how to change the administrator's name

[nothing96]

Hi,

When the machine start up first time, I put in some
funny name for administator,

after a while, I think I shall change that to some more formal style.

Can we do that??

[nothing96]

I manage to change the name now,

but how to change the shortname.


cheer.

[Billicus]

I manage to change the name now,

but how to change the shortname.


cheer.

I'm not sure what you'd need to change, but I think this could be accomplished by using the NetInfo Manager in Applications -> Utilities -> NetInfo Manager. You have to be careful with this application, however or you could royally screw things up...;)

Anybody here know how to use NetInfo Manager? :confused:

[Luckster]

Hi,

As far as I know, the short name cannot be changed in the current versions of OS X. Because all your file premissions are based on your short name, messing with this can have disasterous results. I used netInfo to change my short name under 10.1. It does change the short name, but you will loose all your permissions and hence access to all your files, privledges, etc. After destroying my system I called Apple to ask if there were a more elegant way to change your short name and back then they told me no, it was not able to be changed.

If you really want to change your name, I suggest creating a new administrator account and then swiching all your files to that account.

Best of luck,
Andrew

[keysersoze]

Geezzz!! I just went to the Users Folder, hilighted my short username and changed it. My home folder in the sidebar subsequently updated to my new short name.

That was weeks ago, and so far no disasters to report here! I am running 10.3.3

:)


EDIT: For stupidity. I get it-- In Systems Prefs its still the same. Well, if you want to change it on your sidebar you can do that. As far as all that permissions stuff goes, good luck. :)

[Sparky's]

Or just do a complete backup then start from scatch with a reformat and clean install of the OS.

[phillymjs]

I manage to change the name now,

but how to change the shortname.



Easy, and known to work in Jaguar and Panther:

1. Log in as an admin user other than the account you're messing with.
2. Change the shortname in Netinfo Manager. Every property whose value is the old shortname should be changed to the new shortname.
3. If the user is an admin, be sure to go into the admin group and change the value of the users property whose value is the old shortname.
4. Save your changes and quit Netinfo Manager.
5. Open up Terminal, and do a "sudo mv /Users/[oldshortname] /Users/[newshortname]" to change the name of the user's home directory.
6. Log out of the admin account and go in as the user you edited. Everything should be peachy keen.

I have used this method many, many times to change accounts on Jaguar builds on machines I've rolled out to clients. Never had any problem at all. I also tested this on my iBook running Panther, and it seems to work just fine.

~Philly

[ingenious]

Easy, and known to work in Jaguar and Panther:

1. Log in as an admin user other than the account you're messing with.
2. Change the shortname in Netinfo Manager. Every property whose value is the old shortname should be changed to the new shortname.
3. If the user is an admin, be sure to go into the admin group and change the value of the users property whose value is the old shortname.
4. Save your changes and quit Netinfo Manager.
5. Open up Terminal, and do a "sudo mv /Users/[oldshortname] /Users/[newshortname]" to change the name of the user's home directory.
6. Log out of the admin account and go in as the user you edited. Everything should be peachy keen.

I have used this method many, many times to change accounts on Jaguar builds on machines I've rolled out to clients. Never had any problem at all. I also tested this on my iBook running Panther, and it seems to work just fine.

~Philly


is it possible to have spaces or caps in your short name? i didn't think so, but i thot i'd ask, because my mom's an English teacher and it drives her nuts :p

[jeremy.king]

is it possible to have spaces or caps in your short name? i didn't think so, but i thot i'd ask, because my mom's an English teacher and it drives her nuts :p

Isn't this why there is a "display" name and a short name. Usually you never need to use the short name for anything other than administrator permissions dialog boxes, and even in that case, i think either will work. You mom need not worry.

[michaelrjohnson]

it's not that i dont' trust you, but has anybody (else) tried the step-by-step method stated above? i just dont' want to mess up any of my permissions, i still want to be able to access my files ;). thanks!

[Doctor Q]

Unix-style permissions are based on the numerical ID of a user, not the short or long name. Even though Netinfo keeps track of the names, and the Finder speaks to you in those terms, you don't have to change permissions of files on the disk just because the name of a user has changed.

[phillymjs]

it's not that i dont' trust you, but has anybody (else) tried the step-by-step method stated above? i just dont' want to mess up any of my permissions, i still want to be able to access my files ;). thanks!

So create a new dummy account on your Mac that you can screw up without fear, and try my method. That's what I did when I tested it in Panther on my iBook. When I was satisfied it still worked in Panther, bye bye dummy account.

~Philly

[ingenious]

Isn't this why there is a "display" name and a short name. Usually you never need to use the short name for anything other than administrator permissions dialog boxes, and even in that case, i think either will work. You mom need not worry.

yes i know, but even tho i told her that, it still drives her nuts, so i thot i'd ask.

[michaelrjohnson]

So create a new dummy account on your Mac that you can screw up without fear, and try my method. That's what I did when I tested it in Panther on my iBook. When I was satisfied it still worked in Panther, bye bye dummy account.

~Philly

duh! good idea. Thanks for the help!

[michaelrjohnson]

but can i create another admin?

[michaelrjohnson]

just got it :)