How to Recover the desktop backup password?

[ianc911]

Hi folks,

My Desktop backup password in Develop Options seems to be set on my S3 running Jelly Bean, although I don't remember ever setting it. When I try to set it or change it, I always get the message "Failed to set backup password", even if I'm trying to set it back to a blank password.

Does anyone know how to recover or reset this password?

Thanks for any help,

ianc

 

[ianc911]

bump. Anyone? Please?

 

[KreepyKen]

bump. Anyone? Please?

I don't know of any way other than a factory reset. But someone at Samsung might have other info. Go here and you can open a live chat window or get their twitter handle to request support.

 

[ianc911]

Thanks Ken,

I gave the chat a try but it was fruitless. Guess I'll try the phone next. For your amusement, here is the chat transcript:

Please wait for a Samsung Agent to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Steffi'. There will be a brief survey at the end of our chat to share feedback on my performance today.

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK56402532462X

Visitor: HI Steffi
Steffi: Hi, thank you for contacting Samsung Technical Support. How may I help you today?
Visitor: HI, I have an S3 as you saw.
Steffi: Please go ahead with the question.
Visitor: I'm running Jelly Bean too BTW.
Visitor: If you go to Settings|Developer options, there is a 'Desktop backup password' option there.
Visitor: This password seems to be set already on my phone although I have no recollection of ever setting it.
Visitor: I'm wondering if there is a way to reset, or recover that password.
Visitor: Do you know?
Steffi: I am sorry to know that.
Visitor: I'm sorry that you're sorry. ;-)
Steffi: I understand that you want to know whether it has any desktop backup password on the device.
Visitor: I believe there must be. If I try to specify a blank password and create a new password, it just says 'failed to set backup password'
Visitor: You have three boxes there: enter current pass, enter new pass, and enter new pass again.
Visitor: I try entering new pass and new pass again while leaving current pass blank and it fails.
Visitor: I've tried every password I might have ever used in current pass and specify two new passes, but it still fails.
Visitor: Hence, I can only believe there is currently a password set that I don't know.
Visitor: Is there a way to reset that password back to blank, or to find out what it is?
Steffi: Thank you for information.
Steffi: May I know the model number of your device?
Visitor: It's an AT&T Galaxy S3
Visitor: Or do you need to know that number under the battery?
Steffi: Are you referring to SGH-I747?
Visitor: yes
Steffi: Thank you for the information.
Steffi: Please enter the alpha numeric password and check for the result.
Visitor: Enter what password where?
Steffi: Please enter the alpha numeric password in new pass code.
Visitor: You're saying leave the current password blank and enter a new alphanumeric password for new? Please try to work with me; I can't read your mind...
Steffi: I apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.
Steffi: Yes you are correct.
Visitor: OK, before I had tried only characters for the pass. This time I tried 123pass instead for the new and new again. Unfortunately, I still get the same failure.
Steffi: I would like to inform you that alpha numeric pass word means: It should be combined with numbers and alphabets.
Visitor: Yes, that's why I tried 123pass as the password. As you can see, it is composed of numbers and alphabetic characters...
Steffi: I apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.
Steffi: I am sorry I have provided you the information which I have. As we have tried with all the possible pass codes and unable to fix the issue in this regard you need to contact our Samsung voice support team for further assistance.
Steffi: However I will help you with the contact details.
Steffi: You can contact our voice support at 1-888-987-4357, Mon-Fri: 7 AM - 9 PM (CST), Sat: 9 AM - 6 PM (CST).
Visitor: Thanks, I guess...
Steffi: You're welcome. Is there anything else I can assist you with?

 

[KreepyKen]

Holy crap, that's awful. I'm guessing that "Steffi" must be in Korea. I know the phone support people are based in the US, so it is probably worth calling them...I think they'll have an easier time understanding the issue.

Good luck!

 

[ianc911]

Finally gave the phone support line a call today. After being shunted to a tier 2 tech who initially didn't understand my problem, the answer was: phone reset.

Sigh...

Well, thanks anyway everyone...

ianc

 

[androidbuster]

leave the "Current Full Backup Password " blank and entire your desired password in "Enter new password" . I hope this will solve your problem if you have not the set the password since starting.

 

[One_Man]

I have the exact same problem - and I *KNOW* I never set the desktop backup password after turning on the developer options. I have a Sprint Galaxy Nexus (toroplus) running Android v4.2.1 with kernel version 3.0.31-00006-gf06ae593, se.infra@SEI-29#1, Sat Jan12 08:48:17 KST 2013. Build number JOP40D.L700GA02. 1Gb RAM, 32Gb internal storage, no external sdcard.

