Can that long string of letters & numbers get back into an account?

[NoStyle]

So this is the second time I have locked myself out of Ubuntu by forgetting the password. I changed the password, got in, but cannot access the encrypted home folder. What does that long string of letters and numbers do? Can I get into the home folder with that? I tried a few different ways, looked all over the net for answers, but can't make progress.

Also, if there is any way to display the original password, I could use that info...

Thanks.

[atreyu]

A Quantum computer might be able to crack the encryption passphrase, but as those as mostly theory right now, and won't be coming to NewEgg any time soon, you're SOL, I think.

No way to recover the passphrase that I've ever heard (how would that be secure)?

Not sure what you mean by the string of letters and numbers, but maybe that is the UUID of the encrypted device - not something that would help you decrypt the volume.

The lesson here is to not encrypt unless you need to, and if you do, write down the passphrase and keep it somewhere safe and secure, or (better) make it one that you can remember!

[NoStyle]

Maybe this is a bit more clear... When the install finished, it gave me a long string of letters and numbers and told me to write it down and save it, so I did. Is there any way to use it in place of the password? What is it for?

[atreyu]

So the long string of letters and numbers was NOT the passphrase you entered? Being told to write it down and save it makes me think that Ubuntu certainly thinks it is your passphrase. Can you specify how you did encryption during the install (or whenever you did it)?

[yancek]

Did you select to encrypt your /home directory on the page where you created a user during your installation? Ubuntu started offering this option with 8.10. Take a look at the link below for some information on encrypt/decrypt. This link is in reference to 8.10 but gives a lot of details. You might google "decrypt home directory" on whatever version of Ubuntu you have.


https://help.ubuntu.com/community/En...ivateDirectory

[NoStyle]

I didn't think it was the passphrase because during the remounting attempts of the home directory using the ecryptfs-mount line, I was entering it and told it was wrong. I am very sure it was entered and originally copied correctly.

Thanks, going to try again and see what happens...