Is it possible to restore key data without having TrueCrypt Rescue Disk?

I'm pretty certain the pw I am entering is correct, but Truecrypt is saying it is incorrect. I lost my rescue disk.

Thanks in adv

 

So you're stuck at the preboot authentication screen and your password is no longer working? This could be due to several possibilities, including corrupted key data. However, this is relatively uncommon. It usually happens only in cases where the entire beginning of the disk has been affected in some way, such as an accidental overwrite or failing hardware.

Other likely possibilities include wrong password or different keyboard. Too bad you lost the rescue disk, as this would allow you to test your password, among other things.

Anyway, to answer your question: No, you can't restore the key data without the correct rescue disk, unless that is you have an image or copy of the beginning of the disk, in which case you can copy and paste it from there. It's usually located in Sector 62 (the 63rd sector) unless you are using one of the new drives with 4K sectors.

You can also look at the 512-byte key data using a hex editor to see if it looks "normal", which is to say, not overwritten by plaintext. The data in sector 62 should look completely random.

 

Thanks for the help

It is probably failing hardware. It was working fine yesterday and the computer is about 4 yrs old. The sad thing is that I'm not 100% sure if it is the correct pw, I typed from muscle memory.

 

I have read through this "exact thread" over a thousand times over the years. This is going to sound harsh but I wish the TC devs would have coded the exe so that every 60 days the program required rescue disk verification (for an encrypted system disk) to mount the OS. Give a user 5 times ( opportunity to make a disk if needed) after that, and it won't mount without the disk. I was a LTRM at TC and that would have helped the regulars get all the newbies through the same post(s) year after year. Please don't be offended. It really would have helped so out many folks!!

 

Make sure to create sector-by-sector images, cause that's the only way to save all your data in case of hardware failure. A superior option to the rescue disk, which I never use. Combined with AX64's hot imaging/restores, you won't be outdated as well.

As for nagging the user to verify rescue disks, I guess that works best as opt-out, but still dislikes it.

 

I am onboard with the sectoring too. It does take longer and its a bit more problematic for newer users for things like hardware failure where you are now restoring to a different size system disk (new computer drive as an example). That said; all my partitions are sector imaged for quick restores, especially for hidden OS's.