Excel 2003 password crack

[tango]

Here's an awkward situation. I've got an Excel 2003 spreadsheet that is password protected and encrypted. Trouble is I haven't used it in months and can't remember the password.

Can anyone recommend a tool that will break the password? I've found a few using Google but the demo versions are typically worse than useless (e.g. if the password is more than 2 characters it won't work), and I don't really want to be dropping $40-50 a time to try the full versions.

Unfortunately because the information in the file is sensitive I can't be mailing it out to people either :(

Any thoughts much appreciated.

[orange]

Hi tango, that's a bad situation. Keep trying all your passwords, there is really no other way to get to it then enter you password.

Other option would be too contact microsoft and ask what are you options in this situation.

Did you try these solutions: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080310031651AA7wLwV

[tango]

Thanks orange, I found a piece of software that would brute-force passwords, but after four days it had tested 27,500,000,000 passwords and hadn't even finished six-character passwords.

As it happened I managed to guess the password. Just as well - at 8 characters it was one of my shorter ones but would still have taken another week or two to brute-force.

[HisLeast]

Cyphers my friend. Gotta learn cyphers! Then you can practically leave your passwords in the open. :)

[tango]

Thanks, although that didn't help me find a password I'd already forgotten :D

Normally I use things that look like a random jumble of letters, but do have a pattern to them. If you've read one of the many books on my shelves you might even find the pattern...

[Lee-Roy]

That is a lot of tried passwords!