Password disappeared

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A doc I have had password protected for years suddenly became unprotected – can be opened without any password. I didn’t do this, it just happened on its own!
I tried to create a new password, but the resultant doc won’t open with the password. I have tried this several times, the last time simply pasting the password at the entry and at the confirmation. The doc still won’t open even when pasting the password at opening. The password is only 26 char long and no changes have been made to capslock or numlock. Re-starting the computer made no diff.
I am using Word 2003 SP3 in VIsta.

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I found the problem. Password length is limited to 15 char in Wierd, whoops sorry Word!!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks for posting the solution, this will help others who find this thread by searching.

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So if it was protected for years, was the password length not a problem previously? Can you track down any recent software updates that might have shortened the acceptable password length?

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No idea why the password suddenly was not required. After reflection, I seem to remember a similar thing happening a few years ago.
The old password was only 4 chars long. (not very secure eh?).
The only softwareI have updated recently was PDFTypwriter.

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The only way I know of to remove the password is to save the document in RTF format. This keeps the protection but removes the password.

If the password length was the issue, I would have expected the first X characters to be the password rather than no password at all.

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Let’s just put it down to one of Billy Gs nonsensical idiosyncrasies. And as with most of the other ones, an idiosyncrasy that will NEVER be addressed.
Thank for your thoughts mate.

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