Unknown Master Password is Set at Initial Startup (Firefox): Difference between revisions

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''This procedure applies to Win XP, for what it's worth. It may or may not apply to any other Operating System''
Upon initial installation, Firefox sometimes believes it has a Master Password in effect and the user is unable to change it using "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Change Master Password" because the set Master Password is unknown to the user [http://forums.mozillanews.org/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=435] [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=110487]. This situation sometimes occurs when one an existing Mozilla Suite profile's passwords is imported into Firefox at install time.


=Problem:=
==Solution==
* Close Firefox.
* Go to "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords" and click on Clear.


Upon initial installation, Firefox apparently believes it has a non-null Master Password in effect, and the user is unable to change it using..
If this does not solve the problem, try:
 
* Rename the "key3.db" file in your [[profile folder]] into anything else (for example, "key3.db.hide").
:Tools->Options->Privacy->Saved Passwords->Change Master Password
* Then, if you want to actually set a Master Password you can use, open Firefox and use either "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Change Master Password" or "chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul" (see [[Chrome URLs]]) to enter your desired password.
 
..because said Master Password is unknown to the user (1) (2).
 
Note: <small>This situation ''may'' only occur when one imports an existing Mozilla suite profile's passwords at Firefox install time, but I'm not sure. </small>
 
 
=Solution:=
 
Shut down Firefox.
 
 
Rename..
 
:<tt>\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default\key3.db</tt>
 
..to some different name, e.g. <tt>key3.db.orig</tt>.
 
 
Then, if you want to actually set a Master Password you can use, re-launch Firefox, and use either..
 
:Tools->Options->Privacy->Saved Passwords->Change Master Password
 
..or the..
 
:<tt>chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul (3)</tt>
 
..dialog to enter your desired password.  
 
 
Otherwise, re-launch Firefox, and the insidious unknown default Master Password ought to now be disabled.  ''Someone please test this.''
 
RE Tested this solution:<br />
Hope this is the right place to put this.<br />
1. I was recieving request for password when using firefox to view/debug within dreamweaver mx.<br />
2. Solution did not work for me. Firefox apparently recreates the key3.db file every time it is started. I also tried, after making a renamed backup, opening key3.db in a text editor and deleting everything. Basically creating a blank file. Firefox over wrote it when it was restarted.
 
=References:=
 
(1) [http://forums.mozillanews.org/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=435 master password problem-can I reset it?]
 
 
(2) [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=110487&highlight= Avoid master password when filling in site passwords????]
 
(3) [http://kb.mozillazine.org/index.phtml?title=Firefox_:_FAQs_:_Master_password_settings Firefox : FAQs : Master password settings]

Revision as of 01:11, 24 February 2005

Upon initial installation, Firefox sometimes believes it has a Master Password in effect and the user is unable to change it using "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Change Master Password" because the set Master Password is unknown to the user [1] [2]. This situation sometimes occurs when one an existing Mozilla Suite profile's passwords is imported into Firefox at install time.

Solution

  • Close Firefox.
  • Go to "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords" and click on Clear.

If this does not solve the problem, try:

  • Rename the "key3.db" file in your profile folder into anything else (for example, "key3.db.hide").
  • Then, if you want to actually set a Master Password you can use, open Firefox and use either "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Saved Passwords -> Change Master Password" or "chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul" (see Chrome URLs) to enter your desired password.