# Opening Passworded WordPerfect File



## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

http://forums.techguy.org/business-applications/628349-opening-passworded-wordperfect-file-word.html

Found someone with a similar problem here in the thread above...but it's closed, and apparently I don't yet have rights to PM anyone (or would have simply PM'ed *1SillyBilly*!).

Long story short, I've got two files created in WordPerfected, last edited in the mid 90s, which have a password on them. I downloaded a shareware version of WordPerfect 5.x, but it wouldn't open them, leading me to believe they are WP 6.x (not that it should matter, but just mentioning it).

I attempted to download a version of WP 6.x, only to find - and boy do I need to post another thread on this - that I would only get so far on the install until my computer told me I was not logged in as the admin and therefore cannot install software (meanwhile, there are no accounts on my laptop _other_ than the admin account - so you can't even log out and log in as someone else, for example). But as I say, I'll save that problem for a different day. 

These two files contain personal information that I now need access to. I have Word (in an Office 2003 suite, running on my Lenovo T60 in Windows XP), and Word will not open these files. I also even downloaded and tried a WordPerfect converter tool for Word - no dice (suspect it didn't work because of the password on these files).

Does anyone have ideas on how to get these (*&)& files open?

Regards,
Katherine


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

Do you actually know the passwords?

"Passwords - Please do not ask for assistance with forgotten passwords and/or bypassing them. As there is no way to verify the actual situation and/or intentions, no assistance will be provided and any such threads will be closed." (From TSG Rules)


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

Yes, I do know the passwords, but it didn't help me.

For example, when I opened each file in that version of WP 5.x I had downloaded, it would prompt me for the password, then pretend to open the file (by "pretend," I mean, it gave me no error and then displayed the file name/complete path at the bottom of the page as it does when a file is open). However, there would be nothing but a blank page (not even the gobbledygook characters you sometimes see in a password protected file).

So, no, not asking for help circumventing the password, as I know them!

I'm not a WordPerfect expert - used to be in the late 80s/early 90s, when I used it as a legal secretary (which is why these files are in that format) - but my best guess as to why these files won't now open is simply that they are about 10 or more years old and somehow just don't want to work with modern systems.

(I know that doesn't make sense but I have no other theory as to why these (*&)(& files won't open...)


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

Err, OK.

Tried OpenOffice?


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

I have MS Office 2003, the whole suite, and the files won't open with Word. 

Or is there some advantage to Open Office (instead of regular Office) that you think would make a difference and allow me to open the files? I haven't used Open Office before...


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

You mentioned "about 10 or more years old".

In the past I've managed to open *Excel* files with OpenOffice that Excel couldn't.

Of course your passwords could complicate things. OTOH, what have you got to lose?


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

ok, fair enough! worth a try. off to download open office now - will report back either way.


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

easy enough to install and looks nice...why would anyone pay for office at this point? a portion of that money would seem better spent on a donation to open office....

at any rate, my files opened in open office. what happens is, after choosing to open a file, it opens a little screen called "ASCII Filter Options," with some choices prepopulated. I went with those. no request for a password. files both opened, but they both turned into 22 page documents (they are each 1 or 2 page document), with gobbledygook (fun sample of page 1 below!).

ÿWPCk####
##########U#####Ù½Is5©TñòòRo'ü¾&#65533;ë."0GwØ²@5À#ÅUH¯¢ÓM2&#65533;Ýü2i÷ø|AIéö#áÇ-ì#ßbÊ#v(£Óèvð@ý&#65533;h'3,ÐÌå###cèZñø#Â~ñ3Ê#ÂØÒüTôùâ+þA#eiZ#<d}¥~&#65533;+8t%æ#KÈ²I¼É	#R]{ÈTàèÉôá*t##W&#65533;Ö{ã.#ÅÙ^Ú#´#¿#?ý:¶ÖØnEý\#Ù#Ù½à##åM´ë9]§þ##\uéÐ¢æ&#65533;b#E£ÃX]5##àÒ)y&#65533;·#sD\Ý¹¼Û8H#¼rÁuU£B#R§8åÐÞ'î3§N#ªóëû|¿ÊÈÁ±rÈ¸y2dò;"ÚÙ##íBÆ#Å¸´eÝ0¨áÅ&#65533;Iºdµ[W###nåî-ª#½ÍSù*#RD.RæO³ZK

so: apparently open office does not realize it is opening a password protected file. but i appreciate the suggestion - it was worth trying.

i'm open to other ideas....anyone?

regards,
katherine


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

Something called WPLOOK?


