[solved: user error] The password is incorrect ...

[vstuart]

I can no longer open my password-encrypted LibreOffice Calc file – nor hourly/daily/weekly/monthly/… rsync backup copies of that file, on a separate (local) hard drive.

"The password is incorrect. The file cannot be opened."

I was able to access that file two weeks ago (end of Jan 2021).

I recently (coincidentally around but just after that time) replaced my main hard drive and restored it using the most recent rsync backup. However, relative to this issue that HDD only contained data files.

My Linux system (hence, LibreOffice) is installed on a separate (pre-existing) SSD/partition, and the backups reside on another (separate, pre-existing) HDD/partition.

Thus, as far as I know the HDD replacement should have nothing to do with the ability of LibreOffice to open the password-protected .ods file (or the backups). That suggests that a recent version of LO has mangled the password protection on files it has processed (protected)?!

It is not a Caps Lock, nor a file permissions … issue (I checked), and the fact that I cannot open open older archived backup copies indicates that it is a LibreOffice Calc issue.

Interestingly, I can open older copies of LibreOffice password-protected files (rsync archived backups, albeit password-protected using older versions of LibreOffice.

I downgraded my Arch Linux LibreOffice installation to some earlier versions (most distant tried: libreoffice-still-6.4.7-8), without success in opening that LibreOffice password-protected file.

What is the issue/solution?

uname -a
  Linux victoria 5.10.16-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT
  Sat, 13 Feb 2021 20:50:18 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux

libreoffice --version
  LibreOffice 7.0.4.2 00(Build:2)

pacman -Ss libreoffice | grep installed                                                                                                
  extra/libcdr 0.1.6-3 [installed]                                                                                                                              
  extra/libreoffice-still 7.0.4-1 [installed]

---

Updated information

In response to @ajlittoz :

• I can copy the “myFile.ods” file (here, pseudonymed “myFile”), and I can open (Linux File Roller/archive manager) myFile.zip : “Configurations2/ | META-INF/ | Object 2/”

• The main (replaced) HDD is not encrypted / password protected, but as the drive was physically replaced, it has a new UUID:

sudo blkid /dev/sdc1

  /dev/sdc1: LABEL="vancouver" UUID="82513f0a-6484-4d04-8570-df0f1693df3d"
  BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4" PARTLABEL="Vancouver"
  PARTUUID="be58fd74-0c99-4528-8e62-f8fea78fd822"

cat /etc/fstab | grep sdc1
  # /dev/sdc1: "/mnt/Vancouver" [6TB Seagate IronWolf (2021-02-01)]
  # /dev/sdc1: LABEL="vancouver" UUID="82513f0a-6484-4d04-8570-df0f1693df3d"
     BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4" PARTLABEL="Vancouver"
     PARTUUID="be58fd74-0c99-4528-8e62-f8fea78fd822"
  # └─sdc1   8:33   1   5.5T  0 part /mnt/Vancouver

Although I didn’t mention it, I was hoping that LibreOffice didn’t hash or whatever some identifier (like the UUID) from the hard drive. [In the off chance that it helps, I have the previous UUID recorded in my notes.]

Regardless, as I mentioned, ostensibly, that new HDD should have not have anything to do with this issue, as LibreOffice is installed on a SSD (as is /…), and I cannot open any of my rsync’d backups of “myFile.ods”.

---

Bug report filed [2021-02-16]: tdf#140456 (link reformatted by ajlittoz for better lisibility)

[ajlittoz]

I assume the HDD itself is not encrypted (LUKS) and it is “only” a LO password issue. The reason I ask is you can’t open the backups. If you use disk-encryption, very often part of the key at least is based on the UUID. This UUID changes every time you reformat a disk or partition.

Can you copy your spreadsheet? This will rule out disk encryption.

If you change its extension to .zip, can you decompress it?

Please do not use Add Answer but edit your original question to enhance the details of your question (answers are reserved for solutions to a problem on this Q&A site). Or use a comment.

Have a look at the archive reference in 293501/who-deleted-question-145716 to see if it covers your case.

[robleyd]

Cross posted at the Apache OpenOffice forum

[mikekaganski]

It looks as if your older LO version produced some broken encryption - do you remember which version was that? It could be either a problem of that LO version, or alternatively some problem in encryption system library used there, and both may be potentially specific to a distro …

[erAck]

Same as in tdf#140456 you opened:
Obvious check: does the same happen with TDF provided builds instead of the Arch packages?
i.e. downloadable from Index of /libreoffice/old

Do not build yourself as you might be pulling in broken libraries from your system, try with the builds provided. Still that is no guarantee as the runtime may pull in broken system libraries as well.

[vstuart]

SOLUTION.

I managed to download, build LibO 7.1.0.2, which worked. While exploring this further, I found the solution.

I am pretty embarrassed to admit / nearly mortified to discover that it was a [wrong] password issue.

Mea culpa; my profound apologies for the disruption caused to various Readers / Developers.