It disturbs me that these phones seem to be provided with some undocumented initial desktop backup password already set. This prevents me from using the ADB Backup command, the Carbon app, SimpleADBBackup app, or any other method known to me for doing a full backup of an unrooted phone. This in spite of my having the full ADT installed on my PC. Since I currently have 378 apps on my phone (yea, I know <blush>) and many of those apps have associated data, this is going to hurt.

My next step is to get the Ext2Fsd service running on my Windows XP PC and try to see if I can get access to the EXT partition(s) in my phone through USB. Reading them from Windows should be pretty safe so I may be able to suck the data onto my PC's NTFS hard drive partition that way, but writing it back to restore the data if need be... yeah. Perhaps using SAMBA on the phone to approach it from the other direction would work better. I don't know at this point. Feeling like a severe case of smooth-brain syndrome at the moment.

Burned once, learn twice - from now on I am going to root my phone the day I receive it.

Anyone got a glimmer of hope for me here?

 

[Stephanie Bartee]

Thanks, this worked!

- - - Updated - - -

leave the "Current Full Backup Password " blank and entire your desired password in "Enter new password" . I hope this will solve your problem if you have not the set the password since starting.

Thanks, this worked!

 

[ramji kumararajan]

i read the conversation. i have SAMSUNG GALAXY S DUOS. i left the "enter current password" and entered new password and re-entered new password and it works... for clear information... i first entered was "123pass" for new password and again "123pass" for re-enter new password... and it actually works. then i set new password of my own . the password must be ALPHA-NUMERICAL.

 

[Matt Rankin]

On my Sprint Note 3 the current password is blank and all you have to do is enter a new password.

 

[Yash Vanth]

Thanks a lot it worked

 

[Christopher Ryman]

What is posted here worked like a charm. Leave old password section blank and then just put the new password in twoice, good to go, awesome!!

 

[santosh bhoir]

Enter your Google account Password in Current password and try new password with Alphanumeric code
or If you not have Google Account password type you lastly type Alphanumeric password in current password section...

I hope this will be Helpful for u...

 

[faizal mansuri]

Thanks a Lot

 

[mattcelt]

Hi folks,

My Desktop backup password in Develop Options seems to be set on my S3 running Jelly Bean, although I don't remember ever setting it. When I try to set it or change it, I always get the message "Failed to set backup password", even if I'm trying to set it back to a blank password.

Does anyone know how to recover or reset this password?

Thanks for any help,

ianc

I know this is an old thread, but it's still coming up high in the search results for searches on desktop passwords for android, so I thought I'd share and save someone the trouble.

IF you have a rooted phone, you can directly delete the backup password files, which essentially resets the password to null.

(I found this information here. Not certain it will let me post a link, being new, but in case
android.stackexchange.com/questions/96892/where-in-the-filesystem-are-settings-saved-namely-adb-backup-password/114106


Within adb or other terminal session, navigate to /data/backup and delete the two files pwhash and pwversion. This should allow you to set a new password in the Developer options - leave the "existing" field blank, and just fill in the new and confirm fields.

I hope that saves someone else some frustration, and avoids some device resets!!

Cheers

 

[Justin Roth1]

Just leave the first field blank [current password], and fill in 2&3 [new password & 3 confirm new password. If you have never set a Desktop Backup Password.

 

[kbzip]

I had this same question today and google search landed me to your post. While it may be a bit late for your answer, as it's July 21st, it may however help the next passerby. I figured out how to change the Desktop Backup Password in the Samsung Galaxy S3:
Go to >Settings >More >Developer Options >Desktop Backup Password
(NOTE: If you do not find "Developer Options" (DO) in your menu list, then see my note at the end of this post on how to unlock DO.
Now, once you are inside the Desktop Backup Password screen you will
1. Leave the "Current Full Backup Password" box empty. Yes, empty--put nothing in it.
2. Enter whatever Password you will definitely remember, because apparently Samsung won't be able to help you!, into the New Password box.
3. Reenter the same Password again into the last box.
Now, Click the "Set Backup Password" button at the bottom and you should be good to go. I have found that a lot of electronics and computer manufacturers use variations of 1234, 0000, 9999, Password, and Blank/Nothing as default passwords.
Hope this helps.
NOTE: If you do not see Developer Options (DO) in your menu, do the following:
Go to >Settings >More >About Device
Scroll down to "Build Number" and then tap it repeatedly (It will display a message telling you how many more times you need to tap to enable developer mode--it's something like 8 times).