I see in the features list "KeePass is portable: it can be carried on an USB stick and runs on Windows systems without being installed" and was wondering how this works exactly? I know that I can export my database to a txt/HTML/CSV file, but that seems REALLY insecure, especially on a USB drive. Is there a way to bring my database along with me, have it not be easily readable, and not require installing KeePass on the destination machine? Thanks!
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The Database on your USB is encrypted exactly like on your computer. You need your Master Password to open it. So your database "is not .. easily readable" - unless one has the Master Password.
And you can bring along the entire KeePass folder on the USB - mine is only about 3MB which includes KeeForm.
Obviously you should not carry the Kee File on the same USB (I use both a Master Password and a Kee File).
Alex
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I am a new user to Keepass. I have a dual boot computer for XP & W7 op systems. I downloaded the portable program to my USB stick & created several passwords OK. I next booted into W7 & added some more passwords from the same USB database that was now there. Later on, I went back to my XP op system & tried to open the existing database & was surprised to see that the .exe file would not open anything at all. Back to W7 op system & the same results - nothing I had created in 2 sessions was now available to me. This is SCAREY & I'm glad I had not changed all my passwords in the real world yet. Any suggestions on this? The USB stick is noted as K drive on my XP - & G drive on my W7
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Thanks wellread1 for replying. There was no error, as such. Clicking on the .exe file produced a black screen for a second & then that went away & nothing happened. The .kbdx file, or whatever those 4 letters are, is missing & I can't find it on either system. There is a .kbd file on the USB drive but nothing is opening it for me.
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A .kdb file is the default file extension for KeePass 1.x. Did you have that installed at one point. A .kdbx file is the default file extension for KeePass 2.x (The two file formats are incompatible). If you are opening KeePass by double clicking on the the database file (.kdb or .kdbx) then it sounds like your file associations are messed up.
Find the KeePass.exe and run it. If you get a prompt for a Master Key try your master password. If you don't get a prompt for a Master Key then once keepass is open use File->Open->Open File to navigate to your password database and open it.
-wellread1
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I misread your post. Apparently you are clicking on the KeePass.exe. On XP KeePass requires that .NET framework > 2.0 be installed. Try opening the KeePass.exe on Win 7 (Win 7 has the necessary .NET components installed by default). I have never seen a black screen flash when opening keepass. If the open fails, check task manager for a keepass.exe process. If you can not access the keepass user interface and the keepass.exe is running end the process and try restarting keepass.exe
-wellread1
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My .net framework on XP is at 3.5 with 4.0 Client installed. The database was originally created on XP & later used on W7 from the USB stick. The Keepass.exe is not running under task manager on either op system. Both systems produce the black command prompt window for just a second & then that vanishes & nothing has transpired.
As a new user, I'm sure you can understand my fears of losing data this easy. I travel abroad & use as many as 8 different computers in my travels. To lose a 20 digit password database this easily would be as big a disaster as a possible hacker would be. I had about 15 entries in the database before it vanished. I had NOT made the password changes to my various accounts, so nothing is lost but my time & the missing data.
Your help is grately appreciated.
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After opening the .exe file many many times, I was able to read a line at the top of the command prompt black screen that said "program is too big for memory". That file is only 1,485 K so I doubt the validity of the message. I have 3 GIG of RAM on this computer.
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KeePass has been around since 2006 and is a well regarded stable program. Your problem appears to be an inability to run the KeePass program. At this time there is no reason to believe that the database that you previously created is damaged. Since you have successfully launched KeePass at least twice it appears something on you system has changed on your system. There is no reason to see a command window when starting KeePass because it is a native Windows application.
Is your keepass.exe on the USB drive? If so I suggest you try running the keepass.exe from the USB on another machine to see if KeePass fails to launch and a DOS box appears on other machines.
-wellread1
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Thanks for the input, wellread1. It's 11 pm here & I need to get some sleep. I don't doubt that I probably did something stupid that caused the .kbdx file to vanish. I think I will just start over completely from the website download & see if I can backtrack what I have done.
Good night & Thanks - Jay
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Back Again, Wellread1 - I have found several issues that I caused by my own lack of familiarity with Keepass. I had downloaded & installed the the earlier version 1.26 instead of 2.19. I totally erased all that I had created originally & downloaded the 1.29 Zip file & placed it in a folder on my USB drive. I unzipped the 2.19 version inside that folder & successfully created a new database. I was able to enter & leave the database several times with no problems.
