need help with a locked file...

[jamie.smartdept.inc.]

Hi there! My company has a FM database which was created long before my time and we've found ourselves in need of the admin log-on and password... which we cannot find.

Are there any work-arounds I could try?

This database is vital to our daily business and I'd appreciate any thoughts or ideas!!

Thank you!

- Jamie

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Aside from trying the usual combinations of Admin and Admin or Admin and admin, are there any other "guesses" you might employ?

Who developed the database? Is that person available to provide the credentials?

Now, before someone suggets one of the crackers, just know that when run, there is a very good chance that use of such a "tool" will damage the file. It certainly strips out an entire block.

It is also possible that the [Full Access] Accounts were removed with the developer tools.

What is it that you need to do with the system? There may be some workarounds or alternative approaches.

Steven

[Kris M]

http://www.password-service.com/filemaker-password-recovery.php

This is an example of software that is out there. It is not supported or reccomended by me.

I think if you search hard enough and in the right places you should be able to find a free utility to recover the password.

K

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Since the passwords [color:red]are not stored in the file, you cannot "recover" them in the ordinary sense. What these crackers do is to strip out the block of the file where the hashes are stored and overwrite them with a new hash. The tool then returns a string that, when it is hashed, will match the hash the tool inserted into the file.

Steven

[jamie.smartdept.inc.]

Hi Steven - thank you for your advice and your warning of caution regarding the "crackers!"

We've tried guessing the passwords to no avail... and cannot contact the database creator. It's a fairly simple database containing names, contact info, and conversation history notes.

We've been using it to simply store data off-line, but the file is growing too large to continue in that way... and we've decided to add it to the files already hosted on our server. The password is needed to load it to the server.

I wonder if there's any way to duplicate the database as a new file with new passwords?

- Jamie

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Can you export the file as a FileMaker file? Or as XML? Something to get the data out, then just re-create the logic?

Steven

[jamie.smartdept.inc.]

Hi Steven! Thanks for the idea!

I've been trying to poke around Filemaker but can't seem to figure out a way to get the info *back into* a new file in any kind of efficient manner...

Plus, I don't know how to create a FM file from scratch.

So many roadblocks!

- Jamie

[Boy-Oh-Boy]

I have a similar problem. I upgraded my system to Leopard, but cannot open one of the databases. Even though I found the login & password in Keychain.app - it does not work! Help would be appreciated.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Folks, there's not much I can do to diagnose these items remotely. If anyone is coming to MacWorld next week, bring your file and stop by the FileMaker booth in the South Hall. I'll be there some, and I can take a look at your files.

Steven

[Boy-Oh-Boy]

Good idea... now I just have to find a sponsor to pay my airline ticket from Amsterdam…

[sprale]

I am new to creating FM databases, but had a similar bug. I was editing a database and went to save a copy. Now both the original and the copy are password protected! I did not change anything in the file or the app... What gives? How can I change the account password in FM if I do not know what it is? It is a clean install! I never set up the password!

frustrated...

Nevermind, I figured it out. 'admin' ad account name with no password. What a pain...

Edited January 28, 2008 by Guest