Oh crap, screwed up big time

[jpinard]

I keep all the serial numbers for my games in an Excel Spreadsheet on a detachable USB drive that I almost never hook up. A few weeks ago I got ghost messages from myself that ended up being this: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32244

But I was concerned about my password security so I went and changed them all. To my chagrin, when I go to open my Excel Spreadsheet with all my game SN's in it - I can't! So, is there a way to open my password protected Excel file? The best thing I've found is this:

http://www.decryptum.com/

But cripe... $30???

So, I also found this:
http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/faqs/protectionFAQ.htm

OK, I protected my worksheet with a password. Now I can't remember the password I used.
First, keep in mind that password are case-sensitive. If you entered the password as xyzzy, it won't be unprotected if you enter XYZZY.

Here's a link to a VBA procedure that may be able to derive a password to unprotect the worksheet. This procedure has been around for a long time, and is widely available -- so I don't have any qualms about reproducing it here. The original author is not known.

If that fails, you can try one of the commercial password-breaking programs.

and this code:

Sub PasswordBreaker()
'Author unknown
'Breaks worksheet password protection.
Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer
Dim l As Integer, m As Integer, n As Integer
Dim i1 As Integer, i2 As Integer, i3 As Integer
Dim i4 As Integer, i5 As Integer, i6 As Integer
On Error Resume Next
For i = 65 To 66: For j = 65 To 66: For k = 65 To 66
For l = 65 To 66: For m = 65 To 66: For i1 = 65 To 66
For i2 = 65 To 66: For i3 = 65 To 66: For i4 = 65 To 66
For i5 = 65 To 66: For i6 = 65 To 66: For n = 32 To 126
ActiveSheet.Unprotect Chr(i) & Chr(j) & Chr(k) & _
Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & Chr(i3) & _
Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
If ActiveSheet.ProtectContents = False Then
MsgBox "One usable password is " & Chr(i) & Chr(j) & _
Chr(k) & Chr(l) & Chr(m) & Chr(i1) & Chr(i2) & _
Chr(i3) & Chr(i4) & Chr(i5) & Chr(i6) & Chr(n)
Exit Sub
End If
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
Next: Next: Next: Next: Next: Next
End Sub


But I don't have VB and don't konw if I can somehow incorprate this vb script into Excel. (I have Office XP 2002 version)

Thanks for the help.

[Mike O'Malley]

That's your basic brute force attack. I'd love to see it in Excel, though I don't think it's possible. Certainly not feasible.

You don't remember anything about your password at all?

[mono]

This one supposedly has a 30 day trial:
http://www.crackpassword.com/product...ntegpack/aopr/

[jpinard]

That's your basic brute force attack. I'd love to see it in Excel, though I don't think it's possible. Certainly not feasible.

You don't remember anything about your password at all?

I do, but I've tried 100 different combinations to compensate for typos and I still can't get it. What's odd is I typed it in wrong - twice.

Mono, thanks for the link. I'll give that a try.

<<<EDIT>>>>

Didn't need to try it. I finally remembered! I forgot to change it from my temp to perm password.

[Mark Crump]

try with caps lock on.

nevermind.

[RickH]

I strongly encourage you to print that spreadsheet.

[jpinard]

I strongly encourage you to print that spreadsheet.

Hehe, I'm doing that right now. Unless a game is really special, I almost never keep boxes, and all my CD's are sans case in 2 giant CD cases that house 200 CD's. All my CD cases are in several "sort through this later" boxes.

[Alan Au]

Wait, you password protect your spreadsheet? Who are you worried about getting their hands on your game keys?

Worst case, you can re-enter all of your game keys from the originals. You still have the originals, no?

- Alan

[Lunch of Kong]

jp, you know you have a tendency to over-react to certain things, right? Well, in case you were wondering, password protecting a spreadsheet, one that contains no personal data, and that lives on a physically secure USB drive to boot, counts as an over-reaction. :-)

[Gordon_Bleu]

That's one mother of a for-next loop.

[jpinard]

jp, you know you have a tendency to over-react to certain things, right? Well, in case you were wondering, password protecting a spreadsheet, one that contains no personal data, and that lives on a physically secure USB drive to boot, counts as an over-reaction. :-)

Hehehehehe. And I over-reacted to the e-mail thing too. I thought someone had guessed my password and was e-mailing to check to see if it was working. <sigh> I'm such an idiot sometimes - hehe.

[Nellie]

But I don't have VB and don't konw if I can somehow incorprate this vb script into Excel. (I have Office XP 2002 version)

ALT + F11 to open the VBA ide in Office Applications.

[Warning]

I strongly encourage you to print that spreadsheet.

Just don't fall asleep on it.

[jpinard]

Just don't fall asleep on it.

Hehe you guys have long memories. :D

[Stroker Ace]

Hehe you guys have long memories. :D

Sure we have long memories and a search function, but that is also a *very* memorable story.