Solved! [Problem] Android thinks my startup password is text but it's really a pattern. Now I can't enter the pattern to start it

Jacob Stewart

Prominent
May 14, 2017
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(I don't know which version it is and I can't check it now. All I know is that it's not the latest version (as there's one of those annoying, overly persistant update notifications I haven't responded to yet) and it's new enough to have a built-in torch function.)

Background: after I set encryption on and stuff was encrypted I decided to change the lock screen password. IIRC I also ticked a button that was nearby saying AFAIK something along the lines of changing the encryption password as well to this new one, but IIRC it didn't launch into any process that could be a decrypting then reencrypting and when I eventually ended up starting the phone from it's off state, only the old password worked.
The old encryption password (which is a pattern) stayed the same throughout changes of lock passwords (I don't remember ticking the button I ticked at the start) and probably didn't change when I eventually changed the lock screen password to being text-based (while ticking that box, I think). But I can't start up Android with my new password so it must be the old one still.
Does anyone know how I can fix this or, failing that, get around it in some way? can I access the encrypted data outside of android? is the pattern lock actually based upon the text lock in such a way that I can type something into the text area that represents the my old pattern (which I can enter)?
 
Solution
If there was a way to do this we wouldn't advertise it here because people would learn how to change other folks' security settings. For that reason, our policy is not to give advice on passworrd issues.

All you can do is to perform a factory settings which will wipe all your personal data.
If there was a way to do this we wouldn't advertise it here because people would learn how to change other folks' security settings. For that reason, our policy is not to give advice on passworrd issues.

All you can do is to perform a factory settings which will wipe all your personal data.
 
Solution