Copying contents of old user id to new userid

you need to read up on it but go to sys pref>accounts>security and at the bottom is "turn file vault off".

Depending on how many files are encrypted, it may take a while.

Probably ought to get some better research, I am NOT an IT pro, and rarely take my own recommendations.

good luck.

There is a password reset utility on your Panther Install CD. You boot up from the install disk and at the first screen select the "Installer" menue and the reset password utility is in there. You can use it to reset the password to nothing if you want, just don't enter anything as the new password. Now OS X will still ask you for a password to preform certain tasks, that's just the way it is, you just click "OK" without entering a password though.

Now be very carfull when messing with File Vault. From what I understand and if I'm wrong someone please correct me, but if you reset the password while
File Vault is still on you will permantly loose access to all files attached to that account like the things in your home folder, not certain if it's that extream though. So if you do need to reset the password make sure File Vault is off first.

Ummm... I'm sure I'm misreading something here, but why can't he open up Preferences->Accounts->Security and turn off File Vault?

It doesn't sound like he's forgotten the password.

Edit: Sorry. somehow missed stubeeef's post which said exactly the same thing.

Further edit: BTW, I tried this with a guest account I created for this purpose. Turned on File Vault, then turned it off. Yes, it takes some time for large files, but nothing was lost.

Out of curiosity: do you mean the master password is still on? If so, no worries. Unless FV is enabled for a given user account, the master password means nothing.

I'm not sure why he'd need a new user account. Perhaps, at worst, you could create a new account, then enable root (Applications->Utilities->NetInfo Manager->Security->[Authenticate, then Enable Root User]), log on as root, and, after making copies/archives of his /Users/[hisaccount]/Library/Preferences (and similar folders), copy over the same folders from the new account, then Get Info on the folders and change ownership/permissions to his account name.

No need to move all his stuff elsewhere.

When I read this, I interpreted it as

You have assigned a password to his login, and he doesn't want that.

Wouldn't the passwd command in terminal allow you to "reset" it to blank? (i.e. sudo passwd shortname, then hit return twice).


Aside, you may want to talk to your friend. Passwords are a GOOD thing, without one, anyone with physical access to the machine will be able to do anything including installing software to remotely control it, or keystroke loggers, etc...