Q: Can't log on to Facetime - it time wants my confidential information...and loops
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Nov 29, 2015 10:10 PMby Linc Davis,Please back up all data before proceeding.
Launch the Keychain Access application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
Select the login keychain from the list on the left side of the Keychain Access window. If your default keychain has a different name, select that.
If the lock icon in the top left corner of the window shows that the keychain is locked, click to unlock it. You'll be prompted for the keychain password, which is the same as your login password, unless you've changed it.
Right-click or control-click the login entry in the list. From the menu that pops up, select
Change Settings for Keychain "login"
In the sheet that opens, uncheck both boxes, if not already unchecked.
From the menu bar, select
Keychain Access â–¹ Preferences... â–¹ First Aid
There are four checkboxes in the window that opens. Check all of them. if they're not already checked. Close the window.
Select
Keychain Access â–¹ Keychain First Aid
from the menu bar and repair the keychain. Quit Keychain Access.
If you use iCloud Keychain, open the iCloud preference pane and uncheck the Keychain box. You'll be prompted to delete the local iCloud keychain. Confirm. Then re-check the box. Follow one of the procedures described in this support article to set up iCloud Keychain on an additional device.
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Nov 30, 2015 7:53 PMby J1-Helena,Thanks very much. I'd like to attach a screenshot, but I guess that I can't. I don't have a "login" keychain. There are several that include my Apple ID in the name field, but none relate to "login" in the Kind field. Also, the none of the right-click options for any of them offer a "keychain access" option.
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Dec 1, 2015 7:58 AMby Linc Davis,Please select
Passwords
in the Category list. Enter "ids" (without the quotes) in the search box in the toolbar of the window. Delete all items of type "application password" that have a name beginning in any of the following ways:
ids:
IDS:
com.apple.ids:
Also find and delete all items with "facetime" or "com.apple.idms" in the name.
Quit Keychain Access. Try FaceTime again.
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Dec 1, 2015 7:51 PMby J1-Helena,Thanks, again. After searching on "ids," I deleted about a dozen files that were returned. I started Facetime, entered myu ID and password, and was presented with the "Facetime want to use..." message. I selected "Always Allow." No joy. I again wound up in the endless loop. BTW, I did check and my Apple ID and password are valid. Anyway, I created a new AppleID and was able to launch the app. However, after the successful launch, I closed Facetime. When I opened it again, the same thing happened with my new ID! I can't use Facetime.
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Dec 3, 2015 7:48 AMby J1-Helena,Thanks. I am not using two-step verification. I tried iMessage, but can't sign in to that, either. I receive a message advising me that I cannot sign in, but no explanation is given. My Apple ID and password are valid and work fine when I log in to Apple sites/forums.
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Dec 4, 2015 11:11 AMby Linc Davis,Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Please take this step regardless of the results of Step 1.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem.
Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of Steps 1 and 2.
