Yes, I Know I'm An Idiot....

SueC_2

I have a couple of old Word files, password protected, and yep, you guessed it, I can't remember the passwords.

Is there any way of getting them open, or am I stuffed?

tronator

SueC wrote: »

I have a couple of old Word files, password protected, and yep, you guessed it, I can't remember the passwords.

Is there any way of getting them open, or am I stuffed?

If it's possible to crack it, why did you "protect" it in first place?

A quick Google search gave me this

http://www.squidoo.com/recoverlostpassword

Don't know if it's any good though...

enigma52

there is software that can do this but as far as I am aware they are quite expensive to buy, at least the programmes I have were. There are also "free" downloads to try but most will say "password recovery possible on this file, purchase license to proceed", therefore you get nowhere. you might find a free one via google and I wish you good luck on that. If the files are important then google "password recovery services" and there will probably be someone near you who can do it for you, most charge approx £10 per password, if done via email, more if they come out to you obviously.

Browntoa

this just worked , for free

http://download.cnet.com/Free-Word-Excel-Password-Wizard/3000-2092_4-10249515.html

you need a dic file , get one here

http://lastbit.com/dict.asp

Here are some dictionaries available for free download. You can use a dictionary for "dictionary attack". Dictionary attack is quite fast method. If your lost password is listed in the dictionary, it will be recovered. Dictionary attack works well on "single word passwords" but usually fails on more complex passwords.
Download a dictionary

• medium-sized dictionary (plain text, about 650 Kb zip archive).
• Advanced dictionary (for Office Password or Windows Password only, about 27 Mb)
  Advanced dictionary is more than just a big dictionary. We included a lot of "real-life" passwords into this dictionary and highly recommend it.
  Please note that this dictionary can be used with Office Password (including individual modules such as Word Password, Excel Password or Zip Password) or Windows Password only!

SueC_2

tronator wrote: »

If it's possible to crack it, why did you "protect" it in first place?

A quick Google search gave me this

http://www.squidoo.com/recoverlostpassword

Don't know if it's any good though...

Fair comment, but at least I had the grace to admit up front that I'm an idiot!

But it does look like your suggestion would do the trick... but sadly the 'Password Recovery' option (the free download bit) can't work out the password (I find that hard to believe, as it will certainly be a single word, all lower case). The 'Document Decryption' part has proved it will work (by tempting me with the first couple of lines of the document), but, guess what.... that bit costs money. Am yet to work out how much, and how important the document is to me.

Ah well, all together now ... idiot... idiot... idiot... idiot....

SueC_2

Browntoa wrote: »

this just worked , for free

http://download.cnet.com/Free-Word-Excel-Password-Wizard/3000-2092_4-10249515.html

you need a dic file , get one here

http://lastbit.com/dict.asp

Here are some dictionaries available for free download. You can use a dictionary for "dictionary attack". Dictionary attack is quite fast method. If your lost password is listed in the dictionary, it will be recovered. Dictionary attack works well on "single word passwords" but usually fails on more complex passwords.

Download a dictionary

• medium-sized dictionary (plain text, about 650 Kb zip archive).
• Advanced dictionary (for Office Password or Windows Password only, about 27 Mb)
  Advanced dictionary is more than just a big dictionary. We included a lot of "real-life" passwords into this dictionary and highly recommend it.
  Please note that this dictionary can be used with Office Password (including individual modules such as Word Password, Excel Password or Zip Password) or Windows Password only!

Sorry, not ignoring you. The dictionary method failed to find anything, so I'm now running the 'Brute Force Recovery' option. It's up to 5 character combinations, but is looking like it might be at it for a while!

mr_fishbulb

I've had good results with this program - http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-basic.htm

Not free, but not really expensive ($49). It does quite a few different "attacks", but it depends how complex your password was as to how quickly it can fnd it. If you used upper, lower case, number and special characters for example, then it could potentially take years.

SueC_2

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

I've had good results with this program - http://www.lostpassword.com/kit-basic.htm

Not free, but not really expensive ($49). It does quite a few different "attacks", but it depends how complex your password was as to how quickly it can fnd it. If you used upper, lower case, number and special characters for example, then it could potentially take years.

Who know how complex the password is! I normally stick to a very safe 'formula' for my passwords, to prevent this exact situation. But for some reason on one day quite a long time ago I seem to have had an absolute brainstorm - none of my normal rules are applying!

Will see how this freebie one does, but if it fails it's hardly life or death stuff, just a document I would like to re-read if it's not going to drive me to the brink of insanity first!

RussJK

SueC wrote: »

just a document I would like to re-read if it's not going to drive me to the brink of insanity first!

Were you the person who just rolled down the road past my house on a computer chair? If so, I would say that it's already too late for you.

(yes, someone really just did that a few hours ago, who knows why)