SaltSeaShark
Level 1 (18 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Preview keeps asking for password

I get this about 20 times a day.

 

10 times a day and I'd simply put up with it. But there's too much to be done and too little time to do it in to be dealing with this sort of annoyance. Any ideas for a fix?

 

thanks,

 

Screen Shot 2013-11-15 at 15.12.23.png

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Nov 15, 2013 7:14 AM

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SaltSeaShark

Q: Preview keeps asking for password

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  • Helpful answers

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Nov 15, 2013 8:07 AM in response to SaltSeaShark
    Level 9 (50,524 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2013 8:07 AM in response to SaltSeaShark

    Open Keychain Access - it is in your Utilities folder.

     

    Select the Login keychain from the left column, then select "Change Settings for Keychain "login"..." from the Edit menu. Authenticate with your usual login password to unlock it.

     

    De-select the two selections unless you have reason to do otherwise, and then Save.

     

    The next step is optional: select Keychain First Aid from the Keychain menu, Repair, then Start.

     

    Close that window then quit Keychain Access.

  • by SaltSeaShark,

    SaltSeaShark SaltSeaShark Nov 15, 2013 8:23 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2013 8:23 AM in response to John Galt

    John, Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried both. Results as follows:

     

    1) Both settings already de-selected.

    Screen Shot 2013-11-15 at 16.17.35.png

     

     

    2) Keychain verification says "No problems found."

    Screen Shot 2013-11-15 at 16.18.10.png

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Nov 15, 2013 8:28 AM in response to SaltSeaShark
    Level 9 (50,524 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2013 8:28 AM in response to SaltSeaShark

    The following procedure is applicable for situations in which your password is being requested repeatedly, due to permissions that have been incorrectly set for unknown reasons.

     

    It is harmless but may not work for your particular situation.

     

    1. Boot OS X Recovery by holding ⌘ and r (two fingers) while you start your Mac.
    2. When the Mac OS X Utilities screen appears, select Utilities > Terminal.
    3. In the Terminal window type resetpassword and press Enter. A window will open behind Terminal that looks like this:


    Unknown-1.png


    Do not enter a new password.


    1. Select your startup volume at the top. From the dropdown below it, select the user account with the problem.
    2. At the bottom of the window, you will see Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs. Click the Reset button.
    3. Quit Reset Password
    4. Quit Terminal
    5. Quit OS X Utilities and restart your Mac.

  • by SaltSeaShark,

    SaltSeaShark SaltSeaShark Nov 22, 2013 11:03 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2013 11:03 AM in response to John Galt

    may not work for your particular situation.

     

    John,

     

    Thanks again for the suggestion and thorough instructions. Alas, as you said at the outset, it doesn't appear to work for my particular situation.

     

    I carefully followed the whole process, re-booted, opened a pdf, and as soon as I tried to close the pdf, it asked for password (again!).

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Nov 22, 2013 12:20 PM in response to SaltSeaShark
    Level 9 (50,524 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2013 12:20 PM in response to SaltSeaShark

    There are ways to fix this problem that I have not verified myself. It may be easier to simply delete the Keychain and create a new one using a procedure similar to these instructions: Resetting your keychain in Mac OS X

     

    You may need to select the problematic Keychain - the one with the obscured name in your original post. Select that Keychain then "Delete Keychain ... " from Keychain Access's File menu. The next time you use any service requiring that Keychain you will need to supply your password, but only once for each service using it.

  • by SaltSeaShark,

    SaltSeaShark SaltSeaShark Nov 23, 2013 4:27 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 23, 2013 4:27 AM in response to John Galt

    John,

     

    Thanks again. I'd considered deleting my keychain but, the trouble is, I've had at for years (I want to say ten years or more, certainly since inception), hence there are hundreds of items on there and I don't have time to weed through them all and determine which are still relevant. Nor should I have to.

     

    The older (and grumpier) I get, the more I realise the obvious fact that corporations are geared for short-term, high-turnover consumerism with as many disposable gadgets as possible. Until landfill becomes a commodity as valuable as oil or coltan, and consumer activism becomes a force to be reckoned with, it's just going to be business as usual.

     

    PS - yes, we're talking software here (Keychain) as opposed to hardware, but software is a tool used by Apple and others to make hardware obsolete so that it must be replaced in order to stay current.