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Cant Unlock HD With My Life On It...Please help

andrew5494

andrew5494

macrumors regular
Original poster
🙁Hello Everyone Im new here. A couple weeks ago I encrypted an external hard drive from the mac desktop by right clicking to encrypt. I put a password and then decided to see what happened when I press that little key symbol beside the password (Im Curious George sometimes)
Screen Shot 2015-01-22 at 11.34.36 AM.png
Not realizing that it changed my entire password, I press encrypt....
My whole life is on this drive. Every picture Ive ever taken, every video Ive ever shot, all gone. I attempt the password multiple times and begin to cry.
I couldn't believe what I just did.
If there is anyone out there who can help me please. I would extremely appreciate it. Please.
 
Lesson for the future:

It's not wise to fiddle with encryption unless you know what you're doing and know why you want it.

Is there an Apple store nearby you can go to?

What happens when you enter the old password now?
 
Since it is an external drive the password might be stored in your keychain. Open the keychain utility and see if you can find the password in there.

As you found out, the key symbol is for generating a strong password.
 
glenthompson said:
Since it is an external drive the password might be stored in your keychain. Open the keychain utility and see if you can find the password in there.

As you found out, the key symbol is for generating a strong password.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your more helpful response unlike the other guy ^ You really think it could be in the keychain even though Ive never inputed it after It was encrypted.
Thanks.
Also how would I recover the keys in the keychain?
It doesn't show the actual password just says <key>
Im going to attempt to recover it with Passware Software.
 
How could clicking on the key icon has broken anything?

From what I know, clicking on that icon opens a tool that helps you create a stronger password.

Unless the OP clicked on the key and then blindly clicked "OK" on everything else, I don't see how that would create the issue.

My suspicion is that the OP simply forgot his/her password or did something like had CAP LOCK on.

As far as I can tell, whatever your password was, you typed it in the same TWICE... 😉

Sincerely,


Debbie
 
doubledee said:
How could clicking on the key icon has broken anything?

From what I know, clicking on that icon opens a tool that helps you create a stronger password.

Unless the OP clicked on the key and then blindly clicked "OK" on everything else, I don't see how that would create the issue.

My suspicion is that the OP simply forgot his/her password or did something like had CAP LOCK on.

As far as I can tell, whatever your password was, you typed it in the same TWICE... 😉

Sincerely,


Debbie
Click to expand...

I types my password in twice then click the key. I then click memorable and then encrypt.
When it changed my password to 12 characters I didn't realize it as my original password was 10.
Accidents happen.
 
andrew5494 said:
Also how would I recover the keys in the keychain?
It doesn't show the actual password just says <key>
Click to expand...

I'm not at my Mac right now, but there's an option somewhere in there to show full passwords (which in turn requires your local admin password - not the drive password).
 
andrew5494 said:
I types my password in twice then click the key. I then click memorable and then encrypt.
When it changed my password to 12 characters I didn't realize it as my original password was 10.
Accidents happen.
Click to expand...

Not trying to lecture you here, but...

1.) In the future use and write down the "Recovery Key" as a means to get your data if you forget/fubar your password

2.) Never blindly click "Next" or "OK" without carefully reading

3.) If you saw your data as "My Life" then I would have thought you'd be more careful.

Apple's encryption works *very* well. SO weel, that you are probably screwed unless someone else has some ideas on recovery an encryption password you didn't remember or write down.

Sorry for your loss, but you need to treat such things more seriously in the future.

Best of luck!


Debbie
 
doubledee said:
Not trying to lecture you here, but...

1.) In the future use and write down the "Recovery Key" as a means to get your data if you forget/fubar your password

2.) Never blindly click "Next" or "OK" without carefully reading

3.) If you saw your data as "My Life" then I would have thought you'd be more careful.

Apple's encryption works *very* well. SO weel, that you are probably screwed unless someone else has some ideas on recovery an encryption password you didn't remember or write down.

Sorry for your loss, but you need to treat such things more seriously in the future.

Best of luck!


Debbie
Click to expand...
Do you think it could be in the keychain?
 
andrew5494 said:
Do you think it could be in the keychain?
Click to expand...

If you chose "Full Disk Encryption" then I'd say you are screwed.

If you did some other form of encryption, then there is an outside chance you could recover things.

However, I am not familiar enough with what you did, your environment, or even the topic to really comment. (Wait for some expert to respond.)


