Keychain unable to import or add to keychain list (10.4.5 for Intel)

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Level 2

467 points

Keychain unable to import or add to keychain list (10.4.5 for Intel)

Has anyone else had the issue of not being able to import or add a keychain to the list of keychains with 10.4.5 (Intel) -- Keychain version 3.3.1? The keychains do not have any problems on verification.

The only way Keychain will see a keychain (other than System and X509Anchors) is if it's named login.keychain. Even using Keychain version 3.3.1 to reset the login.keychain, one cannot then import or add to the list the renamed keychain.

MBPro 15/1.83/1GB, PBG4 12/1.33, Mac OS X (10.4.5), Airport Express, iPod mini, iPod nano

Posted on Feb 28, 2006 8:03 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 2, 2006 9:44 PM in response to Jim R

Same here. This is vexing as I removed my login.keychain thinking I'd be replacing it with the keychain grabbed from my old machine. Now I have none!

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Answer 2

Mar 1, 2006 10:19 AM in response to Jim R

I am having the same issue. When I try to add my keychains from my 10.4.5 powerbook G4 onto my 10.4.5 Macbook Pro, the keychain files are greyed out. Does anyone have any ideas? BTW, I did run repair permissions, but it did not help.

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Answer 3

Mar 2, 2006 9:50 PM in response to MtnViewMark

A fix! I could use Keychain Access to create a new keychain file. So I did, then quit Keychain Access. In a shell, I copied my old keychain file over the newly created on. Then, voila, my keys were all there!

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Answer 4

Jim R Author

Level 2

467 points

Mar 6, 2006 9:40 AM in response to escK

escK,

This will also work by dragging the keychain named login.keychain into your ~/Library/Keychains folder. Then logout and then log back in.

For me, this still doesn't solve the issue of not being able to import items from a backed up keychain not named login.keychain or to add keychains with other names to the list of available keychains. Simply renaming this other keychain to login.keychain and copying it to my Keychains folder would cause me to lose the contents of my current login keychain.

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Answer 5

escK

Level 1

5 points

Mar 6, 2006 11:23 AM in response to Jim R

Hello Jim R

My problem here is that I've just backed up that folder ~/Library/Keychains from my previous mac, and I just have a file with my user name, but without extension, as it is a panther keychain.

That's why I was looking also a way to import those files in my keychain, as I was able to do that in panther.

I hope we both find the solution we are looking for

🙂

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Answer 6

Mar 6, 2006 12:29 PM in response to MtnViewMark

I can confirm that this works. I put my 3 "extra" keychains on my desktop. I then started keychain access and created the 3 keychains. You must be sure to name the exactly the same. In my example I had "Work" "Personal" and "Bills". It appears that keychain names ARE case sensitive. After I was done adding the 3 keychains, I closed keychain access, then I moved the 3 keychain files from my desktop over into ~/Library/Keychains folder. I opened up keychain access again, and voila, everything reappeared.

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Answer 7

escK

Level 1

5 points

Mar 5, 2006 9:19 PM in response to MtnViewMark

Hello MtnViewMark

I'm having the same issue and although I don't know much about terminal, I'll sure give it a try if you show us how.

Thanks in advance

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Answer 8

Jim R Author

Level 2

467 points

Mar 6, 2006 1:47 PM in response to Jimmy Oliver

Excellent find Jimmy! Nothing like jumping through hoops.

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Answer 9

escK

Level 1

5 points

Mar 30, 2006 11:03 PM in response to Jimmy Oliver

Thanks a lot Jimmy!! 😀 it worked

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Answer 10

Apr 5, 2006 12:01 AM in response to Jimmy Oliver

Worked for me too... in the process of migrating to my new MacBook Pro and I couldn't even log into the discussions page without my faithful keychains.

Good work and thanks!

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Answer 11

dfsott

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2006 10:35 AM in response to Andrew Preece

Excellent, worked for me as well. Key is that the file name is exactly the same as the new one created in Keychain access.

MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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Answer 12

Apr 24, 2006 6:17 AM in response to MtnViewMark

Thanks, this is the solution I was looking for.
Cheers

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Answer 13

Apr 28, 2006 7:41 PM in response to Jim R

Another solution is to make a new keychain of the same name and same place as the one you're trying to add. You will get an error but the existing keychain will be added anyway.

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