Ticket Options

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> Safari Unable to Access Https

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 12:36 pm

I discover that this question has been asked before, on the page:

http://www.macosx.com/content/faq.ph...-Security.html

I did try deleting (backing up) the bookmark etc. files as suggested, deleting the suggested file. I restarted and all. Still the same problem. This started unexpectedly yesterday evening. No new installations, firewalls, new software, etc.

One oddity (unknown cause) that I can report is that my computer (iBook G4 laptop) told me I needed to restart before this problem started (most of the screen shaded out around the warning window -- never saw that before), and then when I restarted I was asked if I wanted to log in to my wireless network using the proper keychain -- never saw that before either.

Anyway, I feel as if I've tried everything. Any ideas?

Jon

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 1:42 pm

Hi Jon

Launch Keychain Access
From the Window menu (Panther or earlier) choose Keychain First Aid

Select Repair and click Start

In Tiger, it's under the Keychain Access menu.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:22 pm

This sounded so certain and promising!

I did as advised.

The problem remains.

Any other ideas? Thanks!

Jon

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:30 pm

Jon

My next suggestion would be to move everything from User/Library/Keychains/ to your Desktop. Log out. Log in. Open Safari. Check an SSL encrypted website
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:46 pm

Did it. Still no luck.

Jon

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:53 pm

Jon

Does this happen on just one 'https' site?
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:56 pm

No, all of them -- Amazon, my bank, credit card, you name it.

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 2:57 pm

Jon

What version of OS X are you running?
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:02 pm

Os x 10.3.9

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:08 pm

Jon

Go to System Preferences - Network - Select your Internet Connection, go to the Proxies tab and click the 'Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)' Checkbox and clicked Apply.

Also, see if it works using Firefox.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:20 pm

Final sentence first: I don't have Firefox set up, but everything works in Mozilla and (I'd already tried this before asking) Internet Explorer.

I did as you specified in System Preferences. Didn't make any difference in Safari. One point: Although I checked the box and clicked Apply, the setting doesn't get saved if I close System Preferences and then open it again, it's unchecked again. Should it be retained?

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:24 pm

Jon

Yes, it should be retained. There could be some files messed up in your system. I would download the 10.3.9 Combo update and run it;

http://www.apple.com/support/downloa...pdate1039.html
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:34 pm

OK, I did that. Also logged out and back in, then checked the HTTPS box in System Preferences again before launching Safari. Still can't get to any https: pages.

Jon

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 3:42 pm

Jon

I don't have any other suggestions. There are a good number of posts about this problem, and we've gone through all the suggested fixes.

Do you get any errors when trying these sites?
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

bobw - Jul 23, 2005 - 4:00 pm

Jon

Try moving these files to the desktop and restarting; located here; user>library>preferences


com.apple.internetconfig.plist
com.apple.internetconnect.plist
com.apple.internetpref.plist
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 23, 2005 - 6:01 pm

Just did that. No change.

To reiterate ( just to make the limited nature of the problem clear): I don't get this problem with any other browser software, nor at all on my desktop computer one floor up. Just with Safari on my laptop.

Is there any list of absolutely all the files it uses? It seems as though if I got rid of Safari itself and all associated files, then reinstalled it, I ought to have a clean start. Or am I being hopelessly naive?

bobw - Jul 24, 2005 - 9:59 am

Jon

Most all Safari files are inside Safari itself, with the exception of it's .plist file, and Caches.

Try this, download 'Yasu' (free0;

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21674

Use that to clear all Caches and see if it makes a deiiference.


--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

bobw - Jul 24, 2005 - 9:59 am

Jon

Just wanted to add, use Yasu to also clear Cookies.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 24, 2005 - 10:43 am

I did both of the above (first one, then the second, successive reboots). Still no success.

If I were to copy Safari itself from one of my desktop computers where it's working, to the laptop where it's not (thus replacing the Safari that's somehow not working)... would that work at all, and might it clear the bad stuff?

bobw - Jul 24, 2005 - 10:53 am

Jon

Before doing that, if you haven't updated Java, do that first from here;

http://www.apple.com/support/downloa...acosx1039.html

If this doesn't work, do a Find on your system for Safari and trash everything first.

