Problem connecting to network: "com.apple.parentalcontrols.keychain"

Question

Problem connecting to network: "com.apple.parentalcontrols.keychain"

Hello there, this is my first time posting a question.

I have an iMac, 2.8 GHz, Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB memory, 500 GB storage, running Mavericks with everything updated.

I recently had to reset my Airport Express. I tried to join my existing network, and I received a popup:

Keychain "com.apple.parentalcontrols.keychain" cannot be found to store "[my network name]"

It gives me the option to Reset to Defaults. When I clicked Reset to Defaults, it says:

Are you sure you want to reset your keychain? This will delete all your saved passwords, keys, and certificates. You cannot undo this operation.

When I click Reset, it asks me to enter my login password to create a new keychain. However, it does not allow me to enter anything into the text window.

After going through the sequence above (even though I run into a dead end), the computer does indeed connect to my network and I'm able to use it. But it disconnects anytime the computer goes to sleep, so I have to go through the whole sequence again each time.

The Airport Express and the network are working fine -- when I connect from any other devices there is no problem. The appears to be a problem with the keychain or the Wi-Fi on the computer.

I have searched the support forums for "com.apple.parentalcontrols.keychain" and found many things relating to Time Machine set up. But I couldn't find anything on Apple Support OR the web having to do with my edit. I also called Apple Support and tried to pay $20 for tech support and they wouldn't do it because my machine is too old (2007).

I tried one thing: I went under Settings > Network, and deleted the Wi-Fi option. I then clicked the "+" sign to add it back. Someone online said that tends to fix most Wi-Fi problems, but it didn't fix mine. Of course mine is probably a keychain problem. I'm a little afraid to mess around with the keychain for fear of losing all the passwords, so I haven't tried anything yet.

Thanks,

Flossy

Posted on Jun 29, 2014 4:01 PM

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Answer 1

Kaemaahl

Level 1

13 points

Apr 7, 2017 9:59 AM in response to hash_is

Thanks for the resolution. After beating my head against the wall on this issue for well over an hour, helping someone with it who is practically computer illiterate over the phone, this was my resolution and saved the day.

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Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jun 29, 2014 4:18 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Back up all data.

Launch the Keychain Access application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Keychain Access in the icon grid.

Select the login keychain from the list on the left side of the Keychain Access window. If your default keychain has a different name, select that.

If the lock icon in the top left corner of the window shows that the keychain is locked, click to unlock it. You'll be prompted for the keychain password, which is the same as your login password, unless you've changed it.

Right-click or control-click the login entry in the list. From the menu that pops up, select Change Settings for Keychain "login". In the sheet that opens, uncheck both boxes, if not already unchecked.

From the menu bar, select

Keychain Access ▹ Preferences ▹ First Aid

If the box marked Keep login keychain unlocked is not checked, check it.

Select

Keychain Access ▹ Keychain First Aid

from the menu bar and repair the keychain. Quit Keychain Access.

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Answer 3

Jun 29, 2014 4:58 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you Linc.

I followed the instructions you listed. I restarted the computer. No luck. Same exact issue as before.

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jun 29, 2014 5:09 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Does that keychain exist in Keychain Access? If so, is it empty?

Is there a "login" keychain, and if so, is it the default keychain?

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Answer 5

Jun 29, 2014 5:12 PM in response to Linc Davis

Keychains listed in the left-hand column are:

login

Microsoft Intermediate Certificates

iCloud

System

System Roots

I don't exactly know how to tell which one is default, but I assumed it is login. That's the only one I ever operate out of. Although now that iCloud stores a keychain (since Mavericks), I don't know if that affects anything.

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Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jun 29, 2014 5:38 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Is Parental Controls turned on? If so, please turn it off and see whether the alerts stop.

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Answer 7

Jun 29, 2014 5:43 PM in response to Linc Davis

I've only got two accounts on my computer: my main account, and a guest account. It looks like they are turned on for the guest account (although I don't remember doing this).

I used to have two more accounts for my kids, and on both of them I had parental controls turned on. But I deleted those two accounts a few months ago, before I reset the router. Perhaps something lingering from their profiles is at the root of the problem?

