One password manager for two OSs? [Solved]

[Mr Mate]

Hi,

I want to use a password manager, but I have two operating systems on my computer, and with each I use a different browser, so I wonder if it's possible for the password manager to work for both systems?

[ugly]

We need more information.

What are the two OSes you are using?

What do you need your password manager to do? (auto-fill forms, locally saved passwords, cloud-saved passwords, browser integration, etc.).

I use PasswordSafe on Windows and Mint. I keep the file that stores the passwords on an NTFS partition so both OSes can access the file.

[farrina]

You might want to have a look at Enpass - they appear to have a client for most OS’s (and browser plugins).

More here https://www.enpass.io/

I’ll leave you to undertake due diligence to satisfy yourself as to their probity (I have used their product on Mint, iOS and Windows since April)

[JerryF]

I use KeePass. It's available in Linux, Android, and Windows.

[AndyMH]

I use keepass on both win and linux, recommend keepass2 for linux.

[Habitual]

Hi,

I want to use a password manager, but I have two operating systems on my computer, and with each I use a different browser, so I wonder if it's possible for the password manager to work for both systems?

Lastpass!

[Mr Mate]

Thanks for your recommendations!

We need more information.

What are the two OSes you are using?

What do you need your password manager to do? (auto-fill forms, locally saved passwords, cloud-saved passwords, browser integration, etc.).

I use PasswordSafe on Windows and Mint. I keep the file that stores the passwords on an NTFS partition so both OSes can access the file.

I use Mint and AV Linux (which is Debian based)

I need the password manager to remember my passwords on websites, so I don't have to type them. I know a browser can do the same, but thought a PM would be more safe. I will also change my passwords or let the PM do it, because right now most of my passwords on different sites are identical. I have no idea how a PM works technically, but I understand from your reply that as long as the password file is stored on a partition that both OSs have access to, then you can easily have one PM for two OSs, even if one OS is Windows, and the other is Linux. And I guess, even if the browsers are different? (I use Chromium for Mint, and Firefox for AV Linux)

[JerryF]

...
I need the password manager to remember my passwords on websites, so I don't have to type them.
...

I don't know of a password manager that will automatically remember your passwords. You would have to set them up manually in the PM. A password manager is just a database of usernames and passwords. It's not like having a browser remember your passwords. But, after a username and password is set up, most PMs have a feature called Autotype, which puts the username and password (one or the other or both---can be customized) into the website's page.

...
I have no idea how a PM works technically, but I understand from your reply that as long as the password file is stored on a partition that both OSs have access to, then you can easily have one PM for two OSs, even if one OS is Windows, and the other is Linux. And I guess, even if the browsers are different? (I use Chromium for Mint, and Firefox for AV Linux)

Yes, if the password file is stored on a partition that all OSes can access, then you're good to go.

[phd21]

Hi "Mr Mate",

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

The "KeePass" applications, like KeePassXC, KeePassX, or KeePass2 will work on almost any computer operating system platforms, including most smart phones or tablets. I have been using KeePassXC now. They each have websites with good information.

KeePassXC
https://keepassxc.org/

Quickstart Guide for KeePassXC
https://keepassxc.org/quickstart

They can all be used for websites, semi-manually or automatically, to store and or retrieve login information; you may need to install various browser add-ons. Personally, I do not like to keep my Password Manager open all the time for automatically storing or retrieving website logins. I will use the browser's login storage for non-sensitve website login information, and the Password Manager for any and all sensitive website logins, like for financial websites, etc...

Tip: If you have a cloud account, and you create a shared folder on your systems, and keep the password database file in that folder, it will be available to all your computers and devices and be updated with changes.

Hope this helps ...

[Cosmo.]

I need the password manager to remember my passwords on websites, so I don't have to type them.

If you create on a website a new account, you have obviously also to create a (hopefully) new password there. Usually you define the new password on the web-site, but with a password manager (PM) you can create the password in the PM, and transfer it to the fields on the website. Additional advantage: If you define - or change - a password on the site, you have to enter it usually twice; this opens the possibility that you mistype it once and i this case it will get rejected. But if you transfer the already defined password from the PM to the site, this problem cannot exist. A problem less at the end.

[phd21]

Hi "Mr Mate", & Anyone Else Interested in this,

Update: Since last night, I tried the KeePassXC along with the required browser plug-in (extension) "KeePassHttp-Connector" in both my Firefox 57 Quantum and Slimjet (Chrome type browser) for automatic login and it worked incredibly well. See their quick start quide in the link in my previous reply. It also adds a right-click menu for "KeePassHttp-Connector" when you are at a login webpage. You can even have KeePassXC time out after so many minutes that you are away from your computer for security and it will ask you to login to KeePassXC again. If you are creating a new login, KeePassXC and the plugin provides a key icon to the right of the Password entry field to help create a new secure password which it stores automatically.

