MSN Money is not working on multiple computers

Hi Marc

From the information you gave:

>>>
"When I log into his MSN account on any other computer it pulls up a generic list of stocks, but not his .... I get an error stating that the email address and password used to secure the backup file are not the same used to log into the account ....  I was under the impression that the Passport account stores his information so that he is able to log into multiple PC's and receive the same stock list."
<<<

I thought it would be best to check and see if there are any rogue or unknown passwords stored on the computers used by your boss.  Show him the report generated by the utility and ensure that he DOES recognise ALL the passwords.  If not, then there are a number of possibilities including the chance that somebody else has used that computer and logged into a different MSN Money account with the "Remember Password" box checked.

Take for example a user who accesses several Webmail profiles and has created a "Favorite" shortcut to their "My Inbox" (or whatever the link may be).  Clicking that link will likely automatically sign them in to the last viewed Webmail profile.  That's just a rough example of what I am trying to explain, and probably isn't technically accurate because different Webmail sites log you in in different ways.

It's a good idea to at least eliminate this possibility, and I recommend disabling Autocomplete for passwords to prevent such a possibility:

Tools > Internet Options > "Content" tab > Autocomplete button.
Clear saved User Names and Passwords and Forms, then uncheck the options boxes, or at the very least make sure that the "Prompt" box is checked.

Hi Marc

Some suggestions:

What happens if you go directly to the MSN Money home page in firefox?
If it asks for Windows LiveID (new name for "Passport"), then clearly the password is stored locally and/or only used by IE.

Have your boss log into the LiveID Login pages on ANY OTHER computer he has been using but NOT your laptop.  It may be necessary for him to first log out of MSN Money completely.

Sign in using standard security:
http://login.live.com/login.srf

Sign in using enhanced security:
https://login.live.com/login.srf

Have him copy and paste a few URL's from the Address Bar that obviously would only be directly accessible when HE is logged in on his LiveID.  Paste into Notepad, or create URL shortcuts to these pages.

Have him enter his password as normal, BUT ask him to CHECK the "Always ask for my e-mail address and password" box, then LOG OUT after whatever target page loads.  Hopefully this will void any cached and encrypted LiveID ogin credentials from THAT computer.

Have him then try and go to an MSN Money page that would otherwise be inaccessible UNLESS logged in using the same computer, and see if it prompts him for a password. That's my reason for having him copy the URL's for certain pages while he was logged in before.  If he is asked for his password, then make sure that this time he checks the "Save my e-mail address and password" box.  Once the page loads after login, have him LOG OUT.

NOW have him go to the same page as previously tried, ie. one where a user would have to be logged in to see it.  Assuming it goes straight to that page, then you've established that the login credentials are stored on THAT computer.

Ask him now to login as above by going only to the login pages given earlier.  Have him enter his password as normal, BUT ask him to CHECK the "Always ask for my e-mail address and password" box checked.  THIS time after the page loads, ask him to change his password and Log Out.

Have him log back in again with the new password, again with the "Always ask for my e-mail address and password" box checked, and then Log Out after the page loads.

YOU then go to the same MSN Money page (that would otherwise be inaccessible unless logged in) using the LAPTOP, and see if it prompts you for a password.

I am hopeful that this exercise will return a page not accessible message, or dump you back to the prompt for user name and password on the Login page telling you that the Password was not accepted.  In this case, it would be reasonable to assume that your boss's LiveID credentials WERE saved on the Laptop.

You then have your boss log in on the LAPTOP using his NEW password, making sure that the "Always ask for my e-mail address and password" box is checked.  Hopefully that would void any cached login data from the laptop.  In addition, delete any cookies that relate to LiveID, Passport, MSN Money, etc.  For example:
C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Cookies\username@login.live[1].txt

Once done, your boss can change his password back again on the computer with which he NORMALLY views MSN Money.

I realise that this is all pretty laborious, but it's all I can think of.

One thing I'm also wondering about is the Windows XP option to "Set up my account to use a .NET Passport".

I think you may be able to open this directly from the Start Menu's Run field:
%SystemRoot%\System32\netplwiz.dll,PassportWizardRunDll
Maybe not though.  It doesn't work on my heavily tweaked XP SP2 system, but I've forcibly uninstalled components that normally cannot be uninstalled by normal means.

Start Menu > Run:  Control C:\WINDOWS\System32\nusrmgr.cpl

Pick a task > "Change an acount"

Click on account to change.
"Learn about" section > "Using a .NET Passport".
ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\misc.chm::/passport_about.htm

"Related Tasks" section > "Manage my network passwords"
ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\usercpl.chm::/usercpl_manage_passport.htm

Stored User Names and Passwords dialog:
Start Menu > Run > rundll32 keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr

I also found the following registry keys that may be related, but may be old ones for previous methods:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ppifile]
@="Microsoft Passport configuration file"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ppifile\shell\open\command]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\msppcnfg.exe /Config %1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\IdentityCRL\Environment\Production]
"RemoteFile"="http://clientconfig.passport.net/PPCRLconfig.srf"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Web Service Providers]
"PPClientUrl"="http://nexus.passport.com/client/client.xml"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Folders]
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Themes\passport\

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Passport]
@=""
"LoginServerRealm"="Passport.Net"
"LoginServerUrl"="https://login.live.com/login2.srf"
"RegistrationUrl"="https://accountservices.passport.net/UIXPWiz.srf"
"Properties"="https://accountservices.msn.com/editprof.srf"
"Privacy"="https://accountservices.passport.net/PPPrivacyStatement.srf"
"GeneralRedir"="http://nexusrdr.passport.com/redir.asp"
"Help"="https://accountservices.passport.net"

https://accountservices.passport.net/ppnetworkhome.srf?lc=1033

Something else I wondered about is this, but I'm not sure if it's relevant to IE7:

Internet Options > Advanced > Security section > "Enable Profile Assistant"

Specifies whether you will accept Web sites requests for Profile Assistant information. If you clear this check box, Profile Assistant information will not be provided, and you will not be prompted to provide information.
If you select this check box, then when a Web site requests Profile Assistant information, you will be prompted to choose which information to share. At that time, you can also choose to allow this information to be shared with that Web site in the future without prompting.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/220017
http://gemal.dk/browserspy/profile.html
http://www.ideaspace.net/users/wkearney/archives/000117.html

What about the following security setting?:

Internet Options > Advanced > Security section > "Do not save encrypted pages to disk"

Specifies whether secured information is not retained in your Temporary Internet Files folder. This is useful if you are using Internet Explorer from a shared computer and you do not want other people to have access to your secured information. For example, any information you exchange with secure (https) Web sites, such as passwords or credit card information, might be stored in this folder. This information might be encrypted to prevent unauthorized viewing.

I'm afraid that's just about all leads I can think of.

Regards
Bill