The main problem started when I assigned the password field to the cb recaptcha tab. The password field then disappeared in the field management area and the front end of the site.

Then I recreated a new password field in field management.

Upon registration the user was being sent an automatic generated password despite them entering their own password and verifying it successfully using the newly created password field. I confirmed the configuration settings in joomla and CB and they are both set to not automatically generate password and not to email newly registered user.

I went into the database and saw both the old password field(the one that disappeared ) and the new password field. I deleted the new password field in the db and edited the name of the original password field. This field then re appeared in the back end of the cb field management. Then re-inserted this field into the registration form however user is still being sent an email with an auto generated password.

When you look in the database password values the older users who registered before the problem arose have password value empty. These users can still log into the front end as registered users. For new registered users after the problem arose the values are captured as a string and display the actual password in the db.