Lost master password. How do I recover?

[defaria]

I recall seeing that dialog box but I no longer see it that way. Here's what I see now... Dang how do I upload a screen shot! I'm here at my client's and they don't allow me access to any kind of photo sharing sites, nor even ftp to my own server! Ugh! I'll upload it tonight. Basically that Master Password section only has "Using Text", "Generated Password" and "Copy Generated Password" button.

[tanstaafl]

What version of Passwordmaker?

[tanstaafl]

And what version of Firefox?

[Eric H. Jung]

Sounds like you're in Basic Options mode. Click the "Advanced Options" hyperlink where it says, "The password was generated using the default account settings. Use the Advanced Options to change them."

[tanstaafl]

I still see the 'Store Master Password' option in Basic mode...

[defaria]

FF 3.0.9
PM 1.7.2
I'm in advanced mode already.

Screen shot tonight.

[tanstaafl]

You're on the Global Settings Tab. This is only where you change Global settings.

Click on the 'Accounts' tab... this is where you can actually use your accounts... enter your Master Password to generate your account passwords... choose to 'Store Master Password'... etc...

WARNING: if you choose to change the 'Store Master Password' option from 'On Disk' (which is where it is now) to 'Not at all', this affects ALL accounts... so be very sure you correctly wrote down (copied/pasted) the one that you decoded from the page Eric created for you...

[defaria]

You're on the Global Settings Tab. This is only where you change Global settings.

Click on the 'Accounts' tab... this is where you can actually use your accounts... enter your Master Password to generate your account passwords... choose to 'Store Master Password'... etc...

I hate to be dense but I can click on the Accounts tab. Still don't have a place to enter my Master Password though:



How do I get those two password edit boxes under Master Password to appear again??? I know I've seen them before I can't  for the life of me remember how to get them to appear again!

[tanstaafl]

Oh... duh...

Go back to Global settings and uncheck 'Hide Master Password Field'...

Sorry I missed that before...

[defaria]

OK, got it now. This is why I always attempt to use the verbiage I see on the dialog box or screen and that I verify the steps by doing them myself as I compose an answer. It helps cut back on the smacking oneself in the forehead and saying "Oh yeah I forgot". Not foolproof but it does help...

Additionally I noticed: If I toggle off "Hide Master Password (number of asterisks)" master password disappears!!! Now with "number of askterisks" I would have thought that this toggle toggles on a bunch of asterisks for the master password or the actual cleartext for the master password. But it doesn't do that, it removes the master password entirely.

The "Confirm master password by typeing it twice instead of once" is what adds a second master password edit box.

Now I'm able to change my master password by selecting Store master password to Not at all then entering in a new password.

I then uploaded to my server (defaria.com). I expect that I can download from my server when I get home and my master password will be what I set it to at work - no?

[Eric H. Jung]

Additionally I noticed: If I toggle off "Hide Master Password (number of asterisks)" master password disappears!!! Now with "number of askterisks" I would have thought that this toggle toggles on a bunch of asterisks for the master password or the actual cleartext for the master password. But it doesn't do that, it removes the master password entirely.

Right. It's supposed to do that... some people don't want to reveal the length of their passwords to onlookers. There's also an option to reveal the master password entirely (no asterisks). I see your system doesn't use asterisks, but round circles instead. I should have worded that more generally.

I then uploaded to my server (defaria.com). I expect that I can download from my server when I get home and my master password will be what I set it to at work - no?

yes

[defaria]

Might I suggest either "Hide Master Password" or "Hide Master Password Completely". The "number of asterisks" part was confusing to me, not because my system (Ubuntu) choose to use circles rather than asterisks, rather because this phrasing does nothing (for me at least) to indicate that it was length that was being hidden. My suggestion also does not touch on the concept of length but I think it more plainly states "Just get rid of the master password entirely - don't show it (thus also hiding its length)". Sometimes simple wording of simple concepts are best...

Will test out the download/new password thing at home.

[tanstaafl]

I see circles too, on Windows XP Pro sp3...

Also - you are aware that using a different Master Password will result in different generated passwords for all of your accounts, right? Meaning, you'll have to change the password for each account using the new Master Password, before it will 'just work', especially if you are storing it...

Anyway, glad you got it sorted...

[defaria]

Interestingly, I've had no such problems when changing my master password from <old password> -> <new password>.

[tanstaafl]

The Master Password itself is used as one of the 'pieces' that PWM uses to calculate the generated password.

It is virtually impossible for you to generate the same password with two different Msster Passwords.

So, if entering a different Master Password results in the same generated password, then again, something is massively broken...