Mojave/High Sierra, Mail Services Withdrawn from Yahoo maybe other earlier OSX... "error in Internet Accounts preferences."
I have an early 2012 Mac Pro 5,1 on Mojave and other bootable drives with Mojave and High Sierra, 2011 MBP on HIgh Sierra, 2020 MBP on Ventura. I also have an iPad Pro iOS 16.5, iPhone iOS 16.5.
I've spent a few days now trying to figure out why I'm getting the "Preferences Error There was an error in Internet Accounts preferences." while trying to set up my e-mail account (System Preferences/Internet Accounts) in Mojave and High Sierra.
My Mac Mail app runs well and I have no issues with the Yahoo e-mail accounts that have been present for a long time. However, (and a big WARNING) you may not be able to log in again to your Yahoo e-mail accounts if you change your password while using Mojave or High Sierra. This behavior was present on my 2011 MBP with High Sierra, also on my 2012 (early) Mac Pro 5,1 while in different bootable drives (all of them) High Sierra and Mojave. All these OSX are in their latest update. It was a very interesting find when this issue was **NOT** present on my 2020 MBP using Ventura, and no issues on my iPad or iPhone on iOS 16.5.
As a matter of fact, Yahoo will not let you create a new e-mail account while in High Sierra or Mojave. I've done clean installs with Mojave on my Mac Pro 5,1 and the problem is still present, I've even re-flashed the Boot ROM Version 141.0.0.0.0 which is the latest for this machine, and the problem still lingers. However, Google gmail WILL let you create an account. I called Yahoo support on the telephone and all they could say is that they don't deal with third party mail apps... I stressed that my question was not about the app but about Yahoo policy on regards to phasing out older operating systems, to which he had no information or anything to say.
If you Google "There was an error in Internet Accounts preferences" you will get lots of returns with many suggestion on reseting plist files, moving folders around and all other sort of remedies... well, none of them work for me.
Yahoo's password generator gives a password when specifically requested for 'Mac Mail.' However, it is not recognized during the login process for the e-mail under Internet Accounts in System Preferences.
So I'm just curious if,
1) Anyone else having these issues?
2) If yes, has anyone been able to find a workaround to solve these issues?
3) Any knows where a to find high level technical support contact information for Yahoo?
I believe that if Yahoo is implementing this phase-out, that they should be courteous enough to warn the general public about it. Their password generator exists they say, to allow older third party apps to access mail. If they are phasing out, why not giving a warning where the password generator is?
Would appreciate any input, and hope that the warning on this issue keeps others for losing Yahoo mail on their Mac Mail.
Thank you for listening,
JF
Attachments: Error on High Sierra and Mojave (dark mode:)
Note: High Sierra often gave the 'Preferences Error,' but also had this variation below, and this is ultimately what led me to believe this is a Yahoo issue.
Mac Pro, macOS 10.14