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

hi bomb #21. i guess at this point i am the bane of your existence, but i appreciate you coming up with new ideas.

i downloaded and attempted to install WPLOOK. however, before the install was complete, i got a pop-up with the following message:

*WordPerfect(R) Office 2002 is not installed on your computer. This patch will not continue.*

i am willing to try this but do i understand correctly that this means i must first find and install wp office 2002?

i am quickly loading up on softwares (haven't yet uninstalled open office in case i need it later) and hate doing that...but remain open to your suggestions.


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## 1002richards (Jan 29, 2006)

Sorry to barge in, but if you want to you can run OpenOffice portable from a USB stick (flash drive) available (free of course) here:
http://portableapps.com/apps/office/openoffice_portable

That would clear your machine but still leave you with OpenOffice when you need it.
Anyway, that'll perhaps be a project after you've got those docs open.

Richard


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

interesting...good to know. didn't realize you could run a portable version from a usb.

but yes it's already on my computer anyway....so will file that under stuff to do later once i get these )(*@! files open.


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

From that earlier link:

"Until recently, the WPLOOK utility was included in the Software Developer's Kit (SDK) so you had to download and install the whole SDK just to get the WPLOOK program. Shortly after the release of WordPerfect Office 2002, Corel made the newest version of WPLOOK available as a separate download."

So yes, you'd need to find the SDK for the WP version you're using to go that route. Sorry.


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## bomb #21 (Jul 1, 2005)

Might "works on files from WPWin6x and newer releases" apply to you?

wp8rest.exe @ http://www.wpwriter.com/Tips___Tricks/Files___Formats/files___formats.html#wp8rest


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

bomb #21 said:


> Might "works on files from WPWin6x and newer releases" apply to you?


i don't know, but i can't stop downloading software now, can i?  here goes....


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

'file open failed' when i attempted to open either file with the wpwriter.com program. 

this is beyond annoying.


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## m-dash (Nov 12, 2003)

Just as an FYI, assuming that you are entering the correct password, any version of WP you install, from 6.0/6.1 on up, whether for DOS or Windows, should be able to open the file correctly. I am surprised that you did not get an error message when you attempted to open it with the 5.1 version... or that you even got as far as a password prompt. The basic file format changed from the 5.x version beginning with 6.0, and even a DOS version 6.1/6.2 of WP can normally open files created in the recent Windows versions.

With the WP import filter installed, I would have guessed that Word, even if it did import the file correctly, might still prompt you for the original WP password; Word's WP import filters usually work relatively well in my experience; (with some Lotus 123 for DOS files I imported into Excel a few years ago, the files imported easily, but Excel maintained the password protection I had created in 123, so now the same password is required when opening the files each time in Excel.)


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## BettyKat (Jan 12, 2008)

hi, m-dash - thanks for your message. on the issue of no error message when i attempted to open with 5.1...all i can say is: maybe the files are in wp 5.x format and not wp 6.x? i mean, it's just a _theory_ of mine that they are wp 6.x, based on the last year they were edited, but i don't remember what version of wordperfect i was using when i last edited those docs ten years ago!

if the files are in wp 5.x, that would explain why i _did_ get a password prompt, but it would not explain why that version 'pretended' to open the files but instead just produced a blank page.

as for word: just fyi, when i attempt to open either file in word, i get the message "cannot convert password protected documents." so word is in fact recognizing them as password protected, but does _not_ prompt for a password - just gives that message (this is word 2003, just fyi).

would it be ridiculous to write to corell? they probably get a thousand emails a day like this, but i'm at my wit's end...


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## m-dash (Nov 12, 2003)

If WP5.1 is prompting you for the password to enter, and once you enter it, it is giving you no error message, but simply a blank editing screen with no text, I can only suggest checking the reveal codes screen to see if there are any formatting codes in the document, for possible clues to the mystery, even if no text appears on the editing screen... otherwise, I'm stumped.

I doubt emailing Corel will help, but it wouldn't hurt to try... nothing ventured, nothing gained. You can also try asking for help over at wpuniverse.com... preferably in the WPDOS forum. They may have some ideas that might prove helpful to you. Good luck!


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