Here is the present problem now! As soon as I remove the USB drive from the computer, & reinsert it, all my Keepass data is gone from the folder it was created in. I am at a loss as to what is going on here. I did a Save As on the original database creation & I was able to enter & leave with the master password.
If you remember, I have a dual boot system with XP & W7 op systems. The above problem happens on both op systems. The USB stick also contains some other back-up data folders & that data is not affected by whatever is happening with Keepass.
Thanks for your patience! - Jay
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You do not need to load both versions on your system, stick to the one you intend to use.
1. How are you entering your database?
2. Can you see any files on the USB ending with KDBX?
3. Did you use Windows eject option to safely close the USB files before removal?
cheers, Paul
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I'll assume that you are using KeePass 2.19 because KeePass 1.x has not reached version 1.26 or 1.29 yet. Note that KeePass 1.x and 2.x lines are base on entirely different code and are not interchangeable.
As soon as I remove the USB drive from the computer, & reinsert it, all my Keepass data is gone from the folder it was created in.
Are you saying that a .kdbx file that existed prior to opening KeePass has been deleted after you closed KeePass?
It would help if you report the exact sequence of steps that you took to create your problem and for the moment stick to Win For example:
1. opened KeePass from USB
2. opened NewDatabase.kdbx on USB drive
3. added new record
4. Attempted safe remove of USB drive
5. Received warning that drive was in use
6. Executed unsafe remove of USB drive
7. Reinerted USB drive
8. Closed KeePass; Keepass prompted me to Save, Discard changes, or Cancel
9. Selected Save
10. Reopened KeePass and database
11. New record was in database
I completed the sequence above, received the two warnings: (5) and (8), but was still able to successfully save my updated database on my USB drive.
Keep in mind that once KeePass is running, both the program and database reside entirely in memory. KeePass does not access the disk copy of the database until you explicitly save changes.
-wellread1
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Per Paul549: The database is entered using the Keepass.exe file & a Master Password only - no key file. There is indeed a KDBX file created after I open the new database & assign the master password. After adding some passwords to the new database, I Saved As & directed the saved file to the location where it was created on the USB stick. I used the Safely Remove icon in the system tray to eject the USB stick. Please see my response to Wellread1 that follows.
Wellread1 - per your request for an itemized step by step:
1 I inserted the USB stick & navigated to it's drive letter using Windows Explorer.
2 I created a folder on the USB stick called Keepass.
3 I downloaded the 2.19 Portable zip file to this folder & unzipped the content.
4 I double clicked the keepass.exe file & created a new database with master password only.
5 I Saved As the new database & made sure it was pointed to this same Keepass folder on the USB stick.
6 I created about 5 new passwords in several groups & then did a Save.
7 i went to file Close & File Exit, which shut down the program on the screen.
8 Later I went back to the USB stick & reopened the database using my master password.
9 I added more passwords & again I Saved the data in the same manner above.
10 At this point, all the files were showing in the USB folder I named Keepass.
11 Again, I dis a Close & Exit from the Files menu.
12 At this point, all the data files were in my Keepass folder on the USB drive.
13 I safely removed the USB device using the System Tray icon & removed the USB stick from it's socket.
14 Later, I reinserted the USB drive & opened to it's location using Windows Explorer.
15 Double clicking the Keepass folder that I created showed that all files in that folder had vanished - including the original Zip file! The Keepass folder remained but all content was gone.
16 All the above was done on my Windows 7 Op System.
17 Thinking that I may have done something wrong in the process, I next logged onto my XP Op System & repeated all the steps that I listed above.
18 The result was the same. The data remained on the USB stick as long as I didn't remove it fom the computer.
19 A search for the KDBX file finds nothing at all - anywhere on the 2 hard drives. It's definitely gone from the USB stick.
20 Some process is deleting the entire contents of the Keepass folder but leaving the folder.
21 Other folders that I also have on that USB stick are unaffected & contain back-up data generated by another program.
22 The USB stick has 4 GIG of storage & is fairly new. No problems when using it on other tasks.
Regards Jay
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It does not look to me like this is a KeePass problem because at step 12. KeePass.exe is not running (you should be able to verify this by checking task manager) and all of the files are present on the USB drive. The action that caused loss of files was removal and reinsertion of an inert USB drive.
