Time Capsule Encrypted and can't get files

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Level 1

4 points

Time Capsule Encrypted and can't get files

Hello everybody,

I'm super frustrated!! I was having trouble with my 6 week old M3 MBPro and it turns out there was an issue with the migration between my older MBPro 2019 and the new one. Apple recommended I erase and re-install. This was all fine until I tried to install the backup from Time Machine via Time Capsule. It';s telling me the disk is encrypted and not of the passwords are working. There are only a handful it could be and I can't get in.

Can anybody help me get in to the time capsule and un-encrypt it?

I've managed to get in to Airport Utility and change the passwords there, but it's not working. I'm not even getting an option to restore from an iCloud back up. Everything should be in the cloud as well so I'm really stumped as to why I'm not getting an iCloud option in Migration.

Thanks in advance.

Brendan.

MacBook Pro (M3, 2023)

Posted on Jan 2, 2024 12:31 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

157,866 points

Jan 2, 2024 3:11 PM in response to Brenmcl2

The TM encryption password is not stored in any readable form on the backup, but you may have elected to save it in Keychain on the source Mac: Keychain Access User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

When you encrypt a TM backup, in addition to the encryption password TM asks you to create a password hint. If that hint is not sufficient for you to remember the encryption password, then you will not be able to restore that backup. The reason is simple: an unencrypted TM backup can be used to restore and effectively create an exact duplicate of the source Mac's content on a different Mac — one that may not be yours.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

157,866 points

Jan 3, 2024 9:50 AM in response to Brenmcl2

All I can suggest is to use Keychain Access to search for any passwords that you may have used to secure that disk. If they exist in a readable form anywhere on that Mac (or other Macs you may have used to access that disk) that's where you will find them.

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Answer 3

Brenmcl2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 3, 2024 7:57 AM in response to John Galt

Hi John and thanks for the response.

I went in and looked at the disk and it's not encrypted. Or was with the default setting of 'use device password'. That password has been the same since I got my first Mac 25 years ago.

I then changed it to encrypted and tried to use that new password and nothing. Screenshot attached.

Thanks.

Brendan.

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Time Capsule Encrypted and can't get files

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