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Question

Does anybody know...re: usernames/passwords

Jun 2, 2011 3:41AM PDT

I have XP Pro all up to date. I recently cleaned out all cookies, temp int files, history, and forms. I have been able to get the window that asks at certain sites that I have to log in at if I want windows to save it. All except ONE...and it's a site I go to three or four times a day. I even deleted the shortcut icon I use for that site and emptied the recycle bin to no avail. It actually shows in the drop down box at that site three usernames that I use at other sites, so I know that there is a list file somewhere on my computer that holds it even if it's not the correct information for a particular site. Does anybody know where that file might be located so I can possibly edit it to hold the username and password for that site, too? It's making me nuts trying to figure this out.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Which browser?
Jun 2, 2011 5:55AM PDT

Hi Toni. Which browser?

I did a quick search for Firefox where are passwords stored and found a couple of interesting articles.

One said;

"Why doesn't Firefox Password Manager ask me to save passwords for some websites?
{First make sure Firefox Password Manager is enabled}.
Some websites prevent Firefox Password Manager to save passwords by adding the attribute autocomplete="off" to the login form and/or the login form fields. Unfortunately there is no preference in Firefox to disable this behavior.
Removing the autocomplete="off" attributes will allow you to save passwords nonetheless">

That was at;
http://securelogin.mozdev.org/drupal/content/password-manager

The other I found was at http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/pki/psm/help_21/using_priv_help.html

I saw there that in Firefox Options, (they seem to be talking abut an older version of FF), then Security tab, you can view the places that FF has saved passwords for, and also what the passwords are.

If you are using IE then I did find this password finder utility;
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/internet_explorer_password.html

Note, the site is old, 2006, so I can't say how useful it will be now.

Other than that, I understand, (from another site), that "IE8 passwords are encrypted and stored in the registry. You cannot view them. Part of the new security features"

Does that help?

Mark

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IE newest version and up to date
Jun 2, 2011 6:30AM PDT

The thing I can't figure out is that that same site used to hold my username and password so that I just had to click in the open box and it would give me the 'drop down' choices used at that site alone. The site hasn't changed anything, but since I cleared out everything, it no longer asks to save what I enter into the box...but if I click in the box, I get a drop down choice list of usernames and passwords used at OTHER sites. From what I understand from a google search, the info is stored in the Storage2 folder in the registery; however, since it never asked me for that info, it obviously hasn't been saved there. How do I get that window to come back up to ask me?

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That will be IE8 then
Jun 2, 2011 8:37PM PDT

as IE9 isn't available for XP.

Hopefully others here will have better ideas, but in the meantime all I can offer is, clean everything out from IE again, then turn off IE's AutoComplete settings, (Tools > Internet Options, then Contents tab), close down IE and for good measure, reboot the computer.

Make sure AutoComplete is not saving any logins, and then re-enable it and try again.

I have no illusions that this will solve the issue.

Mark

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Answer
Toni ,
Jun 3, 2011 10:29AM PDT

The passwords are stored in the Windows Registry under one of these two keys -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IntelliForms\Storage2
or
<b>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\IntelliForms\SPW</b>

The problem is that they are encrypted so you won't recognize them. This link will tell you in detail exactly what you need to do to solve your problem. Please read the whole thing CAREFULLY and you should have no problems.

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=348

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Answer
(NT) No answer, just say'n hi.
Jun 4, 2011 4:50AM PDT