2007 beta 3: stored password in .PBS file becomes corrupt

[thebrix]

If I create a .PBS file and protect the archive it creates with a password:

• The first backup is OK;

• The second and subsequent backups have the password corrupted (so cannot be read from and are effectively useless).

This bug is completely reproducible - every time I re-enter the password into the wizard it is corrupted after one backup is produced.

Fortunately, the corruption is visible as the password actually appears corrupt in the wizard (Tools | PowerArchiver Backup | Create/Edit …), and I attach a picture of what I see.

I am running Vista Ultimate.

[spwolf]

What happens when you extract password protected file? Does it work with original password?

PA actually encrypts the password. However there might be an problem between that and Vista, so please let me know about question above.

thanks,

[thebrix]

The original password itself (not just its appearance) appears to be corrupt. I cannot use the password I originally typed to extract files from the archive, so the archive is effectively useless.

[davidsplash]

i had the same problem with several files on my computer a while ago, seems like you have a file corruption or somethig wrong with hard drive. which operating system are you using and have you tested the archive in any other archivers and what font are you using and lastly what keyboard language are you using.

Havce you redone the test to see if it wasn’rt a glitch. What type of files are in the archive?

[thebrix]

No hard disk corruption or similar - at least as far as I can ascertain given the limited number of tools that are yet available for Vista

The backup job is automatic every night, and I have done it on demand as well. No difference - the reported behaviour happens every time.

The contents are a great variety - Office 2007, OpenOffice 2, emails, text files …

The point about trying the archive in the core archiver is a good one, and I will install WinZip and 7-Zip on another machine to find out what happens there. (Obviously not a solution to the PowerArchiver issue, but at least it would help narrow down the problem).

[thebrix]

Tried WinZip 11. If I open the first archive created after the .PBS file was created, I can extract files.

If I open the second (or later) archive, I cannot (see attached picture).

So the password is “really” corrupt …

[RJWaring]

Have tried duplicating this in WinXP Pro Service Pack 2 and its fine.

As mentioned above its very possbile its a glitch with Vista esspecially if its a “BETA” Release version!

You could always try duplicating this backup in version 2006 PA 9beta and not 2007 and see if that helps.

I think PA still have a good few more betas to release before the final version and tobe honest you shouldnt be using Beta versions to backup files that are important to you in the 1st place.

Obviosly if you are testing the product then this is a great example of issues that may apear with vista version.

[spwolf]

@thebrix:

Tried WinZip 11. If I open the first archive created after the .PBS file was created, I can extract files.

If I open the second (or later) archive, I cannot (see attached picture).

So the password is “really” corrupt …

it is possible that encryption of plain text password might have some issue in Vista - we are checking it out.

Did you try entering weird password from password screen in the password box of the 2nd archive?

thanks,

[thebrix]

I tried cut-and-paste from the PA password box into the WinZip one, but it didn’t work. (The apparently-corrupt password has a lot of characters which can’t be directly typed using a UK English keyboard; that might have something to do with it failing).