Finding Mail password

Question

Level 1

15 points

Finding Mail password

Every once in awhile I hit a snag like this that is so irritating. My Mail program is continually asking me for my password, which, I learn from "help" isn't the OS X adm. password. but one which is supposed to be stored in my Mail preferences. It is in the field, but it is encoded as dots. I can't find a way to find out what that password is....and I've tried...when I ask to show passwords, I get a list that doesn't include this information. Keychain Access only shows the outgoing server and others. Unlocked doesn't seem to make a difference. When I tried Edit>Change Password Settings, I wasn't able to do what the advice suggested to allow access always. The only thing that's available is to lock or unlock at designated time settings - 5 mins. etc. It's just ridiculous, and a person kind of loses it after spending up to an hour wasting ones time.!!

Sometimes this whole password thing seems so childish. Yes, I know it's protecting me - but why can't the explanation be plain and straightforward?

It even feels demeaning to have to ask for help.

but it is appreciated, nonetheless.

thanks.

MDD G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 2:24 PM

Reply

Answer 1

keithgvp Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 30, 2011 11:04 PM in response to keithgvp

It's just very irritating - now this above mentioned problem is on both my PowerMacs....before it was just one of them. I have opened Keychain Access, double- clicked on incoming and outgoing servers, one at a time, checked view password - allow always - there's the password - but it's rejected when I enter it in the Mail dialog box that appears whether I try to receive new mail or send anything. Never happened before.

All I want is to have the password stored and configured so I don't have to type it in the field each time I use Mail. Mail doesn't even work for me now when I do enter the supposed password. I've gone through all the ones I've ever used, but still no go.

Could this be something to do with the ISP?

any help very much appreciated...

Reply

Answer 2

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Mar 30, 2011 3:11 PM in response to keithgvp

The passwords to Mail accounts are stored in your Keychain.

Open Keychain Access and double-click the entry for your Mail account. Click on Show Password. That should produce a dialogue box asking for your root (log-in) password.

Enter that and the password for that account should be revealed.

Reply

Answer 3

keithgvp Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 30, 2011 6:17 PM in response to Klaus1

I tried that, saw the password, entered my log-in PW and checked Allow Always.

It still rejects the mail acct. password.

This is for my 'outgoing.yahoo.verizon.net' email account. (POP)

same thing with incoming mail.

next suggestion, please?

PS I tried verifying the account in the Repair and it checked out ok - no problems

Reply

Answer 4

keithgvp Author

Level 1

15 points

Mar 31, 2011 7:47 AM in response to keithgvp

Next day: now everything's fine again with Mail - no password prompts, nothing - just working.

It must have been the host server (?) Complicated with the fact that I seem to have more accounts than I need on the first machine - ones I don't use anymore...these are asking me for passwords again. Maybe I should delete them after saving the old mail.

But the one I do prefer using with Mail seems to be OK now.

Reply

Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Mar 31, 2011 9:57 AM in response to keithgvp

Likely the Mail Server or ISP.

Reply