Debbie
 
These are the replies that get me even more depressed.
Its gotten to the point where I can't fall asleep knowing all of those pictures are on there.
Hope someone can help.
 
andrew5494 said:
These are the replies that get me even more depressed.
Its gotten to the point where I can't fall asleep knowing all of those pictures are on there.
Hope someone can help.
Click to expand...

Launch finder then open applications then utilities. Then open the keychain access app. That holds all your passwords. You need your login password to open the app.
 
andrew5494 said:
Thank you for your more helpful response unlike the other guy ^ You really think it could be in the keychain even though Ive never inputed it after It was encrypted.
Thanks.
Also how would I recover the keys in the keychain?
It doesn't show the actual password just says <key>
Im going to attempt to recover it with Passware Software.
Click to expand...

Run the Keychain Access app in Applications/Utilities.
Select the Passwords category on the left side.
Try to find your volume name in the name column or "encrypted volume password" in the kind column.
Double click on the entry if there.
Select the Show Password checkbox. It will ask for your admin password.
Password will be displayed.

This only works if the volume password was stored in the keychain. If not then you are out of luck.
 
There has to be a way to retrieve it? Couldn't you send it to one of those IT people that charge over a thousand for it
 
glenthompson said:
Run the Keychain Access app in Applications/Utilities.
Select the Passwords category on the left side.
Try to find your volume name in the name column or "encrypted volume password" in the kind column.
Double click on the entry if there.
Select the Show Password checkbox. It will ask for your admin password.
Password will be displayed.

This only works if the volume password was stored in the keychain. If not then you are out of luck.
Click to expand...
Please don't say im out of luck.
Can someone clearify with me if I have encrypted the drive with my computer, will it automatically store the key in keychain?

----------
Natzoo said:
There has to be a way to retrieve it? Couldn't you send it to one of those IT people that charge over a thousand for it
Click to expand...

Name an IT guy that does it
 
Natzoo said:
There has to be a way to retrieve it? Couldn't you send it to one of those IT people that charge over a thousand for it
Click to expand...

No, those types of HDD recovery services are for drives that are physically failing or have other mechanical issues. Encryption is an entirely different beast. Maybe ask the NSA if they have it?
 
andrew5494 said:
Please don't say im out of luck.
Can someone clearify with me if I have encrypted the drive with my computer, will it automatically store the key in keychain?

----------
Click to expand...

My encrypted thumb drive has its password in the keychain. Did you go through the steps I outlined? I suggest doing that before asking more questions.
 
OP wrote above:
[[ These are the replies that get me even more depressed.
Its gotten to the point where I can't fall asleep knowing all of those pictures are on there.
Hope someone can help. ]]

You didn't like my reply above, and you're not going to like this one, but I'm going to say it anyway.

This is why one keeps a BACKUP, young man.
When "your life" is on a drive, you DON'T "put all your trust" in that one drive.
Because drives can fail, or other things can go wrong -- as you have found out, much to your woe.

As others have pointed out, there may not be much chance of recovering the old data now. It's "water under the bridge", particularly because THERE WAS NO BACKUP.

In the future, I suggest you download either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper and use them to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup of your internal drive, which will be immediately accessible with EVERYTHING on it.

I also suggest that you DO NOT fool with encryption in the future.

Go forth, a sadder but wiser man, and learn from this day...
 
Fishrrman said:
OP wrote above:
[[ These are the replies that get me even more depressed.
Its gotten to the point where I can't fall asleep knowing all of those pictures are on there.
Hope someone can help. ]]

You didn't like my reply above, and you're not going to like this one, but I'm going to say it anyway.

This is why one keeps a BACKUP, young man.
When "your life" is on a drive, you DON'T "put all your trust" in that one drive.
Because drives can fail, or other things can go wrong -- as you have found out, much to your woe.

As others have pointed out, there may not be much chance of recovering the old data now. It's "water under the bridge", particularly because THERE WAS NO BACKUP.

In the future, I suggest you download either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper and use them to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup of your internal drive, which will be immediately accessible with EVERYTHING on it.

I also suggest that you DO NOT fool with encryption in the future.

Go forth, a sadder but wiser man, and learn from this day...
Click to expand...

IM NOT GIVING UP
I will find a way.
Are you an encryption expert.
No.
 
Backup solutions are cheap and plentiful, always backup your data. What was your plan if the drive crashed or was lost or stolen?

And as the others said, unless you can recall your password it's as good as gone.
 
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