Time Machine Encrypted Error

I have a similar problem where i have found that if i don't enter my password within the first couple of minutes after boot, then it is rejected as incorrect.

What is more worrying is that if i then cancel the password request then my time machine disk appears on the desktop and works as normal..

Time Machine encryption on Lion is buggy. Mine won't even encrypt in the first place. There's no way to crack the encryption. Maybe if you have several years and the resources of the government at your disposal. Sounds like the password won't unlock the encryption key which might mean the encryption key may be corrupt. This is the most common problem with encrypted drives - the boot loader becomes corrupt. I don't think Lion gives you any way to restore the encryption key on a Time Machine encrypted drive. File Vault at least gives you the key to save if you need to reset your password on your local HD, but even then there are no data recovery options like some other encryption products give you. Maybe just let it sit overnight and see if it unlocks. Otherwise, I think it's gonezo.

I am getting the same thing with my encrypted time machine drive. I get the prompt occassionally and even if it doesn't accept my password it will allow me to see the drive in Finder. I can open it and I can even browse the Time Machine backups. I'm not sure if I should just wipe the drive and start over without the encryption. Any suggestions? I don't have that much data on it anyways.

I am having the same problem. My password is being rejected for my encrypted time machine disk. When I cancel, the disk is still fully accessible. Is there an answer to this yet? Encryption and potential data loss bugs should be a very very high priority.

I have the same problem as posted above: the password prompt stays grayed out and hangs after entering the correct password.

This seems to have happened after an unsuccessful eject of the disk prior to this. I ejected the disk properly, but when disconnecting the USB, I got the warning window as if I had not ejected the disk.

It looks like I'll just have to reformat the external hard drive and recreate a Time Machine backup, although it would have been nice to be able to keep the past backups.

Did anyone figure this out. I have had this problem for a while and decided to wait for 10.7.3 to see if it cleared up. It did not. I can't seem to find a forum where this is being discussed actively.

I am going to delete my backup and start over without encryption.

Actually, I decided to try simply turning off encrytion instead of deleted the whole backup. It prompted me for my password and accepted it. So, we'll see. Maybe the password issue only happens when mounting the disk, but I don't trust it.

I submitted a bug report to Apple on 4/5/12 and I recieved the usual automated reply with a Follow-Up: 200462098, but the bug never showed up in my open, archived, closed, attention, or search on their bug report site, which I can only assume it means that they are either still deciding if this is a real problem or maybe they don't want to admit that there is a problem at all.

This is a very widespread, very critical problem that is affecting anyone who wants/needs their backups encrypted, which is not a tall order.

It also seems that this forum gets zero attntion from Apple and so I encourage all users who are experiencing this problem to register as an Apple developer (free if you choose the Safari option), and submit a bug report directly to them.

Ignoring this issue shows very poor customer service on Apple's part and I will not forget it the next time I choose a laptop.

This happened to me as well. Just gave up and reformatted. Would prefer to use encyrption but I'll go without until they fix this. Lost not only the backups (fine since original drive still ok) but other stuff I'd put on that drive. Not a minor problem Apple.

I'm having the same problem. And here's the best part: I have been trying to use the backup for the purpose it was intended for. Backing up my data, because my internal drive crashed. And now I probably have lost a LOT of business and personal data. You've really dropped the ball on this one Apple. The encryption here is a complete joke. And I'm pretty furious.

I'm sure this is too late to help most of the people here, but hopefully it'll help other people.

Basically the way I got the drive to mount was to run this from the command line:

diskutil corestorage list

find the logic volume id, then:

diskutil corestorage unlockVolume <ID>

I did a quick blog post about it here:

http://blog.kenny.macdermid.ca/2013/10/mac-encrypted-external-disk-wont-unlock.h tml

I tried the above, but I'm getting, instead:

bash-3.2# diskutil corestorage unlockVolume 85BFA073-D42F-4E0B-97DE-85E8A0238FF8

Passphrase:

Started CoreStorage operation

Logical Volume successfully unlocked

Logical Volume successfully attached as disk3

[ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ]

Diskutil sits there for a minute or so, then spits out:

Error: -69842: Couldn't mount disk

I can't find any documentation on this error anywhere. The disk worked fine for a Time Machine backup two days ago. I had this happen once before and reformatted the disk with a new encrypted volume, and it was fine for almost a year. Currently running 10.9.1. This is not helpful!

I have the same problem using Time Machine on 10.8.5

It looks like I am having the same problem on 10.8.5 too. GUI mounting just freezes and the "unlockVolume" trick above just sits there.

Still getting this issue on 10.9.4. Password is rejected at the prompt but the backups are still accessible.