Is a "hard reset" safe?

[Audrey313]

Today I setting up my brand new router and then my brand new MBP. I had a woman from the router help line on the phone and she was trying to hurry me through the set up process so she I could make sure the wireless Internet worked. My own fault for not taking my time and telling her to give me a minute...but the name it defaulted to for the computer name (which you cannot change) is not one I want to keep or look at for as long as this computer is going to last me.

So I called Apple and in order to change this, he said I would need to restore to factory settings (using the disk enclosed) which would take about an hour.

I wanted to first off, make sure this is a perfectly safe thing to do with a brand new computer. I know it will bug me so I figure it is best to do it now before I install anything on it.

Secondly, if anyone can point me in the right direction of specific directions of how to do this (so it is like starting completely over), I'd appreciate it.

Your thoughts and honest opinions are appreciated. Forgive my illiteracy on the subject! I just figure better safe than sorry (making sure before I do anything!).

Thanks!

 

[HLdan]

I don't get what you're asking. Your thread title says "Hard Reset" and then you said Apple wants you to restore to factory settings? Your thread title isn't matching your OP.

 

[Audrey313]

I don't get what you're asking. Your thread title says "Hard Reset" and then you said Apple wants you to restore to factory settings? Your thread title isn't matching your OP.

Yeah,sorry if those things aren't interchangeable...I thought they were. What I'm talking about is wiping your computer clean, restoring it back to original settings to where it is exactly like straight out of the box...where you go through all the setting up steps and entering in info.

I knew there was a reason I didn't go into IT as a major...lol! I thought I was referring to it correctly but does my above description explain any better or thoroughly my intention?

 

[HLdan]

Okay, gotcha. It's very simple. Just pop in the Mac OS X restore DVD that came with your Mac and shut down the computer. Press the power button and it will boot up to the install DVD. Select the language or region and then click install Mac OS X. This won't erase your drive but remove the old System folder and install a new one. After installation it will allow you to input the name you would prefer for your Home folder and then you're done.

 

[sk8r1230]

so u can do this and not lose any other data? would this also allow u to clean up the os from all the unused laguages?

 

[Audrey313]

Okay, gotcha. It's very simple. Just pop in the Mac OS X restore DVD that came with your Mac and shut down the computer. Press the power button and it will boot up to the install DVD. Select the language or region and then click install Mac OS X. This won't erase your drive but remove the old System folder and install a new one. After installation it will allow you to input the name you would prefer for your Home folder and then you're done.

So this by no way could mess up my brand new baby? You see a bit how clueless I am and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize it a day in...but if it is an easy fix, I'd like to change the computer's name!! Just making sure it is safe and sound as can be!

Thanks for your help...

 

[davidlv]

So this by no way could mess up my brand new baby? You see a bit how clueless I am and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize it a day in...but if it is an easy fix, I'd like to change the computer's name!! Just making sure it is safe and sound as can be!
Thanks for your help...

You are getting some misleading info, like how to boot from the Mac OS Install DVD (hold down the C key or option key with the DVD in the drive at boot up), and you are confusing the computer's name, which can be changed in the System Preferences, File Sharing, at the top, just retype it, with the Home folder name. Easiest way around that is to use the System Preferences, Accounts, and make a new user account, give it administrator rights, transfer all your data (using the public folder, or an external HD) and then delete the old user account. There are other more complicated ways to change the home - User name (search the forums), but it is probably too complex for you.

 

[Audrey313]

You are getting some misleading info, like how to boot from the Mac OS Install DVD (hold down the C key or option key with the DVD in the drive at boot up), and you are confusing the computer's name, which can be changed in the System Preferences, File Sharing, at the top, just retype it, with the Home folder name. Easiest way around that is to use the System Preferences, Accounts, and make a new user account, give it administrator rights, transfer all your data (using the public folder, or an external HD) and then delete the old user account. There are other more complicated ways to change the home - User name (search the forums), but it is probably too complex for you.

