[Enigmail] Help with email signing --- encryption works, signing does not (secret key not available)

[Jim Luby]

Hello,
I recently installed the Enigmail add-on to Thunderbird (Windows XP
system). I have gnuPg 1.4.8 installed and functioning. I created a key
pair and am able to encrypt and decrypt files (in the Windows shell) as
well as sign and verify files (also in the Windows shell). I also have
been successful at encrypting email using Enigmail and my established
public/secret key pair show up in the Key Management window. However, I
cannot get email signing to work. When I try to send a signed email (by
choosing "Sign Message") a window pops open with the following error
message: "clearsign failed: secret key not available". I'm puzzled as to
how I can decrypt email sent to myself (which requires the secret key)
yet I cannot sign email (which to my understanding also requires the
secret key).

Thanks in advance!

Jim


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