KeyPass No Longer Working As It Did

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I have used KeyPass for many years (as recommended by ) and found it was very easy to use. Now, all of a sudden it doesn”t work as it did for year. I have 3 desktops and 3 notebooks and all run the same Windoes 10 (basically, clones of each other). It used to be easy to keep all 6 up to date (as far as KryPass was concerned) by just coppying the Database.kdbx file to each computer. I just needed to change the name of .kdbx file on each computer to “Old.Database.kdbx” and copy the .kdbx file from my main computer to each of the other 5. Worked great, until I updated to Windows 2004. That procedure no longer works. I get a message:

E:\New Database.kdbx
Failed to impor the specific file!
The composite key is invalid!
Make sure the composite key is correct and try again.

I have no composite key. I have always used a master password. The E: drive is a flash drive that I move from computer to computer.

I have tried the Improt and get the same message.

I hate to loose KeyPass after all these years.

NOTE: In case the problem was an update to the new version 2.45, I have gone back and instlled as far back as version 2.1. Nothing helped.

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Lil88reb wrote:

Worked great, until I updated to Windows 2004

Have read: https://keepass.info/help/base/importexport.html

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Maybe try the portable free open source KeePassXC.

https://portableapps.com/news/2020-07-22–keepassxc-portable-2.6.0-released

https://keepassxc.org/

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Do not do either of the two things suggested above, they will not help (apologies to the posters).

The message “the composite key is invalid” means you have not entered the correct password to open the database.

Do not import the database. There is no need to import anything to keep your files in sync.

————————————–

Open KeePass and your database. Can you do this on any of your PCs? If so, you can relax, your data is safe.

Reply when you have checked and we will work out the sync for you.

cheers, Paul

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I have been using it for years too and the only thing I have run into is when you open KeyPass make sure that you don’t have the “Windows Account User” checked along with “Master Password”, this would form a composite key. Uncheck the Windows Account and it should open fine.

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I realize other programs are out there, but I have invested years into saving everything from passwords to program keys that I have paid for. I have used KeyPass since it was recommended years ago by Windows Secrets, which is now Ask Woody. My KeyPass has over 200 entrys that I would have to enter into any new password product.

KeyPass worked for years until… What happened to a program that worked for years? It’s not the Windows 2004 update. I have uninstalled that update and the problem is still there.

The Windows Users Account is not, nor has it ever been checked, so I don’t know where this “Composite Key” nonsense came from.

To Paul T. I am ready when you are. My database is intact on all my other computers. Incidently, I can’t copy and paste my database file between any of those computers either without getting the same “Composite Key” message.

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Lil88reb wrote:

My database is intact on all my other computers

Excellent! Your data is safe.

“Composite key” is the term used by KeePass to describe the secret used to encrypt the database. It may just be a password, but it could also be a key file / Windows account or a combination.
We will stick to password here, because that is what you use.

1. Copy the database from any machine to E:. To find the database name and location, see the KeePass Backup Wiki.
2. On the same machine, in KeePass click on the Open File icon (yellow folder, second from left) and navigate to E:.
3. Select the database you just copied and open it with your usual password.
4. Close the database you opened in step 3 (File > Close).

If the above was successful we can do the transfer between machines.

1. Eject E: and plug it into another machine.
2. Open KeePass and select File > Synchronize > Synchronize with File.
3. Navigate to E: and select the database copy.
4. Enter your normal password.

KeePass will open the database on E: and update any entries, then save both the local database and the one on E:.
Let us know if this works.

cheers, Paul

p.s. there is no “y” in KeePass

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Thanks Paul T, but if I followed your instructions correctly, it didn’t work. The end result was the same error message as before;

E:|Files For M4A88-TD\TomDatabadse.kdbx

Failed to import the specified file!

The composite key is invalid!

Make sure the composite key is correct and try again.

I’m not a tech, but I think I followed the direction.

Moderator note: Link removed. Cannot attach file from non-https (non-secure) source.

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The password used in both files must be the same for sync to work.

I have assumed you use the same password to open the database on all machine, do you? If not, why not?

cheers, Paul

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Same password on everything.

I have a correction. Only one computer has the problem described. All the other computers work as they always did. I can copy a database file onto a flash drive and then past it into any of the other machines, of course only after I rename the database file, like olddatabase.kdbx before pasting the database file from the flash drive to the folder with the the renamed  olddatabase.kdbx.

This is the way I always kept the KeePass database up to date on all computers. Still works, except with the one computer.

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Use the sync method I suggested on the computers that work.
Does sync work? If so it is the method you should use. It’s easier and guaranteed to keep everything up to date.
Once you have done a successful sync, KeePass adds the file to the synchronize, recent list.

On the computer that doesn’t work, can you open the database directly from the USB?

cheers, Paul

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The problem computer won’t open any database file from any of the other computers.

