/passwords I have for it are working. I've gone through the list of possible passwords systematically (lower case and upper case) and cannot get back into the file. I am sure it is something I (or my client) did.

I have called FileMaker and they do not offer a password recovery service for FMPro 7; neither does lostpassword.com. I'm thrilled that FMPro 7 is so secure but dread the idea of recreating 60 hours worth of development work.

Does anyone have any ideas/tricks/tools about how to break into a FMPro 7 file? It is truly a legit need.

In desperation,

Yvonne

[stanley]

Yvonne:

Do you not have an early development copy of the solution, one that perhaps defaults to your admin password? When I'm developing, the password stuff is the last to get enabled, just to save myself the headache of having to enter passwords all the time, so I wondered if you did the same - in which case you could at least save yourself part of the development time (as well as examine any passwords that are already in the older version)...

As far as hacking the file - I haven't a clue.

-Stanley

[RalphL]

The password in FM7 is not recoverable. It is encripted with a oneway hash function. You only hope is an original that still has your passwords or no passwords. I do not give users the master password or the ability to change it. Thus the master password would still be good even if all the others were changed.

[Yvonne Garcia]

Thanks for the replies, Stanley and Ralph. I didn't follow my normal operating procedures with this project because I was in a bit of a hurry to get to the client site. Fortunately, I have found a copy I can get into. Lesson learned the hard way but it could have been much worse. And now my fallback procedure is now back up and running in full measure!

- Yvonne