. . . I went to settings and checked the box to use a primary password . . .

The Primary(Master) Password is used to secure the Password Manager. This adds more security as you need to enter the Primary before the Password Manager will fill in the login data.

You can turn off the Primary by selecting to change it but leave the new password field blank.

Use a Primary(Master) Password to protect stored logins and passwords {web link}

The password information is stored in two files in the profile folder. The files are encrypted. The Master Password adds another layer of security.

The Primary Password is used to access passwords stored in the Password Manager. You need to provide the PP to unlock the passwords if you want to open the Password Manager (about:logins page) or when Firefox needs to access the logins like when you visit a website with a saved username and password

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/password-manager-remember-delete-edit-logins

The Primary Password has nothing to do with accessing your emails as that uses the password for that email service website.

I assumed I was setting an email password because I was Thunderbird using email. I went to Preferences/Password and clicked the box to use a Primary Password and created a password. I take pride in the fact that I keep a good record of all passwords... however, as luck would have it, I failed to log the primary password I created. Now every time I go into email, it asks for the primary password. Only email. Nowhere else. I went back into preferences but it will not allow me to change it or delete it without the original password. I tried the fix using the pippki address. It led me through to a reset and then told me it had been reset, however, it did not ask me to create a new password and I'm still being asked for the password when I try to enter email.

I also, outside of email, went to the Firefox browser, Login and Passwords/Settings. There is also a Primary Password box to be checked there but... it isn't checked. It is checked only by going there through email.

Nothing so far has allowed me to reset the password or uncheck the box. Any help is appreciated.

The 'Primary Password' also known as 'Master Password' is useful if you share your computer with other people and also allow them access to your computer 'User Account', so they can see all your documents including anything in Thunderbird.

If you protect your 'User Account' with a password and do not allow others access then the 'Primary Password' is only stopping you from accessing your own view of your stored passwords.

This is the link you would need for information: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/protect-your-thunderbird-passwords-primary-password#w_resetting-your-primary-password-if-you-have-forgotten-it

This removes the Primary/Master password completely. As you mentioned: " I've tried resetting the password by going to chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xhtml. It says password was reset but nothing has changed, it did not ask me for a new password," It sounds like you have removed the 'Primary Password'. I presume you followed the information as per link and as per image below.

However, for your protection - just in case someone did get access and they tried to remove the 'Master/Primary Password' - all your stored mail account passwords would also be removed.

So, after removing the 'Master/Primary Password' and restarting Thunderbird, it would attempt to access server for your mail accounts, but as no mail account passwords are stored, it would now be asking for your mail account password - not the Primary Password.

You would enter the correct mail account password for the account and select the checkbox for Password Manager to remember the password.

I hope this explains what is going on.

If after removing the Primary PAssword - you went back into Preferences > Privacy & Security and selected that 'Primary Password' checkbox again - then go through the process of removing it again. REstart Thunderbird. Then at the prompt - it will be asking for mail account password. If unsure about mail account password - use a browser and try to logon to your webmail account. If you cannot get access then use the 'forgotten Password' link to gain access and reset password in webmail account. Once you can get access to webmail account, you then use that password to allow Thunderbird access to same email address/account.

Please note: some servers now insist on using OAuth2 or using an app specific password, so if having a problem then tell the forum what server you are using.

First, thank you for your kind reply and for trying to help me as the others have done.

Regarding your second paragraph: Nobody uses my laptop but me. The absolute only password I have (other than those to enter other websites) is the pin number used to enter the laptop.

I went to the link you provided. I had already done this once but tried again. (I used both "pippki" addresses just to be sure. My version is 91.8.1) I did not see Evaluate so I clicked Run. Just to be sure, I also did Control-Enter. I'm attaching a picture of the results. The directions said what I should do "When prompted with the confirmation dialog box." Well. That box never came. Previously when I followed these directions, the confirmation dialog box did appear. That is when I clicked to reset and it replied that it had been reset. However, NOTHING had changed. The problem remains. When I go to Tools/Preferences/Password, the Use a Primary Password box is still checked and I am still being asked for my Primary Password when I go into email.

