Author Topic: help I'm locked out of my email account  (Read 787888 times)

password rookie

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« on: October 03, 2005, 09:02:32 AM »
Ok, I have to say this is probably one of the most frustrating things I have ever done.  I jumped in head first and started using this program.  Apparently I am doing something wrong, but I'm not sure what?  I went into my Yahoo! email account and changed my p/w with the one it generated.  Now I'm locked out!  I cannot sign in at all because the password doesn't match.  Can someone help me or have I lost my email account??

Offline Eric H. Jung

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2005, 02:40:13 PM »
Hi,

There are a bunch of us here willing to help you. We just have to figure out what's going on. Can you tell us what settings you used to generate the password? Maybe you didn't change anything and just used the default? What URL did you use for yahoo? yahoo.com or mail.yahoo.com or ???
« Last Edit: October 03, 2005, 02:40:43 PM by Eric H. Jung »

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2005, 02:44:06 PM »
Hi rookie... ;)

Ok, first of all, no, you haven't locked yourself out of your Yahoo mail account permanently, unless the alternate email address you used when you registered is no longer valid and/or you don't remember your birthday and ZIP code when you registered. You can always tell Yahoo to email you a new password.

But, the problem is most likely simple...

Questions:

1. Which version of PASSWORDMAKER are you using?

2. What Browser/version?

3. Are you using the 'Defaults' settings, or did you create an actual account for it?

4. Are you certain you are using the exact same Master Password when loggin in as you used when you created the new Password?

The problem is most likely one of these, but the most important thing isnot to panic - we will figure out what went wrong.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2005, 02:46:44 PM by tanstaafl »

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2005, 02:47:46 PM »
heh - Eric beat me to it again...

 :unsure:

rookie

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2005, 09:04:27 PM »
I am using p/w maker version 0.8.7 along with Firefox 1.0.7.

I am using the same master password.

I think that I used the defaults when generating a password although I my have inadvertantly changed something. :(

I have tried many many times to logon using the passwords created with the many different algorithms, to no avail.

I have also tried to get Yahoo to email or reset my p/w, but they are telling me my Birthday and zipcode supplied do not match!

So I'm pretty screwed I guess, unless you guys have anymore ideas.

Thxs.

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2005, 09:12:44 PM »
Ok, lets step back a minute...

1. Before you changed your password in yahoo, did you create an ACCOUNT, in the 'Advanced Settings' Accounts Tab? Is there one listed there now for Yahoo?

If so, what do you have in the 'When URL Contains' and 'Use this URL' boxes in the Account Specific Settings this account? Should be yahoo.com for both)

2. Did you have the 'Confirm Master Password' option checked (did you have to enter your Master Password just once, or twice)?

If not, then it is possible you made a typo when you entered it - so you may have to play around with variations.

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2005, 09:15:12 PM »
I'm a bit uncomfortable even mentioning this, but the only other thing I can think of is if your Master Password is not one that you use for other things (hopefully you were in the experimentation stage), I would be willing to try to figure this out for you, but you'd have to give me your Master Password and your Yahoo ID. Of course, if I can figure it out, you would want to immediately switch Master Passwords and change your Yahoo Password to the new one PM generates.

I'm not sure what else to suggest... Eric?

Offline Eric H. Jung

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2005, 10:36:17 PM »
Quote
I'm not sure what else to suggest... Eric?
Yes, I think the key sentence he wrote is this:

Quote
I think that I used the defaults when generating a password although I my have inadvertantly changed something.

I think he should delete passwordmaker.rdf (or just install PasswordMaker to a new Firefox Profile). This will give him all the initial defaults.

Rookie, do you know how to do what I just explained? passwordmaker.rdf is stored in %ProfileDirectory%/passwordmaker.rdf where %ProfileDirectory% is defined here by Firefox.

rookie

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2005, 09:11:42 PM »
Thanks for all your help.

I was able to get Yahoo to reset my password.

However, how can I prevent this problem in the future?

Offline Eric H. Jung

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2005, 11:30:56 PM »
I would suggest creating a dummy Yahoo! (or other system) account and get familiar with how PasswordMaker works; specifically, what is meant by "default settings" vs. custom accounts.

Let us know if there's anything else we can help with,
Eric

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2005, 12:24:01 AM »
Rookie - glad you got your account back...

One thing the Help Docs is lacking is a detailed explanation of precisely this - the how and why of Custom Accounts; when the Defaults will do, and when (and how) to use Cusom Accounts - and I am in the process of writing it up.

Once I get the first draft done I'll post it for comments/changes...

Guest

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2005, 12:47:13 AM »
I had a similar problem. Yahoo says I have my birth and zip wrong. How did you get them to reset your password?

Offline tanstaafl

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2005, 01:01:29 AM »
Remember it was the ZIP you used when you first registered... although I think sometimes their DB gets messed up cause I lost one once too, and I know what ZIP/birthdate I used. I really wish they would just email you a reset link to your alternate email address.

Offline Eric H. Jung

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2005, 01:05:08 AM »
I hope rookie replies back, but in the meantime I found this for you:
http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/edit/cgi_feedback
You give them another email address at which to contact you. Years ago they actually had an 800 number in addition to this page (I know because I called it once to get my password reset), but I can't find information about it now...

Just searched the web for it, and found this

Quote
Actual Yahoo! Cust. Support Telephone Number!!!!!!
 
1-408-349-1572.
They are only open until 6pm pacific time.

I suggest you read the full thread because there other people with this problem posted there...

edit: It's rather funny to see the spread between dates/time of each post. Sometimes months go by before the next...
« Last Edit: October 06, 2005, 01:07:10 AM by Eric H. Jung »

redface

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2005, 07:14:35 PM »
Hi there,

I'm having a similar problem, except that I chose an account I can "play" with, and I keep getting myself locked out of it and have to have them send me a new password to get back in. I can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Under the Accounts tab I set up a new Group, and then set up my first account. In the "when URL contains" box I put the base 2nd level domain, and in the "use this URL" box I put the full domain. The login page has a slightly different (longer) address. Maybe the "use this URL" box needs to match the "longer" address?

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help I'm locked out of my email account
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2005, 07:14:35 PM »