I have well over a hundred passwords for websites (and everything else) in my KeePass database and I duplicate some entries for various reasons which KeePass listed during a login which I could choose from.

I am offically very impressed, well done to the developers of both KeePassXC and "KeePassHttp-Connector"!

Hope this helps ...

[Mr Mate]

Hi all, thanks a lot for your explanations and links, much appreciated! I'll have a look at them. Time to let my bad memory have a rest, and let the manager do the job

Happy new year!

[phd21]

Hi "Mr Mate",

You are welcome from all of us that replied...


Happy New Years to you as well!

[curtvaughan]

Hi "Mr Mate", & Anyone Else Interested in this,

Update: Since last night, I tried the KeePassXC along with the required browser plug-in (extension) "KeePassHttp-Connector" in both my Firefox 57 Quantum and Slimjet (Chrome type browser) for automatic login and it worked incredibly well. See their quick start quide in the link in my previous reply. It also adds a right-click menu for "KeePassHttp-Connector" when you are at a login webpage. You can even have KeePassXC time out after so many minutes that you are away from your computer for security and it will ask you to login to KeePassXC again. If you are creating a new login, KeePassXC and the plugin provides a key icon to the right of the Password entry field to help create a new secure password which it stores automatically.

I have well over a hundred passwords for websites (and everything else) in my KeePass database and I duplicate some entries for various reasons which KeePass listed during a login which I could choose from.

I am offically very impressed, well done to the developers of both KeePassXC and "KeePassHttp-Connector"!

Hope this helps ...

I agree with your opinion on KeePassXC - very flexible across OS platforms, and its developers seem to be quite active. My understanding is that they developed their software after being frustrated by slow development of the KeePassX software. KeePassXC is the only KeePassX based offering that I can readily get working with LMDE2, as the Debian repositories only have the old version of KeePassX (0.4 or some such) available, which can't work with the newer database format. I now can store my master pw data file on Google Drive, and can access it from all my Linux laptops as well as my iMac.

[otadmin]

Which version of KeepassXC in the Ubuntu repositories is compatible with LM 18.3 cinnamon?

[phd21]

Hi "otadmin",

As far as I know (afaik), "KeePassXC" is not in the official Ubuntu or Linux Mint repositories, although I think it should be. But, anyone can easily install KeePassXC version 2.2.4 using various methods, their PPA, AppImage, "snap" package, or easy to install Linux "deb" files.

Click the link below, click Linux to see the various installation options.
https://keepassxc.org/download#linux

These KeePassXC installation options should work with any edition of Linux Mint: Cinnamon, Mate, KDE, or Xfce.

1.) I have been using their PPA to install and keep KeePassXC updated.
To install this using the PPA method, open a console terminal, type in, or copy & paste, each line below one by one: Click "Select All" above command, right click the highlighted command, select Copy (or Ctrl+Insert), click in the console terminal window, and right click paste (or Shift+Insert), repeat for each command.

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:phoerious/keepassxc

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update

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sudo apt-get install keepassxc

2.) Easy to download and install Linux deb files for KeePassXC v2.2.4, just click the link below for the appropriate file for your system, save the file, and double-click the file to install it.

Linux Mint 18.x based on Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial
For 64-bit computers
https://launchpad.net/~phoerious/+archi ... _amd64.deb

For 32-bit computers
https://launchpad.net/~phoerious/+archi ... 1_i386.deb


Linux Mint 17.x based on Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty
For 64-bit computers
https://launchpad.net/~phoerious/+archi ... _amd64.deb

For 32-bit computers
https://launchpad.net/~phoerious/+archi ... 1_i386.deb


3.) KeePassXC AppImage file download link, just download the file, double-click it to run it. I usually move applications that installs and run in a non-typical Linux method like AppImages to my home folder in a folder called "Apps-Misc". You might have to check to see if you have the permission rights to run (execute) it, just right-click the AppImage file, select Properties, Permission tab, check Allow Execute or Executable, apply, ok.
https://github.com/keepassxreboot/keepa ... 4.AppImage

Note: AppImage files require the "fuse" package to run which is usually already installed in Linux Mint, if not you can use the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)" search for "fuse" and install it, or use the console terminal command below.

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sudo apt-get install fuse

4.) Using the "snap" package installation method.

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sudo snap install keepassxc

* Do not forget to read the quick start guide link in the previous replies or on their website.

Hope this helps ...