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Locked out of email

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  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by zappakuti

zappakuti
zappakuti
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I'm new to PC's. I have very basic knowledge of how to use an i-pad. A month ago I got myself a new MacBook. I installed Thunderbird, no problems. My old mail showed up, new mail came in. I installed GNupg.

Following FSF's excellent tutorial I set up Thunderbird with encryption, all good. Now I'm at the point where I 'should try it out' by sending 'Edward' my public key. This worked as I immediately got an encrypted e-mail from 'Edward' in my Apple inbox. However, on Thunderbird I was left hanging with a constantly spinning disc which I presumed meant Thunderbird was trying to retrieve said e-mail. This did not resolve.

After clicking here and there on Thunderbird's interface, I ended up at the account set up screen being prompted for my e-mail address and password. Three weeks had passed and I couldn't remember my password, nor find a note of it. I only have access to account set up and homepage. On homepage I looked through the 'hamburger' menu but I can't find anything that helps. So, I'm locked out of Thunderbird mail.

Any help would be appreciated on both how to resolve the password issue, and what might have gone wrong in retrieving 'Edwards' mail.

Many thanks, Darren.

I'm new to PC's. I have very basic knowledge of how to use an i-pad. A month ago I got myself a new MacBook. I installed Thunderbird, no problems. My old mail showed up, new mail came in. I installed GNupg. Following FSF's excellent tutorial I set up Thunderbird with encryption, all good. Now I'm at the point where I 'should try it out' by sending 'Edward' my public key. This worked as I immediately got an encrypted e-mail from 'Edward' in my Apple inbox. However, on Thunderbird I was left hanging with a constantly spinning disc which I presumed meant Thunderbird was trying to retrieve said e-mail. This did not resolve. After clicking here and there on Thunderbird's interface, I ended up at the account set up screen being prompted for my e-mail address and password. Three weeks had passed and I couldn't remember my password, nor find a note of it. I only have access to account set up and homepage. On homepage I looked through the 'hamburger' menu but I can't find anything that helps. So, I'm locked out of Thunderbird mail. Any help would be appreciated on both how to resolve the password issue, and what might have gone wrong in retrieving 'Edwards' mail. Many thanks, Darren.

Chosen solution

I'm answering part of my own question here, incase it's useful to anyone else. It wasn't just a case of forgetting a password or remembering to make a note of it, more a complete absence of any memory of the process whatsoever! Well anyway it finally dawned on me, what had slipped my mind. I didn't create a password. Apple requires all third-party apps to use app-specific passwords.

The solution is really very simple, log in to Apple ID, click on app specific passwords, revoke the password for the specific app, create a new one, copy it. Open the app, paste it into the password field on account set up, should be good to go.

As for the first part of my question, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

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zappakuti
zappakuti Question owner
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Chosen Solution

I'm answering part of my own question here, incase it's useful to anyone else. It wasn't just a case of forgetting a password or remembering to make a note of it, more a complete absence of any memory of the process whatsoever! Well anyway it finally dawned on me, what had slipped my mind. I didn't create a password. Apple requires all third-party apps to use app-specific passwords.

The solution is really very simple, log in to Apple ID, click on app specific passwords, revoke the password for the specific app, create a new one, copy it. Open the app, paste it into the password field on account set up, should be good to go.

As for the first part of my question, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.