What is Keyring?

A Keyring (in Ubuntu) as its name suggests is collection of keys (passwords) and is locked by a master password (be default your first admin password). It saves several passwords (for e.g. login password for a website or some application) inside the keyring and protects with the master password and thus obviates the need of entering the passwords again and again. Since you are logged in with the same password, it does not prompt you to enter the master password and automatically takes the login password as the keyring master password.

What could be the problem with the Keyring?

As I said before the default master password for the keyring is the first admin password i.e. the first user-password you used on the computer. The problem arises when you change the password. The master password of the keyring doesn’t change automatically and hence a conflict starts as the master password doesn’t matches with the new user-login password. Therefore you will start seeing these annoying prompts from the keyring:

And if the password doesn’t matches then:

Solution 1: You remember the old password

If you remember the old password then you can try changing the master password to the current login password. This will stop the prompting of the keyring. Follow these steps in Ubuntu 10.10 and previous versions:

1. Navigate to Applications > Accessories > Passwords and Encryption Keys
2. Select the tab “Passwords”
3. Select your keyring
4. Right-click and select “Change Password”

In Ubuntu 11.04, run the application Passwords and Encryption Keys by using the super key (windows logo key) and then searching for it. And follow the step 2-4.

Solution 2: You forgot the old password

Damn! I forgot the old password and it is not accepting any of my login passwords. What should I do? Don’t bang your head in the wall. There is an alternate solution and that is delete the keyring. For that follow the same steps 1-3 as described previously and instead of Change Password select Delete. i.e.The following steps:

1. Navigate to Applications > Accessories > Passwords and Encryption Keys
2. Select the tab “Passwords”
3. Select your keyring
4. Right-click and select “Delete“

This pic might come as handy:

Questions, suggestions and a world of thank is always motivating. Enjoy

Sources: http://www.code-muse.com/

http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/

http://www.markjaustin.co.uk/?p=21

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