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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

[Email] How to update your email address for the move

Discussion in 'Communications' started by Grimby , Mar 13, 2012.

  1. Grimby

    Grimby Technical Consultant & Former Head Admin star 7 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Apr 22, 2000
    Why am I being told to update my private email address? How do I update it?
    As stated in the global announcement in the forum header, all users must make sure they have an active private email address in their profile. If you don't, you may not be able to log into your account after the move.

    I have been told there is a good chance that passwords will not transfer over to the new boards. If you do not have a working email under "private email address" in your profile, you will not be able to reset your password after the move.

    How to update your private email address:

    1. Log into your account and click on "Options" at the top of the page.
    2. Click on "Change Your User Details".
    3. Halfway down the page, you should see two email address fields. One is Public (this email is visible to all users who view your profile), the other is Private.
    4. Update the Private email field with a working email address you can use to receive your new password after the move. (You do not have to enter a Public email address.)

    If you receive an error saying that the email address is already taken:

    1. This is most likely due to one or more sock accounts you created that use the same email address. You have two choices - enter a new email address for your account, or log into the other account(s) and give each one a unique email address.
    2. Each account you edit will need its own email address. So if you don't feel like creating a bunch of new Hotmail or Yahoo accounts, just make sure your primary account has its own unique email address. As long as the sock accounts have an email address that works, you should be fine.
    3. Please keep in mind that there is currently no way to recover passwords for your accounts. If you can't remember the password for your sock, don't worry about updating it until after the move. You'll just have to enter a different email for your primary account.

    Note: If you have a Gmail account and don't feel like creating a bunch of new email addresses, read on...


    What if I don't have an extra email address for one of my accounts?
    For those of us with many socks and not-so-many email addresses, there's a trick you can use with adding dots to Gmail addresses to make them 'unique'.

    That is, if you have (say) the email address:
    someaddress@gmail.com

    All mail sent to the following email addresses:
    s.omeaddress8@gmail.com
    so.meaddress@gmail.com
    som.eaddress@gmail.com
    (etc, for any combination of '.'s)
    ...would also get sent to the same email address, someaddress@gmail.com, and the boards accept those as different (i.e. unused) email addresses even though they end up in the same mailbox.

    (It doesn't appear to work with Yahoo or any other email providers - just Gmail - but Gmail accounts are free anyway.)
     
  2. GIMER

    GIMER Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2000
    What if your socks ARE set to the same exact email address?
    Will that cause any problems with transfer, or with the new system?
     
  3. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I'd update them to be on the safe side. I do know Xenforo won't let you create IDs with the same email address. (I tried on our test board and got an error.) You can use Grimby's Gmail suggestion in the first post.
     
  4. CloneUncleOwen

    CloneUncleOwen Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 30, 2009
    Thanks again, Grimby, for all of your hard work.
     
  5. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    Nice Gmail trick. Will be using that for some other socks I couldn't be bothered to save.
     
  6. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Just a note that I've seen some posts over on IGN's new boards about users having login issues with ids tied to the same email account. So just to be safe I'd make sure any socks have their own unique email address.
     
  7. Falcon

    Falcon Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2002
    Well I updated at least two socks that I know off but won't know which sock is tied into one account because I don't remember using that email address for a sock. Guess I'll find out which one after the move.