Nothing comes to mind to account for this behavior except a defective USB drive or a virus infection. The original behavior, that you reported; namely the appearance of a DOS box when you started KeePass also suggests of a possible virus infection (possibly on the USB drive). I suggest you scan your USB drive & system for viruses and/or try adding some arbitrary files to the KeePass directory on the USB drive to see if they survive a USB drive removal/reinsertion cycle.
-wellread1
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Many Thanks for all of your quick responses. Computers can humble you in a minute. A virus scan showed nothing on the USB stick. I moved other files into the folder I created & - guess what? they promptly vanished when I removed the drive from the computer. Creating a brand new folder & filling it with other files resulted in lost files on disconnect. Checking Properties showed that USB stick to be only half full. What fooled me was that none of my other files & folders on that stick are being lost or affected. There must be a certain point in that USB memory stick that will not accept any further data, or erases it beyond a certain capacity when ejected.
I switched to another USB stick & repeated all of the checks just described & had no problems with vanishing files or folders. With this new bit of info filed in my databanks, I will try Keepass again with a different USB stick in place & I'm sure the results will be as you suggested.
Many thanks, again, to you & Paul. I don't have time to reinstall tonite but that will be on my list of things to do tomorrow.
Regards - Jay
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There are some fake USB memory devices around that are actually only a fraction of the size they purport to be. A brand name printed on the device does not guarantee that it was made by them.
I have seen a memory card with a SANDISK label that should have been 16 gbyte (that was what it reported) but in fact was only 4 Gbyte and had been hacked. This was bought through Amazon. I believe that it was refunded. The packaging when compared with the real device was not as good.
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Thanks for the info, Steelej. I am rapidly realizing that CHEAP is seldom ever GOOD when a USB stick is involved.
I wanted to thank wellread1 & Paul again for their expert & courteous responses. I reinstalled Keepass onto a 4 GIG HP USB stick & everything is working as it should, finally. Great job, Guys!
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I see in the features list "KeePass is portable: it can be carried on an USB stick and runs on Windows systems without being installed" and was wondering how this works exactly? I know that I can export my database to a txt/HTML/CSV file, but that seems REALLY insecure, especially on a USB drive. Is there a way to bring my database along with me, have it not be easily readable, and not require installing KeePass on the destination machine? Thanks!
The Database on your USB is encrypted exactly like on your computer. You need your Master Password to open it. So your database "is not .. easily readable" - unless one has the Master Password.
And you can bring along the entire KeePass folder on the USB - mine is only about 3MB which includes KeeForm.
Obviously you should not carry the Kee File on the same USB (I use both a Master Password and a Kee File).
Alex
Copy the database file to any portable medium - the file is usually database.kbd.
cheers, Paul
I am a new user to Keepass. I have a dual boot computer for XP & W7 op systems. I downloaded the portable program to my USB stick & created several passwords OK. I next booted into W7 & added some more passwords from the same USB database that was now there. Later on, I went back to my XP op system & tried to open the existing database & was surprised to see that the .exe file would not open anything at all. Back to W7 op system & the same results - nothing I had created in 2 sessions was now available to me. This is SCAREY & I'm glad I had not changed all my passwords in the real world yet. Any suggestions on this? The USB stick is noted as K drive on my XP - & G drive on my W7
What was the error message?
-wellread1
Thanks wellread1 for replying. There was no error, as such. Clicking on the .exe file produced a black screen for a second & then that went away & nothing happened. The .kbdx file, or whatever those 4 letters are, is missing & I can't find it on either system. There is a .kbd file on the USB drive but nothing is opening it for me.
A .kdb file is the default file extension for KeePass 1.x. Did you have that installed at one point. A .kdbx file is the default file extension for KeePass 2.x (The two file formats are incompatible). If you are opening KeePass by double clicking on the the database file (.kdb or .kdbx) then it sounds like your file associations are messed up.
Find the KeePass.exe and run it. If you get a prompt for a Master Key try your master password. If you don't get a prompt for a Master Key then once keepass is open use File->Open->Open File to navigate to your password database and open it.
