Cannot import (third) private key

OpenPGP addon for Mozilla Thunderbird

Brought to you by: pbrunschwig

Cannot import (third) private key

Forum: Enigmail Support

Creator: tehfurbolg

Created: 2016-12-19

Updated: 2018-05-07

tehfurbolg - 2016-12-19

Heyo,

I have a slight problem. I started using Enigmail (on ubuntu) a while ago and am already using two identities and thus have two private keys imported. Now I created a third key but whenever I want to import the private key (via file, in enigmail) nothing happens. When I import the corresponding public key the identity shows up. All of the keys belong to different email adresses.

I already imported the key into my ubuntu keyring (so it shows up when I type "gpg --list-keys").

There is no error, no anything. When I hit the button, the window just closes and nothing happens.

I already created a couple of keys (one on ubuntu, one on windows) but both of them don't work.

Are there any "usual" troubleshooting methods I could use?

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- Rob - 2016-12-19
  
  Try importing it at the command line.
  
  $ gpg --import keyfile.asc
  
  What error is GnuPG giving you?
  
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  - tehfurbolg - 2016-12-19
    
    None at all, as it is already imported. When I list the keys with "gpg --list-keys" or "gpg --list-secret-keys" this particular key is listed along with the others. It seems to be in my normal keyring.
    
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dcaps - 2016-12-19

I had the same problem in Mac's Yosemite. However, it is an isolated incident as I could import other keys. Tried everything but can't import somebody's public key. DC

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Patrick Brunschwig - 2016-12-19

If the key is already imported, then there's nothing you need to do. Simply refresh the key cache in Enigmail (Keymanager, menu File).

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- tehfurbolg - 2016-12-19
  
  Sadly that does not work. Nothing happens.
  
  by the way one of the private/public keypair I am using is not in my ubuntu keyring, the other one is. And the one I want to import is in there as well, but I cannot get into enigmail. :S
  
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Patrick Brunschwig - 2016-12-20

Can you please retry to import the key, and then attach a debug log here (see http://www.enigmail.net/index.php/en/faq-en?view=topic&id=15 section "How can I create a debug log")

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- tehfurbolg - 2016-12-20
  
  Did exactly that. File is attached. :)
  
  enigmail_log.txt
  
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Patrick Brunschwig - 2016-12-21

You're still using Enigmail 1.9.1 - please upgrade to Enigmail 1.9.6.1, the problem is very likely fixed there.

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- tehfurbolg - 2016-12-23
  
  Oh, thanks, damn, I didn't check that.
  I tried to update, it downloaded stuff for a while but gave me errors in the end. I repeated the process and it still tells me it cannot download certain packages.
  The attached file is the result of "sudo apt-get upgrade enigmail" (for the second time)
  
  enigmail_upgradelog.txt
  
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Patrick Brunschwig - 2016-12-23

The reason for Enigmail not being updated is not related to Enigmail, but rather to Ubuntu issues (I'm not even sure if Ubuntu updated to Enigmail 1.9.6.1).

I'm sorry, but I can't help you fix Ubuntu issues - please check the ubuntu Wiki (such as https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/) for fixing the problem.

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- tehfurbolg - 2016-12-23
  
  Yeah, it seemed like something didn't work with ubuntu.
  
  Okay, I'll try finding the problem with ubuntu then.
  
  A massive thank you! :)
  
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ELI - 2017-05-10

I have the same problem.

I'm using latest Enigmail: 1.9.6.1 (20161116-1713) and latest Thunderbird: 52.1.0 (32-bit) on Win 8.1.
The keys were generated on Linux Mint and imported by

The new keys are shown in the Windows keyring by:

gpg2 --list-keys XXXXXXXX pub rsa4096 2017-05-09 [SC] [expires: 2018-05-09] 95...E6 uid [ultimate] xxxx <xxxx@gmail.com> sub rsa4096 2017-05-09 [E] [expires: 2018-05-09]

The EKM window show my key(s) as:

YYYY <xxxx@gmail.com> AAAAAAAA # The old key, but high lighted xxxx <xxxx@gmail.com> BBBBBBBB # The new key, but not highlighted

However, I am not able to select the BBBBBBB key in TB's > Account > OpenPGP Security [tab].

Very confusing.

UPDATE!

Clearly I've wasted several hours trying to debug something that is just a lack in the UI.
When importing the private key from the GUI, it never showed any error. When in fact it had failed. Importing the key manually into the keychain with gpg2 --import BBBBBBB did it!

Please provide a more clear explanation in GUI about what is already imported and if the private keys are missing.

Last edit: ELI 2017-05-10
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senfuma Bryan - 2018-05-07

When i e-mail public key to other uses, when they import, thunderbird says "no keys" Any idea plz?

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