What I'm talking about is the name that appears next to the house icon in the list of "places" when you go to Finder. Make sense?

 

[spinnerlys]

What I'm talking about is the name that appears next to the house icon in the list of "places" when you go to Finder. Make sense?

That is the short name of your account.

If you have entered "John Smith" as account name, Mac OS X generally shortens it to "johnsmith", nothing you can do about.
The little house icon is an alias to your Home Folder, which is located at Macintosh HD / Users / johnsmith, "johnsmith" being that short name for your account. Thus a re-installation will fix it, but don't expect to get "John Smith" out of it, Mac OS X always removes spaces and turns capitals into lower-case letters for fewer problems.

A Hard Reset normall refers to simply pressing and holding the power button for five seconds to shut the computer off, if it does not react anymore for example, or for fun.

A Computer Name is the name of the computer, you can change it anytime in System Preferences > Sharing > Computer name.



Also have a look at the following links (if you haven't already), as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.

Mac OS X Basics

Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​

Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​

Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​

Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​

Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​

Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​

Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​

Mac Guides - Finding Mac Software​

MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​

"How to maximise your MacRumors troubleshooting experience" created by mad jew in 2006​

 

[tflournoy95]

I don't get what you're asking. Your thread title says "Hard Reset" and then you said Apple wants you to restore to factory settings? Your thread title isn't matching your OP.

yea, isnt hard reset when you just hold down the power button? i do that all the time, its faster.

 

[iPhysicist]

I just click and change the name AND it accepts CL as well My System is screwed!!!

 

[spinnerlys]

I just click and change the name AND it accepts CL as well My System is screwed!!!

Was that meant sarcastic and were you really able to change your home folder's name?

Or did you had to much soup from Hot Spoon and and that procedure really screwed up your system?


Strangely I can't.

 

[iPhysicist]

I can change it and of course my system is not screwed. But it does not change the MBP Name, maybe t is changeable because of filevault is active.

 

[HLdan]

You are getting some misleading info, like how to boot from the Mac OS Install DVD (hold down the C key or option key with the DVD in the drive at boot up),

Not sure if you're referring to me, but since your post was very close to mine I will reply. You can either boot from shut down or restart and it will boot directly from the DVD or you can hold down C, either way works. I didn't tell the OP wrong.

What I'm talking about is the name that appears next to the house icon in the list of "places" when you go to Finder. Make sense?

Yes, this can only be done 2 ways, by Root user or by reinstalling the OS. I could show you how to do the Root user method but it would be much easier for you to just reinstall the OS. You won't hurt anything. The reason why Apple won't allow you to just change the name on the little house is because that's your home folder and everything points to that folder. In previous OS's Apple let people change the name by just clicking on it and it screwed up the system because files in your Home folder were pointing to the old name and it led to a loss of files.

 

[spinnerlys]

I can change it and of course my system is not screwed.

You seem to use File Vault, look at the sparsebundle image entry and what it says after KIND (deutsch: Art). You have an image, I have a folder.

My GET INFO

Your GET INFO

 

[iPhysicist]

Yes, your right. But in the end its changeable that way My Computers name ever since have been the first 3 Letters of my Name (and surname) no need to change it, period.

 

[spinnerlys]

Yes, your right. But in the end its changeable that way My Computers name ever since have been the first 3 Letters of my Name (and surname) no need to change it, period.

Good to have cleared that up, but (jaja, das liebe aber wieder mal ) the OP may not have File Vault enabled, thus the need for more drastic measures, unless s/he wants to dabble with the wurzel user.

You seem to have a night shift? At AMD or somewhere else?

 

[alphaod]

I'm still a bit confused to what you want to change OP, so I'll post both…

If you want to change the shortname on your account…
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1428

If you want to change the name of your computer…
Go to System Preferences—>Sharing; there you can change the name of your computer.

 

[iPhysicist]

Not really. I study physics. But I was at AMD 6 years ago, when FAB 35 still was a secret. I worked night shift for two years in the Department of photolithography, shift N2. I really enjoyed the job