Then, rather than copying from another machine, use 'Pacifist" to get Safari off your OS Disk;

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/12743
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 24, 2005 - 3:20 pm

I updated Java. Then I trashed all Safari-related files. Then I installed via Pacifist from the system CDs. (restarting in between, each time, just to be extra certain) Still unable to connect to any HTTPS sites.

bobw - Jul 24, 2005 - 3:33 pm

Jon

Look in here;

Hard Drive>System>Library>Keychains (folder)

Let me know what's in the Keychain folder.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 24, 2005 - 3:47 pm

2 files:

X509Anchors (204 KB)
X509Certificates (80 KB)

(last modified respectively in April and July 2004 -- the latter being when I acquired the laptop; I've already wondered if this problem could be some hideous 1-year expiration thing, but I can't see how it would affect only Safari and leave everything else functioning)

bobw - Jul 24, 2005 - 3:50 pm

Jon

Try replacing those files with ones from another machine.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 24, 2005 - 4:58 pm

One question before I carry that out: If I just copy them off my iMac (to my iDisk), they change from Documents to Unix Executable Files. I imagine that this could lead to problems. Is there another part that goes with them? or will it all come out right if I just copy them to the laptop?

jaconrad - Jul 24, 2005 - 7:44 pm

Never mind. I copied those files to the desktop as a backup (I thought I was moving them, but... you'll see). I then tried to replace them with the files I'd copied from the desktop iMac, and was told that I couldn't do it, because the Keychains folder can't be modified. In addition, I saw a standard "there is already a file of this name, do you want to Replace" dialog box for both files, clicked Replace for both, and then was told it couldn't be done after all because I don't have sufficient privileges. No doubt there's a way around this, but I don't know it.

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 9:17 am

Jon

Get Info (Command-I) on that folder and give yourself Permissions.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 12:08 pm

OK, I did that.

As I feared, the files are now UNIX Executable Files rather than Documents. I have the originals archived to copy back, so nothing is lost -- but how can I solve the copying problem?

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 12:55 pm

Jon

Enable Root and you should be able to do this.

This Apple page describes how to enable Root;

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=152089
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 1:25 pm

I'm sorry to be stupid (truly), but those instructions didn't work for me. I did everything described in Netinfo manager, and logged out. But the only Login option I saw was my usual name; there was no "Other" option. Is there something I need to enable somewhere?

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 1:50 pm

jon

Try putting those files in there now. If you still can't, open NetInfo Manager again and under the Security Menu, go to Authenticate, you should have to put your password in, then go back to that Menu to Enable Root, then log out and back in.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 2:16 pm

Oh, I can put the files in all right. But they're a different kind of file from what they replaced (I just tried it again, following your last instructions); they're Unix Executable Files with the black icon, not generic documents. It looks as if the whole file isn't being moved when I take it out of the other computer's Keychain folder.

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 2:19 pm

Jon

When dragging out of the other Keychain folder, hold the Option key down. Then I would compress the files before moving to the other machine.

Right click on each file, or Control click, to Create Archive.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 2:28 pm

OK, thanks. Finally got the files moved into the Keychains folder as desired.

Still the same https problem with Safari.

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 2:44 pm

Jon

Do this again, but uncheck if it's still checked;

Go to System Preferences - Network - Select your Internet Connection, go to the Proxies tab and click the 'Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)' Checkbox and clicked Apply.

Also, in Safari's Preferences under the Security Tab, check Always acept Cookies and see if it helps.

Have you ever installed any type of anonymizer or proxy software?


--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 3:38 pm

It has remained true that that 'Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)' Checkbox won't stay checked, so there's no need (or way) to uncheck it.

Always Accepting Cookies (and I then restarted Safari) didn't help.

The only proxy software that I'm aware of is a java program (I may be misusing the terminology) that my employer (University of Delaware) makes available so that we can access employee-only sites from home computers. That has to be activated specially when I try to get into those sites -- not a factor with things like Amazon or credit cards.

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 3:47 pm

Jon

Maybe it has something to do with your employers software.

Create another user account and log into that and see if you can go to a 'HTTPS' site.

I'm out of ideas, unfortunately.
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support

jaconrad - Jul 25, 2005 - 4:06 pm

I followed your suggestion to create a new user. Still unable to reach an https site.

I sympathize with your being out of ideas. You've given me lots of excellent suggestions, which sounded logical and SHOULD have worked. I know you're weary of this whole silly thing -- imagine how I feel. It's like a science fiction story in which no matter how we eradicate the monster, it's still here. I suppose my simplest solution is "stop using Safari," but I happen to like it.

Thanks for your time and attention, in any case. If you get any brainstorms, let me know.

bobw - Jul 25, 2005 - 4:36 pm

Jon

The only other option I would have is to reformat the drive and reinstall everything.

If I can find anything else that may help, I'll let you know.

PS: Are you using a Router? Firewall?
--------

Bobw - Macosx.com Tech Support