I do not have parental controls turned on for my main account.

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jun 29, 2014 5:52 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Please turn off PC for the guest account.

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Answer 9

Jun 29, 2014 6:01 PM in response to Linc Davis

Done. I restarted the computer, same issue.

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Answer 10

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jun 29, 2014 6:34 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Please log in as Guest and test. Same?

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Answer 11

Jul 6, 2014 7:01 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I went on vacation right after our last interaction.

I tried to login to Guest and test the Wi-Fi/Keychain issue, and my Guest account is asking for a password. I have never seen it do this before; I've used the Guest account in the past, but now I'm unable to get into it because I don't know the password (Mavericks issue perhaps)? I Googled how to fix this issue and haven't been able to yet. I'll continue to try working on it.

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Answer 12

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jul 8, 2014 9:25 AM in response to Flossyschossy

I tried to login to Guest and test the Wi-Fi/Keychain issue, and my Guest account is asking for a password.

This issue is sometimes or always the result of transferring the Guest account from another system in Migration or Setup Assistant. See the discussions linked below.

Mavericks guest user password

Guest account requires password - Disabling/reenabling doesn't work

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Answer 13

Jul 9, 2014 6:37 PM in response to Linc Davis

Wow, I can't believe the issue this has turned into. 🙂

OK, I have tried turning the Guest account off and back on, to no avail. I also tried starting up in Safe Mode, and the issue persists. Per Guest account requires password - Disabling/reenabling doesn't work, the issue was fixed upon restoring the /var/db/dslocal from a backup that predated the issue. I only use Time Machine to backup. When I went to /var/db/dslocal and opened Time Machine, it kicked me out of the folder. I didn't know how to get back into it, as the only way I got into it in the first place was to go to Finder, then Go > Go To Folder.

I'm also hesitant to tinker too much as I'm not very familiar with some of the folders, nor the Terminal.

Additionally, I don't recall using Migration or Setup Assistant since the Guest account last worked (unless the move to Mavericks or an earlier OS used the same process). I think I only used Migration once, when I first got this machine, and I know that the Guest account worked until fairly recently, although I don't use it much, so it might have been a year or two since it last worked.

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Answer 14

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Jul 9, 2014 8:29 PM in response to Flossyschossy

Your system seems to have been corrupted in more than one way. The only practical remedy is to wipe it clean.

Back up all data to at least two different storage devices, if you haven't already done so. One backup is not enough to be safe. The backups can be made with Time Machine or with Disk Utility. Preferably both.

Erase and install OS X. This operation will destroy all data on the startup volume, so you had be better be sure of the backups. If you upgraded from an older version of OS X, you'll need the Apple ID and password that you used, so make a note of those before you begin.

When you restart, you'll be prompted to go through the initial setup process in Setup Assistant. That’s when you transfer the data from a backup.

Select only users and Computer & Network Settings in the Setup Assistant dialog—not Applications or Other files and folders. Don't transfer the Guest account, if it was enabled.

After that, run Software Update.

If the problem is resolved after the clean installation, reinstall third-party software selectively. I can only suggest general guidelines. Self-contained applications that install into the Applications folder by drag-and-drop or download from the App Store are usually safe. Anything that comes packaged as an installer or that prompts for an administrator password is suspect, and you must test thoroughly after reinstalling each such item to make sure you haven't restored the problem.

I strongly recommend that you never reinstall commercial "security" products or "utilities," nor any software that changes the user interface or the behavior of built-in applications such as Safari. If you do that, the problem is likely to recur.

Before installing any software, ask yourself the question: "Am I sure I know how to uninstall this without having to wipe the volume again?" If the answer is "no," stop.

Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it.

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Answer 15

Jul 9, 2014 8:56 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc, thank you for all your help. I obviously did not want it to come to this. The strange thing is that I never instal third party programs. I really just use apple programs. I try to ever gunk up my machine.

NOw now that I think about it, my kids are now old enough to get on the computer and maybe they did something to it. LOL.

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