Gmail security problem
I bought a new laptop as some keys in the keyboard aren't working any more {I am using the MS on-screen keyboard 
}.
On the new laptop, Gmail asked for my password. I've been relying on both Chrome's auto password fill-in and Gmail's stay-signed-in options, so I forgot the latest password, which I changed 3 months ago. I discovered my notebook containing my password is now lost.
I typed in what I thought was correct. Nope. I started the Gmail password recovery process. It is different and more detailed. I provided as best as I can. Dates etc. I opened this gmail account in 2001/2002, so remembering dates was tough. I don't use other Google products {calender, talk, etc}. I've filled in five most frequented email addresses. I never created 'labels' and didn't add a recovery email address as a security measure {I was never asked to]. No problem with remembering the old security question, though.
In spite of all that, Gmail says my details don't match theirs and advised me to try again. I tried five times, same response. I'm guessing it's to do with my IP address and/or DNS of my new laptop.
I can get into Gmail on the old laptop, but I can't change the password, add a phone number or a recovery email address as a security measure, because I still need the password to do it.
I can't work out how to resolve this. Any suggestions, please? Thanks.
}.On the new laptop, Gmail asked for my password. I've been relying on both Chrome's auto password fill-in and Gmail's stay-signed-in options, so I forgot the latest password, which I changed 3 months ago. I discovered my notebook containing my password is now lost.
I typed in what I thought was correct. Nope. I started the Gmail password recovery process. It is different and more detailed. I provided as best as I can. Dates etc. I opened this gmail account in 2001/2002, so remembering dates was tough. I don't use other Google products {calender, talk, etc}. I've filled in five most frequented email addresses. I never created 'labels' and didn't add a recovery email address as a security measure {I was never asked to]. No problem with remembering the old security question, though.
In spite of all that, Gmail says my details don't match theirs and advised me to try again. I tried five times, same response. I'm guessing it's to do with my IP address and/or DNS of my new laptop.
I can get into Gmail on the old laptop, but I can't change the password, add a phone number or a recovery email address as a security measure, because I still need the password to do it.
I can't work out how to resolve this. Any suggestions, please? Thanks.
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Comments
I've just discovered why Gmail didn't recognise my password.
I changed the password in YouTube about a month ago. At the time, I didn't realise that if you change your password in a Google product, it'll change the password of all Google products associated with your Gmail acccount.
In other words, changing the YouTube password may override the Gmail password.
I forgot to note the YouTube password, which means I'm effectively locked out of Gmail and YouTube. Great.
This is a heads up to all who might not realise this as well. Write down the password for *any* Google product and keep it in a safe place.
Right. I'd better let everyone know that my old Gmail account has disappeared into a black hole.
Alternatively, you might be able to use the Windows Easy Transfer utility to copy across your old Chrome settings which might include your passwords (not sure if it will).
Both of these will still leave you none the wiser as to what the password is, but might get you up and running.
That's a great idea. Hopefully, it may save me a lot of time in duplicating the contents and contact list so I'll give it a try. Thank you for suggesting that.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/07/chrome-saved-passwords/
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Another update:
I accidentally found a solution. This is for anyone who uses the auto save password option in Chrome.
- Click the Chrome spanner icon at top right corner of your Chrome browser
- Scroll down to Settings
- Click 'Advanced Settings' at bottom of the Settings page
- Scroll to the Privacy section
- Click on 'Manage saved passwords' under Passwords and Forms
- A list of sites, usernames and serial asterisks should appear
- Scroll down to a site where you forgot the password for.
- Click on the site and look to right for a blue box with 'Show'
- Click on the blue box to unmask the asterisks, which will reveal your password in text.
Hurray!
It's worrying that anyone can check in on anyone's computer with this method. So it'd be a good idea not to exercise the auto save password option for any secured sites, e.g. bank, paypal and other sites with sensitive information.
Yes, we did think of replacing it, but we decided we might as well to buy a new one because it's still Vista and it's been struggling to cope with graphics-heavy sites lately.
Now the question is, what to do with the old laptop. Fix it up and donate it to a charity? We'll have a look around.
Meanwhile, thanks for the suggestion.