FileMaker Crashes - Database Now Has Password, and I'm Locked Out

[Otis]

Ok, I'm stumped and now scared.

I just spent all weekend converting my FileMaker database from version 5.5 to version 8.0. I have a database of invoices and it's NEVER had a password ever, even when it was version 5.5. So I'm creating a script in the upgraded version 8 database and testing things out. I'm creating a script that isn't related to passwords, (and it was just a Save to PDF file option with a variable used for the file name/path.)

When I ran the script, FileMaker 8 crashes. (unexpected quit)

Now when I try to access the database, FileMaker 8 is pulling up a password request before I can access the file. Strange. I don't have any passwords for this database or ANY database liked to this file. I've never had a password for this file.

So I try the default account "Admin" with the password blank.

Didn't work.

I tried using "Guest Account".

Didn't work.

I tried using no Account Name (empty) and no password (empty).

Didn't work.

I tried my personal Mac OS X password as both the account name and password.

Didn't work.

I'm using Mac OS X, so I repaired permissions on the hard drive.

Didn't work.

Just in case I deleted the preferences file for FileMaker 8.

Didn't work.

So I restarted and zapped the PRAM.

Didn't work.

I checked in the Finder to make sure that the file isn't locked.

It wasn't locked.

I have no idea how a crash could have added a password to the file.

Again, the new version 8 database I created for this file doesn't have a password, nor has the previous version 6 version ever had a password.

Now I'm completely scared that I can no longer access my database, and since I was in the middle of finalizing the version 8 conversion, my last backup of yesterday would lose about 17 hours of work adding content. It's also completely unsettling that this could happen in the first place and it's scaring me that it could happen again.

Any ideas as I'm totally stumped?

Please help I'm desperate, thanks.

[Otis]

To add even more disturbing news to this scenario, I did a search on google and found a PC password recovery program for Filemaker 8. It's just a demo, so it won't display any password over 2 characters. So, just as a test, I used this tool from my PC on the database that is causing all of this, and that password recovery tool said that there were no accounts associated with this database. Then, to make sure this password recovery tool works, I created a new database, gave it an account (my name) and a password and sure enough, when I used the password recovery tool on it, the demo mode displayed my account name and said if I wanted to see the password I had to register. So it appears to work.

Thus, there's STILL no account/password associated with this file and yet, I'm prompted for a password otherwise I can't access it.

This is just awful, and I don't know what else I can do.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[Genx]

Why didn't you back up? Are you 100% sure you never had a password in the previous file? And... how did you access the FM 8 file after conversion?

[Otis]

Problem solved!

In my panic, I forgot to do the most simple approach possible. I used the Recover command in FileMaker 8 to simply open the file. It no longer asked for a password via the Recover command, and rebuilt the file.

That was really scary and something I've never seen before coming from version 5.5. This is probably because every file is given a default "Admin" account and blank password in version 8, and in 5.5, the file never had a password.

Hopefully, my stupidity will help someone in the future hen they find this thread via a search, etc. :)

[Genx]

I haven't experienced the joy of converting from 6 - 8 at this stage, but a google search brought this up:

When you convert a FileMaker 5.x/6.0 file to FileMaker 7 or later, whatever admin-level password you had in the old file becomes the user name and password for an admin-level account in the newly converted file. So, you should enter your old password as both user and password in your version 8.5 file. That should get you in. You can then make further changes in your user accounts and privileges.

In all honesty it sounds like it might be corruption, depending on how you originally got into the file i.e. After conversion, did you actually close FM and open it again and then open your file at any stage?

[Otis]

Why didn't you back up? Are you 100% sure you never had a password in the previous file? And... how did you access the FM 8 file after conversion?

Well, I don't like to backup incomplete files. I usually hit a major "stage" and then backup. I did a backup early yesterday and although I put in about 17hrs, I usually do daily backups, not by the hour. Needless to say, I'll be backing up every hour or so while I migrate to version 8.

I was only able to access the FM 8 file using a password recovery program on the PC which showed that it had no account/password.

That was a really odd corruption issue and incredibly frustrating. Again, hopefully someone who runs across this same issue will now easily see to just use the Recover command in FM8.

Please add this to any corruption FAQ that is created. :)

[Genx]

The Recover command is actually quite dangerous and only really exists for the purpose of extracting data from severley damaged files that won't open -- it's recommonded that you go to your most recent backup.

It will remove script steps, layout elements, layouts, and entire sections of your database if it finds corruption.

I highly suggest (for your benefit only) that you reconvert the file... loosing 17 hours of work is better than loosing hundreds at a later stage.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Guest

[Otis]

Well, the good news is that since I was testing a script at the time, the very last script I was working on that caused this crash/fiasco is still there. No script loss, and no data loss. I know what you mean though. I never want to then work from a recovered file long term. It will probably only take me about an hour to pull the new layouts/fields/scripts I created and I may just remigrate and do a lot of copy/pasting and start from a clean file.