-wellread1
I misread your post. Apparently you are clicking on the KeePass.exe. On XP KeePass requires that .NET framework > 2.0 be installed. Try opening the KeePass.exe on Win 7 (Win 7 has the necessary .NET components installed by default). I have never seen a black screen flash when opening keepass. If the open fails, check task manager for a keepass.exe process. If you can not access the keepass user interface and the keepass.exe is running end the process and try restarting keepass.exe
-wellread1
My .net framework on XP is at 3.5 with 4.0 Client installed. The database was originally created on XP & later used on W7 from the USB stick. The Keepass.exe is not running under task manager on either op system. Both systems produce the black command prompt window for just a second & then that vanishes & nothing has transpired.
As a new user, I'm sure you can understand my fears of losing data this easy. I travel abroad & use as many as 8 different computers in my travels. To lose a 20 digit password database this easily would be as big a disaster as a possible hacker would be. I had about 15 entries in the database before it vanished. I had NOT made the password changes to my various accounts, so nothing is lost but my time & the missing data.
Your help is grately appreciated.
After opening the .exe file many many times, I was able to read a line at the top of the command prompt black screen that said "program is too big for memory". That file is only 1,485 K so I doubt the validity of the message. I have 3 GIG of RAM on this computer.
KeePass has been around since 2006 and is a well regarded stable program. Your problem appears to be an inability to run the KeePass program. At this time there is no reason to believe that the database that you previously created is damaged. Since you have successfully launched KeePass at least twice it appears something on you system has changed on your system. There is no reason to see a command window when starting KeePass because it is a native Windows application.
Is your keepass.exe on the USB drive? If so I suggest you try running the keepass.exe from the USB on another machine to see if KeePass fails to launch and a DOS box appears on other machines.
-wellread1
RE: post # 10
Try rebooting the machine. Also try running from safe mode.
-wellread1
Thanks for the input, wellread1. It's 11 pm here & I need to get some sleep. I don't doubt that I probably did something stupid that caused the .kbdx file to vanish. I think I will just start over completely from the website download & see if I can backtrack what I have done.
Good night & Thanks - Jay
Back Again, Wellread1 - I have found several issues that I caused by my own lack of familiarity with Keepass. I had downloaded & installed the the earlier version 1.26 instead of 2.19. I totally erased all that I had created originally & downloaded the 1.29 Zip file & placed it in a folder on my USB drive. I unzipped the 2.19 version inside that folder & successfully created a new database. I was able to enter & leave the database several times with no problems.
Here is the present problem now! As soon as I remove the USB drive from the computer, & reinsert it, all my Keepass data is gone from the folder it was created in. I am at a loss as to what is going on here. I did a Save As on the original database creation & I was able to enter & leave with the master password.
If you remember, I have a dual boot system with XP & W7 op systems. The above problem happens on both op systems. The USB stick also contains some other back-up data folders & that data is not affected by whatever is happening with Keepass.
Thanks for your patience! - Jay
You do not need to load both versions on your system, stick to the one you intend to use.
1. How are you entering your database?
2. Can you see any files on the USB ending with KDBX?
3. Did you use Windows eject option to safely close the USB files before removal?
cheers, Paul
I'll assume that you are using KeePass 2.19 because KeePass 1.x has not reached version 1.26 or 1.29 yet. Note that KeePass 1.x and 2.x lines are base on entirely different code and are not interchangeable.
Are you saying that a .kdbx file that existed prior to opening KeePass has been deleted after you closed KeePass?
It would help if you report the exact sequence of steps that you took to create your problem and for the moment stick to Win For example:
1. opened KeePass from USB
2. opened NewDatabase.kdbx on USB drive
3. added new record
4. Attempted safe remove of USB drive
5. Received warning that drive was in use
6. Executed unsafe remove of USB drive
7. Reinerted USB drive
8. Closed KeePass; Keepass prompted me to Save, Discard changes, or Cancel
9. Selected Save
10. Reopened KeePass and database
11. New record was in database
I completed the sequence above, received the two warnings: (5) and (8), but was still able to successfully save my updated database on my USB drive.
Keep in mind that once KeePass is running, both the program and database reside entirely in memory. KeePass does not access the disk copy of the database until you explicitly save changes.
