Need some advice regarding Excel

[jaygo]

Hi fellas

I have a few files I have from my previous employer I wish to alter and use within the new company I work for. However these files are all password protected and I only knew the older versions of the passwords.
Are there any ways for me to highlight what the passwords are or remove them using excel?
I have already asked the previous boss however he has said he would have to go through the proper procedures etc etc and to have them released to me would take weeks. (Basically he's talking shit and doesn't want me to use the sheets I have which I helped create I did the thinking and planning someone else did the leg work)

Any advice or help would be grand.
I should also point out I'm using a Mac if that makes a difference software wise.

Thanks in advance

Jaygo

[MsDG]

Excel Password protection is laughably easy to get around. Try this...

1) Install Openoffice (free office software)

2) Open password protected excel document in scal (openoffice)... it will not ask you for a password.

3) Then go into "tools" then "Protect" (i think) and untick protection

4) Finally "save as" an excel document again.

Job done

[hoponbaby]

Does that work on the latest excel versions? The older ones used to be a doddle to get round

[blacksheep]

I'd be a little wary of doing this in a professional environment and your new employers should be wary too. Most employment contracts will state that anything you create on their behalf/on their time belongs to them and is their intellectual property. Whilst taking a copy of something for private use normally goes unnoticed and isn't really cared about a competitor stealing IP, if found out, could be in for some legal concerns.

If you made these sheets in the first place you shouldn't have any problems recreating them.

[akimba]

I always use Passware personally its not free but unprotects Excel and also cracks the VBA password as well.

[DJ OD]

I've used Elcomsoft AOPR to do this. As above gives you passwords for the sheets and VB etc. Doesnt give you the actual password, but one that will unlock the sheets, file or vba.

Think I have it as a portable app somewhere. Pretty sure it does xlsx as well as xls...


DJ OD