Mail/Keychain losing password

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Howard Brazee - 09 Mar 2008 15:07 GMT

I'm glad I keep my old pre-Mac e-mail in both Mail & Thunderbird.

My problem is, when my server rejects my password, Mail opens with a
small box asking for my password, with a check box to add it to my
keychain. I open up Thunderbird, find the e-mail that gave me my
password, and cut and paste it in that box.

Now I have Mail working correctly - until next time there is a hiccup in
communications.

Reply to this Message

Jeffrey Goldberg - 09 Mar 2008 16:03 GMT

> My problem is, when my server rejects my password, Mail opens with a small
> box asking for my password, with a check box to add it to my keychain. I
> open up Thunderbird, find the e-mail that gave me my password, and cut and
> paste it in that box.

Mail.app has this really nasty little habit of treating almost all
communication problems with the server as a password failure even when
they are not. The next time this happens, just cancel that box (it will
pop up again) and use Keychain Access to verify that your password is
where it should be.

You didn't say what version of Mail you were using. The Mail.app that
comes with Leopard seems to be much improved in this respect, also
providing something called "Connection Doctor". But I suspect from what
you describe, you are not using Leopard Mail.

-j

Signature

Jeffrey Goldberg http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/
I rarely read top-posted, over-quoting or HTML postings.
http://improve-usenet.org/

Reply to this Message

Howard Brazee - 09 Mar 2008 20:21 GMT

In article
<alpine.OSX.1.00.0803090959190.3552@hagrid.ewd.goldmark.org>,

> You didn't say what version of Mail you were using. The Mail.app that
> comes with Leopard seems to be much improved in this respect, also
> providing something called "Connection Doctor". But I suspect from what
> you describe, you are not using Leopard Mail.

Version 3.2 (919/919.2) (My computer is less than 2 months old).

Reply to this Message

Jeffrey Goldberg - 10 Mar 2008 01:49 GMT

> Version 3.2 (919/919.2) (My computer is less than 2 months old).

OK. Do check your keychain with Keychain Access to see if the password is
in the "login" keychain and whether it is correct. If it is there and
correct, then we should explore other connection issues.

Is the log in to an SMTP (outgoing mail) server, a POP server or an IMAP
server?

Cheers,

-j

Signature

Jeffrey Goldberg http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/
I rarely read top-posted, over-quoting or HTML postings.
http://improve-usenet.org/

Reply to this Message

Howard Brazee - 10 Mar 2008 02:51 GMT

In article
<alpine.OSX.1.00.0803091946550.3552@hagrid.ewd.goldmark.org>,

> OK. Do check your keychain with Keychain Access to see if the password is
> in the "login" keychain and whether it is correct. If it is there and
> correct, then we should explore other connection issues.
>
> Is the log in to an SMTP (outgoing mail) server, a POP server or an IMAP
> server?

I'm not converse yet with the Keychain. I haven't had a problem today
with Mail, I have one pop account, and one iMac account which is my
wife's .mac account (she pays extra money so that she still has her old
Earthlink e-mail account).

I'll wait a few dates, and if I get that window again, cancel it.

Reply to this Message

Howard Brazee - 10 Mar 2008 17:42 GMT

>> OK. Do check your keychain with Keychain Access to see if the password is
>> in the "login" keychain and whether it is correct. If it is there and
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
>I'll wait a few dates, and if I get that window again, cancel it.

I discovered that did not work - I'm not getting any e-mail.

I'll re-configure Mail to get it back in, and then try to learn enough
about Keychain Access to answer your question.

Reply to this Message

Mac Forum / Applications / Mac Applications / March 2008

Mail/Keychain losing password