The computer in question has other problems that have never been solved. When checking for updates, if I want to delay updates and click on delay for 7 days, it works once. Your supposed to be able to click two more times for a total of 21 days. That works on all my other computers, but not on this one. I can only delay 7 days. Microsoft tech tried to fix it connecting remotely, but they couldn’t change it. Also, this machine won’t go to sleep on  a scheduled time like all the others. This is a problem that nobody on the Lounge has been able to fix. I have to put it to sleep with the power button. I stays asleep until I wake it.

This machine seems to have a mind of it’s own. I may just have to live with this KeePass problem also.

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The limited pause (only 7 days) sounds like an Insider installation. Perhaps the other restrictions are also indicative, because Insider Builds have limited control in some areas.

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You must have been able to get a database onto that machine at some point and as you can still open it there must be a way.

Can you open the database directly from USB (File > Open > Open File, navigate to the USB)?

Can you copy the database from that PC and open it on another PC?

cheers, Paul

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The only database file that the problem machine will open is it’s own. I have the database files from the other machines on a flash drive and each machine will open any database file from any machine except the one from the problem child. None of them will open that database file.

The way I got the database file onto this computer was a fresh install, because I did a complete reinstall of Windows 10 in hopes that would solve some of the other problems. It didn’t, but I had to install all my programs and Office, including KeePass. It started with Ver 2.45 and when I found out I couldn’t copy a good database file from any of the other machines, I started installing and then uninstalling earlier versions all the way back to 2.3 something. None of them worked, so now I am back to Ver 2.45.

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To PKCano:

A couple of years ago I was with Windows Insider. After a while I realized I didn’t like some of the problems it caused, so I uninstalled or quit it somehow. I don’t remember exactly how I got rid of it, but it was not easy to opt out. Anyhow, I am using a brand new Windows 10 Pro install, so Windows Insider should be gone.

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[PKCano]

In the searchbar type “winver” (without quotes.
What is the version and Build number? Build should be nnnn.n (nnn) – after . may be 1 or 4 numbers.

Then look in Update & Security under Insider (at the bottom) and see what those settings say.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by PKCano.

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Lil88reb wrote:

The only database file that the problem machine will open is it’s own

That is a weird machine.

Try running KeeWeb in your browser to open the local database and one on USB. What do you get?

cheers, Paul

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To PKCano:

Version 2004 (OS Build 19042.388)

In Windows Insider, “Diagnostic data must be set to Full to get preview builds.” in red.

In Diagnostics & Feedback, everything is off.

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I’m wondering if the computer is still associated with the Insider program and that is why you have restricted permissions.
I have a hunch the way you got out of the Insider Program wa simply by turning off the Diagnostic data they require, as implied in the message “Diagnostic data must be set to Full to get preview builds.” If the activation is tied to the license key and you Microsoft ID, even a clean install might install an insider Build. In fact, 19042.388 (20H2) is a Beta Channel Insider Build.

I believe that is the reason you are having access/permission problems. That is an Insider Build that you have disabled by cutting off Diagnostic data. You need to get out of the Insider Program.

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To PaulT:   KeyWeb opens the database file on the problem machine only, none of the database files on USB drive.

 

To PKCano:  I can find no indication I am still encumbered with the Insider Program. I uninstalled the Build 19042.388 and am now back to 2004 (OS Build 19041.262). So far it has no effect on KeePass.

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Lil88reb wrote:

KeyWeb opens the database file on the problem machine only

What message do you get when attempting to open a database on the USB?

cheers, Paul

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Same message that I quoted when I opened this thread.

E:\New Database.kdbx
Failed to impor the specific file!
The composite key is invalid!
Make sure the composite key is correct and try again.

This is the same message I get when I try to open any database file from anywhere, except the database file from the problem machine.

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There is something very strange about your problem machine.
I would reinstall Windows from scratch after deleting all partitions on the disk. Are you comfortable doing that?

Do you have any files on that machine that you do not have copies of?
Do you have a USB stick with of at least 16GB to create the installation media?

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

There is something very strange about your problem machine. I would reinstall Windows from scratch after deleting all partitions on the disk. Are you comfortable doing that?

If you do this, do not use the Microsoft ID associated with the Insider Program.
Insider Builds have restricted rules in some areas so MS is sure to get all the information they want to scrape off. If you subvert those restrictions, you may have problems with operations.

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Reinstall is what started my problems with KeePass and Sandboxie. I did a new install in early July with the Media Creation Tool on a deleted C: drive. I still haven’t got all my programs reinstalled from the new Windows 10 Pro, 2004 update.

One of my other machines is an identical to the problem machine. I put a new SSD in that one and cloned it from the problem machine. It works perfect, so I will probably switch to that machine for my primary use. I think we have spent more than enough time trying to make it work. This other machine has a slightly faster CPU anyhow. They are both ASUS M4A88-TD machines that my brother built. He was a Certified Microsoft System Engineer and could fix anything, but I lost him a year ago February.

Enough is enough. I stayed this long because I don’t like not being able to fix anything.

Thank you all for your help.

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