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While trying to install Ubuntu 16.04 I gave a passphrase which I forgot. Now I am unable to access my HDD.

Please, help me to decrypt and access my files!

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    If I could unencrypt your files without a passphrase there wouldn't be much point in encrypting them in the first place. There are many warnings that you should write down your passphrase and store it in a safe place. I hate to say it but I don't think there is anything anyone can do to help you. I hope I'm wrong but.... Sep 5, 2016 at 4:29
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    If I can decrypt your hard disk without knowing your passphrase, what good does the encryption do?
    – edwinksl
    Sep 5, 2016 at 4:29
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    The whole point of encrypting your data, is that it is impossible to access without the passphrase. It can't be done. Period. Sep 5, 2016 at 9:13

2 Answers 2

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You just installed Ubuntu with the encryption option and forgot to write down your passphrase (or lost the paper you wrote it on).

Because it's a new installation the simplest solution is to install Ubuntu again this time writing down the passphrase for Encryption and keeping it in a safe place. You will lose all the information created since the first installation which hopefully is not very much.

I suggest when you install Ubuntu a second time don't encrypt your data. In the future if you have secret information to encrypt you can do it in a ~/.Private directory or all the /home directory and it's sub-directories. You can encrypt data any time after installation you don't have do to it during installation.

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  • "lose", not "loose" Sep 5, 2016 at 9:09
  • @RogerLipscombe sorry for being so fast and loose with my typing. I corrected the error. Thanks. Sep 5, 2016 at 13:48
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In order to restore all your data, you will need to reformat the drive, and then restore everything from your backups.

The process for restoring from backup will vary depending on what your backup solution was.

If your backup is encrypted, you will need to ensure you remember the encryption passphrase or code for it.

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    If I understood the question properly the data is encrypted and the passphrase is lost. Sep 5, 2016 at 5:57
  • That was my understanding too. Was there a problem with my answer? Sep 5, 2016 at 6:24

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