[Solved] Forgot part of password

[sillycat41]

I know, I know... passwords are suppose to keep documents private and secure. If it was easy to retrieve the password then the file wouldn't be protected.

Well, I wrote a document a couple of years ago and password protected it. I saved the "password" in my address-book by blanking out some of the letters figuring that I'd remember what it was.... M*i**e I have been wrecking my brain trying to figure out the blank letters with no luck. I don't suppose there is any way to search the hard drive for this word being saved??? Like typing it in the search bar? Tried that but no luck. Any ideas? Thanks.

[robleyd]

If it was a dictionary word as opposed to a made up string, then a dictionary search using wildcards might help. Using Wordsmyth I came up with the following based on your pattern.

malice
marine
media
mobile
motile
motive

[MrProgrammer]

I don't suppose there is any way to search the hard drive for this word being saved?

OpenOffice never stores your password as plaintext. It is encrypted before it's saved. It's easy to find the encrypted password, but no one can decrypt it. Your only hope is to remember what you used. If you can't, your data is gone forever unless you have a copy of the file before the password was applied.
Form of stored passwords

M*i**e

Maiden name? Password are case sensitive. If some of the letters in your password were upper case, you must type them as such when opening the protected file.

[sillycat41]

Thanks for responding. Nope, not my maiden name. This is a real puzzle because it doesn't follow my usual pattern for short passwords. Oh well... I give up for now. Maybe it'll pop in my head some time when I least expect it. LOL! Thanks.

[LastUnicorn]

Any of these – suggested by WordWeb Pro anagram search, minimum 3 letters, maximum 6 letters:

mice
mike
mile
mime
mine
mire
mite
Maine
maize
midge
Milne
minae
mince
minge
minke
mitre
moire
moiré
movie
moxie
maggie
magpie
maigre
malice
Marine
marine
mashie
mealie
meanie
mediae
mickle
middle
milage
mingle
minute
mirage
miscue
misuse
mizzle
Mobile
mobile
moggie
Moirae
Moline
Molise
mollie
Moonie
mossie
motile
motive
mozzie
mud pie
Muncie
murine
Myxine

[sillycat41]

Thanks, but I doubt that I used a dictionary word because it would be easier to hack.

[keme]

Thanks, but I doubt that I used a dictionary word because it would be easier to hack.

Oh, well... If you believe that you mangled the word, then you are the only one who knows your mangling strategy. Dictionary suggestions are the best you can expect from a random stranger, which I guess most helpers here are to you.

My best guess is that you thought of this as a master password, and you know some French. Maitre, or perhaps Maître?

Hopefully this, or some of the other suggestions, will jog your memory. Give it time!

[sillycat41]

Okay thanks. The 3rd letter is an "L" not an "i" though.