VeraCrypt upgraded and now unable to mount encrypted external drive. "Auto-mount failed due to one or more of the following"

[madvillan]

Hello Veracrypt Community,

Six years of school & work documents are in this encrypted hard drive.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Summary:

Upgraded Veracrypt (v1.21 > 1.24-Update6). Attempting to Auto-Mount external hard drive presents the following error:

Auto-mount failed due to one or more of the following:
- Incorrect password.
- Incorrect Volume PIM number.
- Incorrect PRF (hash).
- No valid volume found."

Details:
MacBook Air
MacOS version: macOS Sierra 10.12.6 [note updated on 5/3/2020]
Bootcamp vesion: 6.0
Windows 10 Education (1909)
VeraCrypt version 1.21
External Drive Size: 4 TB (Entire partition encrypted)
External Drive was encrypted with VeraCrypt veracrypt 1.21 (I did not specify or use PIM. I only enter my password which has not changed)

Here are the exact steps that I took to perform the upgrade:

1. Verify the external drive mounts under VeraCrypt v1.21. Log into Windows as standard account (.\standard)
2. Launch Veracrypt > Auto-Mount > H & I volumes mount successfully after approximately 3 minutes. Joy!
3. Sign Out
4. Log into Windows as admin account (.\administator)
5. Launch VeraCrypt v1.21 > Click Home Page button (avoid scam websites serving modified installers)
6. Download "VeraCrypt Setup 1.24-Update6.exe" installer
7. Run "VeraCrypt Setup 1.24-Update6.exe"
8. Select "Upgrade" from the wizard
9. "Upgrade successful" and proceeded with required "Reboot"
10. Reboot
11. Log into admin account (.\administrator)
12. Launch VeraCrypt > Click Auto-Mount > enter password. The following error is presented:

Auto-mount failed due to one or more of the following:
- Incorrect password.
- Incorrect Volume PIM number.
- Incorrect PRF (hash).
- No valid volume found."

1. Auto-Mount > enter password again (typing slowly). The same error is presented.
2. Anxiety levels spike
3. Sign Out
4. .Log into standard account (.\standard)
5. Launch Veracrypt > Auto-Mount > enter password again (typing slowly). The same error is presented.
6. Volume Tools > Enable "Read Only" > Auto-Mount > The same error is presented.
7. Help!
8. Dismount All

I was not performing a TrueCrypt to VeraCrypt conversion and did not Backup the Header Volume (Tools > Backup Volume Header).

Potential Fix Actions:

Other posts advise trying > Mount Options > "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" -- I have not attempted this.
Other posts advise trying using "Mount" (as opposed to Auto-Mount) -- I have not attempted this.

My fear is that the header of a VeraCrypt volume is damaged. Please advise on next steps.

Again, your input is greatly appreciated.

[Jim Neson]

I'm no expert, just a long time user.

I'm not familiar with auto-mount. Maybe just try manually mounting (Select the drive letter > Select File > Mount > Enter Password > See what shakes out).

Then, maybe try uninstalling VeraCrypt 1.24-Update6, re-installing VeraCrypt 1.21, and see if you can mount the external drive's volume?

[Enigma2Illusion]

Other posts advise trying > Mount Options > "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" -- I have not attempted this.

You need to perform this option.

Based on your detailed steps for upgrading, it appears you failed to dismount the volumes before upgrading and then reboot. Likely the reboot caused the damage to the primary header.

[madvillan]

Hi Enigma,

It is possible that I forgot to click "Dismount All" before signing out of my .\standard account and logging into the .\administrator account for the upgrade. As a habit, I consistentently dismount volumes from Veracyrpt and only then click " Safely Remove Hardware" from the Windows system tray. I may have just forgoten to document that step in this post.

Moving ahead, here are the steps I took:

1. Log into Windows as standard account (.\standard)
2. Launch VeraCrypt
3. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume
4. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of I: volume
5. Explorer.exe > browse into H: > success (no data here as it is the OEM/Windows recovery partition)
6. Explorer.exe > browse into I: > error message is presented:
   Incorrect Function

See attached images for details on the volumes.

Some questions before I proceed.

First, do I only get one attempt with "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" ? Is it possible to overwrite/erase the backup header during my testing?
Second, do you recommend the "Auto-Mount" or manual "Select Device" method?
Third, as per Jim's suggestion, which of these routes give me a better chance of success?

a.) Use VeraCrypt version 1.24-Update6 and proceed with the "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" option.
b.) Uninstall VeraCrypt version 1.24-Update6. Then install VeraCrypt v1.21 and proceed with the "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" option.

Thank you again.

[Enigma2Illusion]

If I understand correctly, the H volume, OEM/Windows recovery partition mounts correctly.

The issue is the I volume does not mount.

Use the manual "Select Device" method to use the option of "Use backup header embedded in volume if available".

You can attempt to use the embedded backup header to mount the I volume. This does not alter the primary header or the backup header for mounting.

For now, I would continue to use the 1.24-Update6 version.

EDIT: From your screenshots, it appears you are able to mount the volumes manually. I believe your filesystem is damaged. Which filesystem format did you use when you created the volumes?

Using the Administrator account, mount the volumes and in the VeraCrypt main screen, right click on each mounted volume and select Check Filesystem. This will not alter any data. If it reports errors, you can then right click and select Repair Filesystem. This may cause data loss for the repair.

If you have another HDD, clone the dismounted volumes to the other HDD to attempt the repair. This method will allow you to clone again from the source HDD to try other recovery/repair methods.

You could run data recovery software on the mounted volumes like EaseUS Data Recovery or R-Studio. There may be limits on the free version.

