Mail wants to use the "login" keychain. -- Why can't Mail remember???

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Level 1

0 points

Mail wants to use the "login" keychain. -- Why can't Mail remember???

When I launch the Mail application, I get the message:
Mail wants to use the "login" keychain.
Please enter the keychain password.
Password:
Cancel -- OK
I enter the login keychain password into the Password text box, and then I click OK, and then the Mail application continues to run properly.
My problem is that this happens every time I launch the Mail application, and it's annoying.
Why is the Mail application or the Keychain access software failing to remember my login password?

This started happening after I upgraded on Monday to Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5. I had problems during the initial installation with my keychain passwords and my login account. I have had my Mac for around 4 years (early 2003) and my main computer (login) password was longer than eight (8) characters.

So, I installed the new Login Keychain Password update for Mac OS 10.5, and it installed successfully.

But, I am still getting the message indicating that Mail wants to use the login keychain. I am also getting a similar message when I launch the Safari application. Why can't the applications remember the login keychain password?

Usually, the password boxes on Mac OS X have a check box where you can select the option to have the application REMEMBER the password. But, on these dialogue boxes, there is NO remember box to check. Why don't I have the option to remember?

Is there an easy fix for this? -- Is Apple aware of this problem? -- I don't want to completely re-install the operating system. -- Can I do something simple to get Mail and Safari to remember the login keychain password?

Help me please !!!

Mac PowerPC G4 Tower Dual 1.42 GHz, Mac OS X (10.5), Dual 1.42 GHz - 2MB L3 cache per processor

Posted on Oct 31, 2007 2:49 PM

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Answer 1

bneely

Level 5

5,255 points

Oct 31, 2007 3:22 PM in response to hobokenmark

Open /Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access.app . Then go to the preferences. Within the preferences is a tab called First Aid that has two settings you should use:

Synchronize login keychain password with account

Keep login keychain unlocked

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Answer 2

Rainßird

Level 2

355 points

Oct 31, 2007 5:12 PM in response to hobokenmark

There is another rather long thread on this subject a little deeper in the "leopard" discussions, titled "Mail Not Remembering Passwords":
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5679135&#5679135

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Answer 3

hobokenmark Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2007 9:04 AM in response to bneely

Thanks for your suggestion. I went to the Keychain Access application, as you suggested, and I viewed the First Aid preferences. Both of those options were already CHECKED. The "Synchronize login keychain password with account" was CHECKED already. And, the "Keep login keychain unlocked" was also CHECKED already.

So, were you suggesting that I should UN-check those boxes?

If they are already checked, then what does that indicate about my problem?

Thanks again.

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Answer 4

Bob H.

Level 4

2,104 points

Nov 1, 2007 3:35 PM in response to hobokenmark

Apple -- Help!! This is ridiculous. I have tried everything short of the Pasifist and nothing.

There must be an easy fix to this, but I've now wasted hours on this and I am sure many others have done the same.

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Answer 5

Bob H.

Level 4

2,104 points

Nov 2, 2007 5:49 AM in response to hobokenmark

Just wanted to pass along the words in the window that comes up upon starting Mail after a computer restart.

"Mail wants to use the "username" keychain."

I have installed the login and keychain update 1.0, and it did not solve the problem.

Best wishes.

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Answer 6

Nov 4, 2007 1:43 PM in response to Bob H.

As have I. Why this fails to work is a mystery. Also, on the latest launch of mail it completely trashed my keychain.

This makes serious bug number 25 in Leopard by my count. 275 to go...

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Answer 7

Nov 4, 2007 4:24 PM in response to hobokenmark

I had the same experience and found a solution.

After the upgrade, I had a login keychain (the default) and my original username keychain. Both are in the chain of keychains, but since it has a choice, Mail keeps asking you to confirm.

I moved all the entries out of username into login, deleted username, and all is well.

Note that Keychain asks for your password on EACH ITEM that it moves, which can be tedious. So I changed the keychain password to a single character, just for the duration, then changed it back to something secure.

If, on the other hand, you don't have two keychains, then I can offer no suggestion.

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Answer 8

Bob H.

Level 4

2,104 points

Nov 4, 2007 6:00 PM in response to Michael Newbery

Michael -- Thank you!!

I deleted the username version of the keychain, and that solved the problem. Both were there. When I deleted it, I was asked if I want to delete "References" or "References & Files". I chose "References & Files".

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Answer 9

FredCG

Level 1

19 points

Dec 22, 2007 5:20 PM in response to hobokenmark

Okay, I was having this same issue and was able to resolve it by deleting the passwords from my mail accounts, quitting mail and then starting mail again and entering the passwords for the accounts and checking the box to remember the passwords.

However, once I resolved that I started to get the same message in Safari! I don't know what is going on with this, but it sure is a pain. I think for me it started when I had to recreate my user accounts that disappeared. That was another major issue altogether. I had to rename my user folder, so I think that has caused some of my problems.

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Answer 10

Jan 17, 2008 12:14 PM in response to FredCG

that is okay if you only have a few mailboxes; impossible if you have more than a few.

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