Windows XP not holding a variety of passwords and usernames

[miloshapiro]

A few months ago, I started having problems with a number of software
packages and websites not holding my username and password any more. Among
the things that stopped working:

1) Have to enter my password into Live Mail now after every reboot even
though the save-password box is checked.
2) FrontPage2003 will hold my username and password through opening and
closing of my various FP websites, but once I reboot, they're gone and I have
to put them in again before I can publish.
3) Sites like www.excite.com used to log me in automatically when I went to
them. Now I have to log in manually.
4) I loaded an add-on called Foxmarks onto Firefox. It's supposed to handle
my userID and password automatically. I have to enter it the first time I use
Firefox
after each boot-up.

I think there are others, but these come to mind immediately.
I'm not super-techy, so if you write back, please keep that in mind.
Not an idiot, just don't know a lot of system stuff. ;-)

Any help on what could be behind this would be appreciated!
I posted to the Windows Live Mail site and got a few suggestions, but
nothing that paid off. Among the things we tried without luck:

- I uninstalled my virus scan program and installed a different one, turning
off the option to scan incoming mail
- I deleted all cookies

An MVP there suggested that I post to Windows instead of Live Mail since the
problem seems to be more systemwide. (Actually, he said to post to Vista,
but I think he just missed that I'm on XP).

THANK YOU!

 

[smlunatick]

A few months ago, I started having problems with a number of software
packages and websites not holding my username and password any more.  Among
the things that stopped working:

1) Have to enter my password into Live Mail now after every reboot even
though the save-password box is checked.
2) FrontPage2003 will hold my username and password through opening and
closing of my various FP websites, but once I reboot, they're gone and I have
to put them in again before I can publish.
3) Sites likewww.excite.comused to log me in automatically when I went to
them. Now I have to log in manually.
4) I loaded an add-on called Foxmarks onto Firefox. It's supposed to handle
my userID and password automatically. I have to enter it the first time Iuse
Firefox
after each boot-up.

I think there are others, but these come to mind immediately.
I'm not super-techy, so if you write back, please keep that in mind.
Not an idiot, just don't know a lot of system stuff.  ;-)

Any help on what could be behind this would be appreciated!
I posted to the Windows Live Mail site and got a few suggestions, but
nothing that paid off.  Among the things we tried without luck:

- I uninstalled my virus scan program and installed a different one, turning
off the option to scan incoming mail
- I deleted all cookies

An MVP there suggested that I post to Windows instead of Live Mail since the
problem seems to be more systemwide.  (Actually, he said to post to Vista,
but I think he just missed that I'm on XP).

THANK YOU!

Please state version of Windows XP (Home, Pro or MCE), service pack
level (SP 3?) and versions of Internet Explorer.

Also check the Windows XP user account type? It should not be set as
a "limited" style user. These can not save settings normally.

 

[Gerry]

Miles

Are you using cCleaner?


--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[miloshapiro]

Answering the questions you each answered:

GERRY:
Have never heard of cCleaner.

SMLUNATICK:
I'm on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
IE version 8.0.6001.18702
The errors happen on both IE and Firefox.

I don't know where I'd find a "Windows XP user account type"
but if you tell me where it is, I'll check it. Please tell me what
I SHOULD set it to when I find it (since you say "limited" is wrong)

Another example of the problem: Used to be that if I went to Facebook, I
was automatically logged in. Now I have to stop and log in after a reboot.

 

[Nate Grossman]

Have never heard of cCleaner.

GOOGLE it.

 

[Smirnoff]

I too am having a problem with having to enter my password each time I
log in to WLM. Take your point about CCleaner. There was/is a problem
with leaving Index.dat files ticked. This problem was supposed to be
fixed in version 2.19.900. The latest version (2.19.901) is also
supposed to fix a Firefox problem.

I currently have Index.dat files UNticked but still cannot get WLM to
remember password. Am wondering if it's a CCleaner problem or an IE8
problem.

Will uninstall CCleaner, set WLM to remember password, re-boot and see
what happens.

 

[Smirnoff]

Uninstalled CCleaner, re-booted. Opened WLM and was asked for password.
Entered password with "remember password" box ticked. Went into Account
Summary and signed out. Signed in again and was presented with WL ID.
Clicked on WL ID and was asked for password, entered it and ticked
"remember password" box.

Re-booted. Same problem. So it wpould appear that CCleaner is not
guilty.

As I am using IE8, also tried disabling "Empty Temporary Internet Files
when browser is closed" to see if IE8 was the culprit. Went through same
procedure in WLM and re-booted - same problem.

Will post this in the live mail forum as well.

 

[Gerry]

Smirnoff

cCleaner does not cause problems here with all passwords. It only
affects one password. My ISP ( BTYahoo) provides a web mail box service,
which sorts incoming email. This facility automatically sorts spam from
other mail. It is not perfect but it works fairly well and I thereby
avoid downloading most spam coming in my direction. Access to this mail
box is password protected. Every time I run cCleaner I find I need to
reinstate the password. I now use IE8. I have had this problem from
December 2005 or earlier so it also occurred using IE6. It would seem
that although my version of cCleaner, which was downloaded in 2009, is
out of date as there have been newer versions issued since.I will update
later today.

I thought the problem arose from checking the box before Autocomplete
Form but unchecking does not resolve it. I do have the Index.dat box
checked. I did check out the Piriform Forums some time ago. I carried
out some checks posted there, which made no difference. I did exchange
one or two posts with a Piriform Support person but it did not result in
a solution.

My Outlook Express password and others are retained.

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Smirnoff]

Gerry,

As I stated in my earlier post, I have uninstalled CCleaner so I can
definitely rule that out (and it was the latest version with Index.dat
files fixed).

Why this problem with WLM persists, I have no idea.

You may have better luck with your other password problems if you
install CCleaner version 2.19.901

 

[miloshapiro]

I appreciated everyone's stories. I think a couple of us thought Gerry was
suggesting cCleaner as a solution but it sounds like it's actually another
software he was having problems with. Regardless, it sounds like we all
agree that cCleaner (which I never heard of before yesterday) has nothing to
do with the problem I described at the beginning. So I'm still where I
started, other than hoping to hear back something on smlunatick's offer of:

"Also check the Windows XP user account type? It should not be set as
a "limited" style user. These can not save settings normally."

Have no idea yet if this idea could be involved, but I don't know what he's
referring to so I can't pursue it yet.

 

[Gerry]

No I suggested it might be a cause of your problem. Given that you have
not been using cCleaner your problem lies elsewhere.

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Smirnoff

Just changed to the latest version of cCleaner. The password is removed
even with index.dat unchecked. I wonder if the system remembers the BT
Yahoo mailbox password in a different way to other passwords. Thus the
password in Outlook Express for accessing the server is unaffected.

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[miloshapiro]

lol. Caught in a funny place now, guys.
I'm hoping to get some help on my original request, but all of the comments
are about cCleaner at this point.

I totally feel for you having an issue on that, but if there's a lot more to
discuss about that unrelated issue, could it be its own posting?

Really don't want to be seen as a griper, but I keep getting notified of
postings and hoping someone has ideas for me...and then they keep not being
about what I was asking, which is sure disappointing when I so want this
resolved.

Thanks and I hope you do find your solution!