Missing password file

Hello,

I wanted to come back during this week, but I can't log in to POL. It says incorrect ID or password. The ID is correct (still saved from earlier times) and the password as well, otherwise I wouldn't be able to log in to the forum and FFXIV.

I installed the game from my CD and copied the files from my old PC to the new one (overwrote everything which had changed) to prevent a very long update.
At my first attempt I got a message, that I have to copy a password file to a certain folder, I didn't take a screenshot (and regret it now).

Does anyone know what I have to do?
I hope I don't have to reinstall and update everything from the beginning, because it wouldn't be finished before the comeback period ends. ;-)

Thank you in advance!

If you are using your SE passwords then there are a couple of things that could be wrong.

1) You haven't linked your Playonline ID to your Square Enix account.
2) You didn't save your Playonline ID and Password on the account page in the playonline viewer, because while it asks for your SE account name and password every time you log in your Playonline ID/Password also need to be saved on the viewer.
3) You got hacked while you were away and the password has been changed. If you aren't using a security token there's a chance that happened.

Also, don't use your old CDs to install the game. Go to this page instead and download the client from there instead: http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/dow...stall_win.html

I hope this helps.

As a security measure, there was an update years ago, before SE Accounts, that allowed you to create a password file and specify a location for it to be. The game wouldn't let you log in if that wasn't there, say on a USBflash drive with a specific letter. You probably had that set up on your old install, and didn't copy it. Completely wipe out POL Viewer and install from scratch after wiping settings to fix it.

Thanks for your help!

I'm sure that Raydeus assumptions can't be the reason, because I can see FFXI on my SE account page and I'm still able to log in with my old password there (I tried on my old PC and it's ok there). The ID is still saved and correct, so it's really the missing file.

So I guess there is no other option than reinstall everything.

You only have to reinstall PlayOnline Viewer and wipe its configuration. The signature of the file is stored somewhere in there.