Password suddenly not working

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
August 6, 2019
7 replies
4415 views

I created a PDF through iScanner, and through that program, set a four-digit PIN (I know, I know, not secure enough, but that's the program's idea, not mine). I then imported it to my computer and read it through Reader.

Opening it with aforementioned four-digit PIN worked dozens upon dozens of times, but this morning, it didn't work.

I tried every reader imaginable other than Acrobat Reader, and it still wasn't working. I can't fathom why it would suddenly not work, but it has.

No, this is not a case of me forgetting the password. I'm not that inventive; the password PIN for these sorts of documents is on a Post-It on the side of my computer. I've used two different four-digit PINs for all the iScanner documents I've imported, and I tried them both (even though I was certain I'd used one over the other, frustration got the better of me and I tried the other).

What gives? How do I resolve this?

This topic has been closed for replies.

jane-e

Community Expert

Have you tried another keyboard?

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Yes, I think they are both right to duck (assuming your answers, as I've summarized them, are correct). The file started out ok and now it isn't. It's a bad thing that this has happened, but it clearly is neither the software that made it nor the software that reads it. There is malware that does this.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

You've clearly shown yourself that it's not Adobe's fault by testing with non-Adobe software. Right? I could imagine a bug (and there have been bugs like this) where the password checking stuff breaks and old files don't open. But Adobe can't break this other software you tested too.

Nothing is absolutely impossible, but since Acrobat Reader has nothing in it to set passwords deliberately, it isn't very likely to do it by accident either.

This is why we've been asking you detailed questions, which you haven't been especially fast in answering. I'm very happy to point the finger at a bug in Adobe software, if that's what it is. But there's no point doing this when it isn't right, especially as Adobe are indeed slow and uncommunicative about fixing the bugs they actually do have.

I don't know why you called customer support. There is no customer support for free software, and they should have told you so. Ditto technical support. You get what you pay for.

N

nothing_and_nobodyAuthor

Participating Frequently

I have been very fast in answering them. I posted a screenshot when I was asked for a screenshot, I answered questions when asked them within the day (since deleted, as they had my name on them, and I don't think that's necessary for a public forum), and I sat on Adobe's customer service lines and chats for hours.

I paid for other Adobe products. I expected some form of customer support for the Adobe suite in general. There was none.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

It seems likely that your scanning software is no longer working right. Your tests, showing old files are ok, pretty much prove it. Contact the maker.

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nothing_and_nobodyAuthor

Participating Frequently

Old files are not okay. Old files with passwords ALSO do not work. The scanning software is no longer involved; it created the PDF. The PDF opened with the password numerous times since creation. I am not trying to open the file through the scanning software, but with Reader, which, as I said, has opened the file without issue numerous times.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Well, if your old files no longer work in any app (not just Reader), then something may have corrupted them. You really are focussing in the wrong place, if it isn't just Reader. It's the files, if you are absolutely certain these old files worked once.

Did you try setting a new password in the scanning app and making a new scan with the new password? Result?