[madvillan]

Enigma,

Thank you very much for the assistance. This is difficult to type, but here are the results of today's actions:

1. Log into Windows as standard account (.\standard)
2. Launch VeraCrypt
3. Attach external drive.
4. Explorer.exe > D: volume mounts
5. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume
6. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > already shows as D: [veracrypt_05032020_1.jpg]
7. Dismount-All [Note: D: volume persists in Explorer.exe)
8. Exit VeraCrypt
9. Screenshot disk partition and computer management snap in [veracrypt_05032020_1.jpg, veracrypt_05032020_2.jpg]
10. Launch VeraCrypt
11. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume
    10.Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > Mount Options > "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" > enter password > I: volume > browse > Incorrect Function [veracrypt_05032020_3.jpg]
12. Dismount-All
13. Exit VeraCrypt
14. Log into Windows as admin account (.\administator)
15. Explorer.exe > D: appears
16. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume
17. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > OK > Mount > enter password > I: volume > error:

Auto-mount failed due to one or more of the following:
- Incorrect password.
- Incorrect Volume PIM number.
- Incorrect PRF (hash).
- No valid volume found.

Source:MountVolume:8370

[veracrypt_05032020_5.jpg]

1. Click OK
2. Returns to VeraCrypt Mount > Enter Password prompt
3. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > OK > Mount > enter password > I: volume > Right click "Check File System" > No problems found
4. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume > Right click "Check File System" > No problems found [veracrypt_05032020_6.jpg]
5. Dismount-All
6. Auto-Mount > Successful mount of H: volume. However, I: volume > Right click "Check File System" > No problems found
7. Dismount-All
8. "Safely Remove Hardware"

The "Source:MountVolume:8370" error is specific. Thoughts?

A quick search for the above error in the Technical Topics forums finds users reporting problems after Windows Updates. Others are reporting the inability to mount drives after upgrading VeraCrypt to the latest version.

Additional Context:

Before I upgraded VeraCrypt, earlier in the day Windows installed a culmulative update. See Event Viewer entry [veracrypt_05032020_7.jpg]
At approximately 1:16 AM I upgraded VeraCrypt, the wizard stated it completed successfully and it created a restore point [veracrypt_05032020_8.jpg]

Potential Fix Actions:

1. Restore Point a potential course of remediation?
2. Uninstall VeraCrypt 1.24-Update6. Then install VeraCrypt v1.21 and proceed with the "Use backup header embedded in volume if available" option and "Check File System"?
3. I have another PC laptop (Windows 7) with VeraCrypt v1.21 installed. Any value in introducing this into troubleshooting?

Please advise.

Thank you.

[Enigma2Illusion]

Do not use Microsoft System Restore aka Restore Point as this will make matters worse.

Personally, I see no value in connecting to another machine.

Windows has assign the drive letter D to the VeraCrypt unmounted volume.

You need to remove the Windows assignment by using Disk Management in the Control Panel (Google search how to remove the drive letter using Disk Management in Windows 10).

Click on the VeraCrypt unmount D drive in the Disk Management application > Change drive letter and paths > Remove.

This will get rid of the empty D drive Windows assignment.

With your VeraCrypt volumes unmounted, you can uninstall VeraCrypt, reboot and install the older version to eliminate that the VeraCrypt upgrade as being the cause of the issue.

If the older version of VeraCrypt does not resolve the issue, you will have to try data recovery tools on the mounted VeraCrypt volume to see if the tools can recover any data. Again, I recommend cloning the unmounted volume to another HDD to attempt the recovery for the same reasons I posted earlier in the thread.

[madvillan]

Hi Enigma,

I have great news to report -- the volume mounted successfully! My data is saved! Endless gratitude for taking the time and effort to provide input. I honestly thought the volume was hosed.

I ordered a new external hard drive so I can make another backup of my data. The new hard drive arrives tomorrow.

What immediate steps should I now take to ensure mirroring the data to the new volume goes smoothly? Is there a specific order of operations? Should I first backup the header volume (Tools > Backup Volume Header)? What about "Check File System" ? Or should I avoid messing with either of those steps and head straight into copying my data to the new drive?

Please advise.

THANK YOU!
Also, thank you Jim Nelson!

For documentation purposes, see below.

Fix Actions:

1. 1. Log into Windows as standard account (.\standard)
2. Computer Management.msc > Disk Management
3. Attach external drive
4. Disk 2 > Volume D: > Right click > Change Drive Letter and Paths > Remove
5. Launch VeraCrypt
6. Highlight H: > Auto-Mount > enter password > I: volume > Right click "Check File System" > No problems found
7. Dismount-All > Exit VeraCrypt
8. "Safely Remove Hardware"
9. Physically unplug external drive
10. Sign out
11. Log into Windows as administator account (.\administator)
12. Uninstall VeraCrypt 1.24-Update6 > VeraCrypt has been successfully uinstalled.
13. Install VeraCrypt v1.21
14. Get-FileHash C:\Users\administrator\veracrypt.exe verified
15. Launch VeraCrypt v1.21
16. Attach external drive
17. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition1 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of H: volume
18. Select Device > Device\Harddisk2\Partition2 > OK > Mount > enter password > Successful mount of I: volume JOY!!!

[Enigma2Illusion]

My recommendations would be to perform the following:

• Encrypt the partition on the new HDD. I will call this the backup VeraCrypt volume.
• Mount both original and backup VeraCrypt volumes.
• Use Micosoft's Robocopy to copy data from original mounted drive letter to the new mounted backup volume's drive letter.
• In the future, you can use a program called FreeFileSync to update the backup volume with files that where changed/deleted from the source volume.
• On both the original and backup VeraCrypt, create external backup of the headers and store in locations other than the source HDD which the external header backup file represents.

.
I am curious why the upgrade from VeraCrypt v1.21 to VeraCrypt 1.24-Update6 caused this issue.