Removing password-protected

[arka]

I created a password-protected for both read and write ability but now I want
to remove them all. I tried going to Tools > General Options > and removing
the **** for both read and write > Save > Close > reopen but it still ask for
the passwords. I want to remove all passwords how to? please help thanks.

 

[arka]

I want to add,

I installed MS Office Project 2007 SP1. I was hoping that this time I can
remove the password. But NO. still doesn't work. the password remains
everytime I open it. Yes of course I know the password I made it myself 1234.
Changing the password works just fine, but removing it seems to be a mystery.
Someone else in this discussion group said it's a bug others say to go tell a
friend and have a hacker remove it. any thoughts?

 

[JulieS]

Hello arka,

Are you unable to remove a password on a newly created file or is the
problem only with one specific file? I have not been able to
reproduce the problem either with files create in Project 2003 and
opened in 2007, nor files created in Project 2007 and opened in 2007.

Let us know.

Julie

 

[arka]

Hi JulieS thanks for the reply but I still cannot remove the password.

To clarify this is what I did:

Launch MS Office Project 2007 > File > New > name it New Project 1 > do some
task n resource insertion > File > Save As > Tools > General Options > under
Protection Password I put 1234 > under Write Reservation Password i put 1234

click OK > close MS Project 2007 > reopen MS Project 2007 > File > Open >

file New Project 1 > it asks for password so I put 1234 > it opens up > File

Save As > Tools > General Options > i remove the password under Protection

Password and Write Reservation Password > click OK > click Save > it says do
i want to overwrite existing file I choose Yes > i close MS Project 2007 >
reopen MS > and it still asks for password even though I removed it and saved
the file under the same name overwriting it but the password still remains.
any solution? thanks.

 

[Dytham]

Hi Arka.

I had virtually the same problem.

My persistent password wasn't really causing
much inconvenience since it was known and could be changed, only puzzlement.

I was going to send Julie a zip of this odd file so that she could share my
intrigue, so made a copy with sensitive data deleted / anonymised, but
somewhere along that process, the password disappeared so I gave up
- I put it down to experience / categorised as "too hard".

I have since thought of a sure fire way to remove such passwords - if you
have Project Server available. Save the file to Server - this effectively
removes passwords as Server security is achieved by other means. Then with
the Server version open, do a Save To File. Voila, .MPP file in your
MyDocuments with no passwords.

 

[JulieS]

Hello Arka,

Thanks for the details. I really cannot explain what is going on.
I've stepped through creating and removing passwords in MS Project
2007 and cannot reproduce either your error or the error that Dytham
has noted. I'll offer the same to you as I did to him. Zip the file
and email to me. I'll see if I can remove the password. My email
address is prjng AT maine.rr.com

What OS are you using?

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[arka]

Hi Dytham,

Thank you for sharing the info. Unfortunately, I do not have the Project
Server installed. I'm using the Trial Office Project 2007 with Project SP1
installed. Do you think this has anything to do with different version of
Project 2007? I sent a zipped .mpp file to Julie and let us see what happen.

regards,
Arkka

 

[arka]

Hi JulieS,

I sent you an email with the zipped .mpp file attached.
I hope it's not because of the different version of Project 2007 that is
causing this "unerased" password malfunction.

regards,
arkka

 

[JulieS]

Hi arka,

I did get your email and I must say, I ran into the problem you note.
I could not remove the password. I was able to remove the password by
saving as a Project 2003 file. I stepped through the process of File

Save As, removing the **** on both the write reservation and general

password, then chose a Project 2002-2003 file format.

That did effectively remove both passwords. I can then open and
continue working on the file in Project 2007 and save as a 2007 file.

I'm afraid I can't answer the "why" however the process worked with
both your file and one that Dytham sent along as well.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[arka]

Hi Julie,

Thank you for your help. Well I guess the only way to remove the password is
by saving it as you said to the 2000-2003 format .mpp, however, a warning box
shows up saying some features of 2007 will be lost. In my case, that's OK,
but I wonder what exactly is lost....is it the new feature in 2007? I'm not
sure.

Just out of the blue I did removed the password and saved it to 2003 format
and was able to open it without the password (I opened with Project 2007
since I don't have Project 2003), and then I saved it again this time to 2007
format, overwrite it, and failed to reopened it. I guess the lost feature is
in fact the interoperability of password protection between the 2003 and 2007
format.

For now, I'll just stay away from using password. I would instead use a
winrar/winzip with password on it for safety.

regards,
arkka

 

[Dytham]

Arka:

Interestingly, using the Help button in the warning box to which you refer
does not provide a huge amout of extra help, but it does say "If you save a
project to the Project 2003 MPP format, you may lose some data in areas where
Office Project 2007 contains enhanced functionality."

One area of 2007 enhanced functionality is the ability to have a background
colour in table cells. One might logically assume that a file saved in 2003
format would therefore not show any such shading when reopened.

This is, however, not the case. If the file saved in 2003 format is opened
(in 2007) then that feature is preserved.

 

[dlmckirdy]

Hello Arka and Dytham,

I have had similar problems with password protection on MSP2007 files (and
worse problems with password protected MSP2003 files opened in MSP2007). I
had some success removing the password then using Save As to another (new)
filename. I then deleted the origional file and renamed the new file to the
old filename (this stirs things up in the file allocation table and removes
any hooks to the origional file). In one instance, though, I did come up
with a corrupted file that I could not recover. SP1 did not seem to have any
effect on password protection.

My suggestion is to stay away from Password Protecting MSP2007 files until
MicroSoft specifically announces that it has solved the password protection
problems in MSP2007. One colleague has had no problems with using the
"Read-only recommended" check box with no password (this will require saving
with a new filename if a user later decides to save any modification made).

Good luck,

 

[JulieS]

Hello arkka,

You're welcome for the assistance and thanks for the feedback.

I agree that working with passwords in the files does seem unreliable
and it would be best to steer clear if at all possible. Good luck
working with project and let us know if you have any other questions.

Best,
Julie