[iStudent 2003]

Originally I only one user account on my iMac Core 2 Duo, then I changed the account type from an administrator account to an limited account, so that I could use fast user switching without needing a password. But after doing that Mail and Keychain started going crazy on me. Every time I open-up Mail, keychain asks me for the original user account password, even though I don’t need to put a password when logging-in to the computer because the account is now a limited account (keychain is not asking me for my email password). I’ve tried having Keychain remember the password, but it doesn’t remember it. When I open-up Keychain everything looks fine.

I am guessing that there’s a permission conflict somewhere, but I have no clue where to start looking.

[Spoffo]

I don't understand how you managed to turn your account into a limited one. The OS requires that there be at least one admin account on the Mac to install programs and the like. I'll bet that if you check the "users" preferences panel you'll find that you now have two accounts: the original admin account in your name and a separate limited one you created.

Get rid of your limited account and operate only as the administrator. (Deleting the account will save any documents owned by that account in an archive file you can open.) If you are the owner of the machine, you absolutely want to run in admin mode, and maybe restrict all the other users to limited accounts. If not, you'll run into problems much bigger than Keychain not working right.

After you've got yourself back to a single admin account, highlight that account and click the "login options" button at the bottom of the accounts list. Check "automatically log in" so that the machine will just start up with your identity and not ask for your password.

Fast user switching works whether or not you choose to require a password on log-in. It's about saving the state of the machine for each user. If each user is set for automatic log-in, you can switch back and forth between any of them with just a click.

After all this, open Disc Utility and run "repair permissions" just to clean up any loose ends.

[Big Mac]

Spoffo, an owner doesn't have to use an administrator account day to day. I no longer do it for security reasons, and there are only a few times I need to login to the admin account.

As for the keychain, when you change your login password the keychain does not automatically get changed. Open Keychain Access (/Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access), click on the Edit menu and select Change password for keychain "<username>." Type in the old login password in the Current Password field, then just leave the New Password and Verify fields blank and click OK. It will say the password is invalid and prompt you again, but just ignore it and click OK again. This time the blank password will be accepted.

[iStudent 2003]

Thanks Big Mac, that fixed the problem!

[Artanis]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

As for the keychain, when you change your login password the keychain does not automatically get changed. Open Keychain Access (/Applications/Utilities/Keychain Access), click on the Edit menu and select Change password for keychain "<username>." Type in the old login password in the Current Password field, then just leave the New Password and Verify fields blank and click OK. It will say the password is invalid and prompt you again, but just ignore it and click OK again. This time the blank password will be accepted.

big mac owns

Originally Posted by iStudent 2003 

Thanks Big Mac, that fixed the problem!

I have encountered something like this a few months ago, and I fixed the problem with disk utility by repairing permissions.