When to go password from Firefox, the Primary Password box is NOT checked. If I go to password from Thunderbird, it is checked.

I did restart the laptop but everything remained the same.

My server is charter.net. Even the annoying request for my password specifically asks for my Primary Password, I tried putting in my Charter email password. Didn't work.

I have even uninstalled Thunderbird and then reinstalled. It still asked for my Primary Password. I can't even kill it.

In regard to your second message that begins, "If after removing the primary password...", I have not been able to remove that password after doing all the above and you can bet your bottom dollar that once I am able to remove it, I will NEVER select the Use Primary Password checkbox again.

I can see from your image that it looks like you are not following instructions.

You did not clear the console. You did not copy paste the correct line nor copy paste the entire line - you selected a portion of it.

1. After opening the 'Error Console' - you must clear all the contents. That means click on the top left 'bin' icon.

when it is completely empty..... 2. You have to copy paste the entire line which starts with 'openDialog(.. and it must include the end bracket. The line is available to copy in the Help Article. It is also shown below. When you paste it into the error console after the >> chevons it will look identical to my image.

openDialog("chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xhtml")

re : (I used both "pippki" addresses just to be sure.

In the image you posted you used the wrong one twice- you are not using a pre 78 version eg: 68. You can only use one of them and it is the one I show in my image.

I have known some people to only copy the bit which starts with 'chrome://pippki...' Some people do not include the brackets () - you have to copy all of the line - see line below - check the image I posted - and paste it into the error console after the >> chevons.

openDialog("chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xhtml")

3. Then press the 'Enter' key on keyboard.

I must admit - I've never actually seen the 'Evaluate' button, so not sure if it is old info or applies to specific OS. re: so I clicked Run. I've never seen a 'Run' button in the Error console and it's not in any instructions. re :Just to be sure, I also did Control-Enter.

No not 'Control' Enter - just press the 'Enter' key on keyboard which is sometimes called 'Return' key.

then a small window opens mentioning reset of password - 4. click on 'Reset' button

5: Close Error console window - if it is still open.

6: Then restart Thunderbird. It is important to exit Thunderbird wait a few moments and then start Thunderbird.

Please confirm - you are using the Thunderbird Error Console and not Firefox.

In Thunderbird Menu app icon > Tools > Developer Tools > Error Console Or you can invoke it Make sure you have the focus on 'Thunderbird' eg: select a folder in Folder Pane Then use 'Shift' + 'Ctrl'+'J'

Ok. That got it!! Before even seeing your last message and the addition to the second last, I went back into the console and entered the entire line. Honestly, after being given many links to follow/post, that one does not look correct to do the entire line. I assumed that you assumed I had enough sense to know that [NOT] :) so, I learned something new today. Not bad for a 75 year old lady. Still learning.

I will say this in my defense and by way of explanation:

• Bulleted list itemI could be wrong but I never saw 'clear the console' in any of the gosh awful bunch of things I read on this problem. That includes directions on Support, etc.

• Bulleted list itemYou said I pasted the wrong version twice and did not paste the correct one at all. What really happened is that I did the correct one first. When it didn't work, I did the incorrect one. It didn't work either. In frustration, I redid them both again. So I actually did both twice. I don't know why but on the console pic I sent to you, it has the wrong one twice and the correct once. But, of course, all were typed incorrectly.

• Bulleted list itemOn the Run and Control-Enter, I'm attaching a pic of the console I'm looking at. Notice the upper left corner is the word 'Run' and below that it says, bold textEnter to add new lines and use Control-Enter to Runbold text. That is what I did the last time along with using every single word of the pippki and now I'm back in business :)

Thank you very much for your time and help. Greatly appreciated.

Oh well. Obviously this does not work the same as Microsoft Word! Please ignore or just imagine the 'bulleted list item' and 'bold text'

Thanks for the image showing what you see eg: Run

Good to hear you are up and running again.