Oddly persisting password

Question

Level 1

5 points

Oddly persisting password

I would like to know how to delete a password which is oddly persisting.

After I do a full Reset Safari, all password-access pages ask for password -- except for one. To make that site ask again for password, I also have to Quit.

If I don’t Quit, I can keep re-accessing that page even after doing a full Reset Safari (all items checked).

I’ve looked in Keychain and can’t see any trace of that password, though I may be missing something.

Can someone clear this up? I want to be sure I’m clearing all traces.

Thank you.

MBP 2.4 Core 2 duo 4gb, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Safari 5.0.1

Posted on Aug 17, 2010 1:21 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 17, 2010 2:21 PM in response to LongRiver

HI,

Open Keychain Access. Select Passwords on the left. Try search field top right in the Keychain Access window. Search by password and site name / address.

If a search doesn't help try my instructions for Keychain FirstAid.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2547360&tstart=0

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 2

LongRiver Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2010 3:18 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Carolyn,

Thank you. I’ve done all the things you’ve suggested, and still get the same response with that one website.

Keychain FirstAid reported two errors, then corrected them with Repair, and reported no further problems. I deleted the “Safari Forms Autofill” and deleted the com.apple.keychainaccess.plist.

When I click “Remember this password in my keychain”, I can see the password appear in my keychain list -- but when I do a full Reset Safari, it stays in the list, and I can access that website. I have to Quit Safari to make the password disappear from the Keychain list.

When I don’t do “Remember this password in my keychain”, I get the same response. Even after a full Reset Safari, I have to Quit Safari.

I have only a few items in my Keychain, and I've read the entire list very thoroughly. There's nothing else there that could be allowing that odd access -- and I get the persisting access even when I don't put the password into the Keychain.

What could be allowing it?

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Answer 3

Aug 17, 2010 3:23 PM in response to LongRiver

HI,

Stubborn! Silly question, but have you tried right or control clicking the keychain then click Delete?

🙂

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Answer 4

LongRiver Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2010 4:26 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks for your help.

Did you mean control-click-then-delete-item on the password listed in the Keychain list?

I've done that just now, and it didn't help.

The odd thing is that even if I don't have Keychain retain the password, it gets retained -- somewhere -- till Quit, even through a Reset Safari. Reset Safari deletes all other non-Keychained passwords. Just not this one.

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Answer 5

Aug 17, 2010 4:30 PM in response to LongRiver

Did you mean control-click-then-delete-item on the password listed in the Keychain list?

Yes.

It may be a good idea to boot from your install disc, run Disk Utility in case there are errors on the star tup disk that need repairing.

Insert your install disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu and launch Disk Utility.
(In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first from the installer menu)
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
Select your start up disk and click Restart

While you have the Disk Utility window open, look at the bottom of the window. Where you see Capacity and Available. Make sure there is always 10% to 15% free disk space

🙂

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Answer 6

LongRiver Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2010 5:02 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thank you. The disk drive on my MacBook Pro failed just after the warranty period ended, after having been used hardly ever, and I probably won't replace it or get an external drive, as I'm a little burned out on multiple Apple hardware failures and have reached a limit of what I'm willing to do on that particular treadmill. I've used Mac since the 512k and have come to realize I probably should move to another brand next time around.

So starting up from the disk isn't possible. This minor password trouble is surely manageable, using the workaround of Quitting Safari.

Thanks for your help.

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Answer 7

Aug 17, 2010 5:07 PM in response to LongRiver

🙂

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Answer 8

LongRiver Author

Level 1

5 points

Aug 17, 2010 7:13 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

It dawned on me that I run do the Disk Repair from my backup external hard drive (which updates nightly), and I did that. Disk Utility found one small error and repaired it. This didn't help the question at hand, but it was no doubt a good thing to do. My internal HD has about 35% free space.

The persisting password is a curious thing. It's not a serious matter, but just so odd ...

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