Forgot password to Time Machine backup

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Level 1

9 points

Forgot password to Time Machine backup

I reinstalled the system (10.7) having completely forgot that stupidly I had encrypted not only the Mac's disk with Filevault but ALSO the backup disk, with a password that I then evidently added to the keychain so that I immediately forgot it ever existed. If only I had remembered I could have done something before. It was a surprise that when I (confidently) plugged in my time machine I was asked for a password...

All the passwords I normally use do not work. I have all my work data (thousands of images and documents) in there. Basically 2 years of work and I don't know how to get them back!

At the begininning I thought I could use the Apple recovery key produced by filevault but I now understand that is only for the internal hard drive.

Don't know what to do...any suggestions?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Oct 1, 2011 3:02 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 3, 2017 1:47 PM in response to eBruce

Hi I got the same problem and unfortunately there is no other way but try million different combination of password that "might" match. Apple should find a way adding this to our keychain. or should ask us in every back up to prevent forgetting. if you don't remember the password you won't back up, or you back up without encryption. That easy!

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Answer 2

lupunus

Level 4

1,000 points

Oct 1, 2011 3:20 PM in response to eBruce

If it's the Time Capsule password, as opposed to Time Machine, that you've forgotten, the Setup Guide says that pressing the reset button for one second will allow you to

select the AirPort network

open AirPort Utility

select the TC and choose Manual Setup from the Base Station menu

click AirPort in the toolbar, then click Base Station

enter a new password for the TC

click Wireless and choose an encryption method from the Security pop-up and set a new password for that

click Update to restart TC and load the new settings

If you have encrypted your Time Machine backup as such on a direct computer attached drive, there is no real chance to recover the data without the matching password.

You may try a bruteforce or dictionary based attempt to crack the password but this may, depending on chosen password and password length be a run lasting several weeks, month or years.

Sorry for the bad news...

Lupunus

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Answer 3

eBruce Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 1, 2011 3:36 PM in response to lupunus

Unfortunately it is a drive attached directly to the Mac and not a Time Capsule....thanks!

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