Encrypt Backup Password Problem

I checked the option to encrpyt the back up using a password. Any password I try cannot be used - I've tried my itunes password and a variety of others - I just keep getting a message saying the password cannot be set. It worked fine until a couple of days ago. Any ideas?

Advent PC, Windows Vista

Posted on Jul 25, 2009 11:20 AM

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265 replies

Oct 18, 2011 10:16 AM in response to NRB0121

1234 did not work for me, nor did 1111 or 0000 or looking in the keychain. Finally, a day later I remembered the very first admin password when I got my desktop 5 years ago and that work.


Curses on Apple for this madness. They should have some official support page about this.


BTW, they earliest phone call I could get scheduled with "express lane" customer service was FOUR DAYS.

Oct 19, 2011 7:18 PM in response to NRB0121

I've read all of the above and none of these work. I'm in the middle of the latest iPhone software upgrade which has wiped my iPhone. It was kicking in the restore, I entered my usual password but no luck unlocking the iphone backup file (and every other iteration of every password I have ever used). I always encrypt backups.


Apple - YOU MUST PROVIDE A FIX FOR THIS BUG!!!!


I've decided that with my free o2 mobile phone upgrade, I have to get an Android phone - they also play iTunes, and I'm done with Apple - you **** me off with something that should be the most simplest fix!


WHEN ARE YOU ISSUING A RELEASE TO FIX THIS BUG???????????

Oct 20, 2011 9:55 AM in response to NRB0121

I guess the problem is this, if you have a 4 digit passcode for use your phone and if you back up your phone when you are using your phone with passcode and then you restore/update your phone but now the back up file have your 4 digit passcode but the phone don't have any passcode.

If you set up the same 4 digit pass code to your new restored ios the back up can be restore for you. I try the same code without set it up to updated phone and itunes says password incorrect everytime.

And i try this way set up the same passcode for new ios and itunes don't say the password is incorrect.

Just try it but set up same passcode before restore or update. it can be 4 digit numeric or complicated another one.

Good luck for all of you 😉

Oct 24, 2011 2:48 PM in response to NRB0121

This happened to me when I agreed to update my iphone to IOS 5.0. I do not ask for password protection on my backups. When it finished updating the IOS I thought I was home free and then it asked for the password to restore and it went downhill from there. I was about resigned to losing all my contacts and other settings when I found this thread. I tried all the passwords I could remember and the one that worked finally was an iTunes password that was about three generations old. Thank You all!

Apple, please fix this!

Oct 29, 2011 9:17 PM in response to NRB0121

Ok, first thank you all for the help provided on this issue. Having said that, I am still having the same problem...

Here is me situation:


I'm currently traveling in abroad and I've got my iphone 4 with me. 1 week ago I bought a new laptop (Sony) as I sold my Macbook Pro before my departure to get some money for my travel. 2 days ago I decided to 'secure' my data through a syncronization in order to backup all I have on my device. Everything went well, except when I hit update when iTunes proposed me to update my iphone 4 with the latest OS version...since then I have exactly the same box you described, asking me for a password that I am 200% sure I never entered!


So I tried all you explain here.

1) Hit the home button 25sec, unplug, etc => nothing

2) Unplug my iphone, close iTunes, restart pc, etc. => nothing

3) Download Elcomsoft, I only got the trial version, cannot hit the green +, but still Elcomsoft is telling me that the backup is not encrypted => nothing

4) Check under iTunes, Preferences, Device, I can see my back up (only the name and time) not locked, but cannot open it in any way. I put the pointer on it and I can see the EMEI number. => nothing

5) I asked to all potential IT shops I could find here in Indonesia, but no result => still nothing


Now I really don't know what to do...I cannot lose all the data I got in it as it represents all my life since 8 months: admin documents, contacts details, pictures, apps, music, etc...

I had a 18 hours bus travel yesterday, first thing I tried when I checked in the hostel was log in and check for any update from you guys. Unfortunately, nothing new..please give me a hand on this, any support is more than welcome!!! I really need to recover my data, its my only backup of official documents.


Thanks in advance guys!

Kehzya

Oct 29, 2011 10:09 PM in response to kehzya

Here's what worked for me: Go to your iPhone in iTunes and ask to restore from a backup. Point to the backup you want to restore from, confirm that you want to backup from an older backup. It should then ask you for a password. Try all the iTunes and iPhone (4-digit) passwords you have used in the past. This is tedious but it was worth it. An old iTunes password worked for me. I have iTunes on a PC.


Good Luck!

Nov 2, 2011 12:48 AM in response to OzoneARC

Thanks OzoneARC! I had the same problem and even went to see a genius and they couldn't tell why and how to fix it. I used your solution, Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker, and it worked. Once Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker figured out the first two characters, I took me another 30 minutes to try one by one. I can restore the backup now.


Thanks a bunch!

Nov 4, 2011 7:54 PM in response to NRB0121

I tried all the combinations. Called up Apple Support, they could only help me get my contacts into Windows Contacts/ Windows Address Book. I am supposed to factory restore now and I am ok with it as contacts is the most important item I don't want to lose.You connect your phone to your laptop/PC, click on Info and select Windows Contacts (in Windows 7) under "Sync Contacts With" and ignore the others (Sync Calendar with etc....) incase it is not crucial and then apply the changes to Sync. It helped me at least get the contacts backed up and get it back after restore.

Dec 19, 2011 10:34 AM in response to NRB0121

hi i had this problem while backing up my dad's iphone yesterday.tried elcomsoft but to no avail,is it suppose to match the letter or numbers in the password,or they need to match the whole thing and reveal only two of it since ots a trial version.i tried every combination but to asked the first itunes password from an old man is like asking their great grandfather middle name 😟


currently im copying the backup from the pc where it was done into my mac's desktop.i'm looking for the mac backup folder but could't find it,it was supposed to be username/library/application support/mobile sync but such path doesn't exist.is it because i'm using os Lion.oh by the way im looking for the folder coz i wanted to copy it into the backup folder and use keychain access to look for the password,i know it sounds so stupid but i'm doing everything i can to get the data back.guys,apple geniuses,god...if you help me i'll be truly grateful.i dont want my dad to get a heart attack for losing all his one year worth of contacts and notes.😢

Dec 20, 2011 12:10 PM in response to NRB0121

I am in the same boat, I have a iphone 4 and I did not enter any password while backing up my phone and upgraded it to 5.0.1. When I tried to restore it from backup I got the most famous password question and I have been struggling with this issue since past 4 days. I have tried every possible combination, I remember all my itune passwords and none of them worked, pass code lock for iphone didn't work, my login passwords and everything I could possibly think of, but of no use.


I am using a mac book pro so I copied manifest file to a pc and tried running elmcomsoft password breaker and provided a txt file with all my passwordss and combinations but it didn't help.


I also tried changing the BackupKeyBag in the Manifest.plist file that helped in getting the backup restored on my iPhone but it stopped towards the end. When I checked my phone the contacts didn't get copied and all my photos and videos are in an encrypted format which is of no use.


Please help me with anymore suggestion?

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Encrypt Backup Password Problem

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