-wellread1
Per Paul549: The database is entered using the Keepass.exe file & a Master Password only - no key file. There is indeed a KDBX file created after I open the new database & assign the master password. After adding some passwords to the new database, I Saved As & directed the saved file to the location where it was created on the USB stick. I used the Safely Remove icon in the system tray to eject the USB stick. Please see my response to Wellread1 that follows.
Wellread1 - per your request for an itemized step by step:
1 I inserted the USB stick & navigated to it's drive letter using Windows Explorer.
2 I created a folder on the USB stick called Keepass.
3 I downloaded the 2.19 Portable zip file to this folder & unzipped the content.
4 I double clicked the keepass.exe file & created a new database with master password only.
5 I Saved As the new database & made sure it was pointed to this same Keepass folder on the USB stick.
6 I created about 5 new passwords in several groups & then did a Save.
7 i went to file Close & File Exit, which shut down the program on the screen.
8 Later I went back to the USB stick & reopened the database using my master password.
9 I added more passwords & again I Saved the data in the same manner above.
10 At this point, all the files were showing in the USB folder I named Keepass.
11 Again, I dis a Close & Exit from the Files menu.
12 At this point, all the data files were in my Keepass folder on the USB drive.
13 I safely removed the USB device using the System Tray icon & removed the USB stick from it's socket.
14 Later, I reinserted the USB drive & opened to it's location using Windows Explorer.
15 Double clicking the Keepass folder that I created showed that all files in that folder had vanished - including the original Zip file! The Keepass folder remained but all content was gone.
16 All the above was done on my Windows 7 Op System.
17 Thinking that I may have done something wrong in the process, I next logged onto my XP Op System & repeated all the steps that I listed above.
18 The result was the same. The data remained on the USB stick as long as I didn't remove it fom the computer.
19 A search for the KDBX file finds nothing at all - anywhere on the 2 hard drives. It's definitely gone from the USB stick.
20 Some process is deleting the entire contents of the Keepass folder but leaving the folder.
21 Other folders that I also have on that USB stick are unaffected & contain back-up data generated by another program.
22 The USB stick has 4 GIG of storage & is fairly new. No problems when using it on other tasks.
Regards Jay
I assume you have downloaded KeePass from the official site http://www.keepass.info/download.html.
It does not look to me like this is a KeePass problem because at step 12. KeePass.exe is not running (you should be able to verify this by checking task manager) and all of the files are present on the USB drive. The action that caused loss of files was removal and reinsertion of an inert USB drive.
Nothing comes to mind to account for this behavior except a defective USB drive or a virus infection. The original behavior, that you reported; namely the appearance of a DOS box when you started KeePass also suggests of a possible virus infection (possibly on the USB drive). I suggest you scan your USB drive & system for viruses and/or try adding some arbitrary files to the KeePass directory on the USB drive to see if they survive a USB drive removal/reinsertion cycle.
-wellread1
Many Thanks for all of your quick responses. Computers can humble you in a minute. A virus scan showed nothing on the USB stick. I moved other files into the folder I created & - guess what? they promptly vanished when I removed the drive from the computer. Creating a brand new folder & filling it with other files resulted in lost files on disconnect. Checking Properties showed that USB stick to be only half full. What fooled me was that none of my other files & folders on that stick are being lost or affected. There must be a certain point in that USB memory stick that will not accept any further data, or erases it beyond a certain capacity when ejected.
I switched to another USB stick & repeated all of the checks just described & had no problems with vanishing files or folders. With this new bit of info filed in my databanks, I will try Keepass again with a different USB stick in place & I'm sure the results will be as you suggested.
Many thanks, again, to you & Paul. I don't have time to reinstall tonite but that will be on my list of things to do tomorrow.
Regards - Jay
There are some fake USB memory devices around that are actually only a fraction of the size they purport to be. A brand name printed on the device does not guarantee that it was made by them.
I have seen a memory card with a SANDISK label that should have been 16 gbyte (that was what it reported) but in fact was only 4 Gbyte and had been hacked. This was bought through Amazon. I believe that it was refunded. The packaging when compared with the real device was not as good.
Thanks for the info, Steelej. I am rapidly realizing that CHEAP is seldom ever GOOD when a USB stick is involved.
I wanted to thank wellread1 & Paul again for their expert & courteous responses. I reinstalled Keepass onto a 4 GIG HP USB stick & everything is working as it should, finally. Great job, Guys!