JosefNemec/Playnite · critical · LiteDB.LiteException

Current data file requires password

Error message

Current data file requires password

What it means

Thrown as LiteDB.LiteException by FileReaderV7 constructor when opening an old (v7 page format / LiteDB v4) database file that has a non-zero encryption salt in its header but no password was supplied. The salt indicates the file was created with password encryption enabled. The reader requires the password to decrypt pages.

Source

Thrown at source/Playnite/Database/Collections/LiteDBFileReaderV7.cs:612

    {
        // v7 uses 4k page size
        private const int V7_PAGE_SIZE = 4096;

        private readonly Stream _stream;
        private readonly LiteDB.BsonDocument _header;

        private byte[] _buffer = new byte[V7_PAGE_SIZE];

        public FileReaderV7(Stream stream, string password)
        {
            _stream = stream;

            // only userVersion was avaiable in old file format versions
            _header = this.ReadPage(0);

            if (password == null && _header["salt"].AsBinary.IsFullZero() == false)
            {
                throw new LiteDB.LiteException("Current data file requires password");
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Read all collection based on header page
        /// </summary>
        public IEnumerable<string> GetCollections()
        {
            return _header["collections"].AsDocument.Keys;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Read all indexes from all collection pages
        /// </summary>
        public IEnumerable<IndexInfo> GetIndexes(string collection)
        {
            var pageID = (uint)_header["collections"].AsDocument[collection].AsInt32;
            var page = this.ReadPage(pageID);

View on GitHub (pinned to 5911f4e964)

Solutions

1. Provide the database password to the migration/open API: ensure the password collection or prompt is wired into the FileReaderV7 constructor call.
2. If the password is known, enter it in Playnite's database settings before attempting migration.
3. If the password is lost, the database cannot be decrypted; restore from an unencrypted backup if available.
4. Disable encryption on the old Playnite install (if still accessible) before migrating: export data, create a new unencrypted DB, re-import.

Example fix

// before — opening encrypted DB without password
var reader = new FileReaderV7(stream, password: null); // throws

// after — prompt for or retrieve password before opening
string password = await PromptUserForDbPassword();
var reader = new FileReaderV7(stream, password);

// FileReaderV7 checks salt internally; pre-validate at the caller:
// Read the salt bytes from the header page before constructing FileReaderV7
byte[] headerPage = new byte[4096];
stream.Position = 0;
stream.Read(headerPage, 0, 4096);
// If salt (at its known offset) is non-zero, prompt for password before constructing the reader.

try
{
    var reader = new FileReaderV7(stream, password);
}
catch (LiteDB.LiteException ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("requires password"))
{
    password = Dialogs.ShowInput("Database Password", "Enter the database password:");
    var reader = new FileReaderV7(stream, password);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Migrating an encrypted old-format Playnite database without providing the password. The FileReaderV7(stream, password) constructor checks if the header's salt field is non-zero (indicating encryption) and password is null. This fires before any page decryption is attempted.

Common situations: The user had password protection enabled in an old Playnite version and is now migrating. The password was lost or forgotten. The migration code path does not prompt for or pass the database password. A portable/roaming database was moved to a new Playnite install without the password.

Related errors

• BSON type not supported

AI-assisted analysis of JosefNemec/Playnite@5911f4e964 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/29dbc4fdadbafba1. Report an issue: GitHub.