Unknown Master Password is Set at Initial Startup (Firefox)
This procedure applies to Win XP, for what it's worth. It may or may not apply to any other Operating System
Problem:
Upon initial installation, Firefox apparently believes it has a non-null Master Password in effect, and the user is unable to change it using..
- Tools->Options->Privacy->Saved Passwords->Change Master Password
..because said Master Password is unknown to the user (1) (2).
Note: This situation may only occur when one imports an existing Mozilla suite profile's passwords at Firefox install time, but I'm not sure.
Solution:
Shut down Firefox.
Rename..
- \Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default\key3.db
..to some different name, e.g. key3.db.orig.
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..
- chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul (3)
..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:
Hope this is the right place to put this.
1. I was recieving request for password when using firefox to view/debug within dreamweaver mx.
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) master password problem-can I reset it?
(2) Avoid master password when filling in site passwords????