I just got an iMac and I wanted my display name to be the same as "My name" so I right clicked on My Account under the Accounts section and just took the name out so it was nothing. Now I try to click the lock to make changes and my name is not in the login box by default now and when I type my name in and my password it doesn't accept it. None of this happened until I took the name out of advanced on my user account... I am brand new to OS X and very confused... Thanks in advance.
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"Locked Out" of my brand new iMac!
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You can use this to create a new admin account:
Code:
1. Shut down the computer if it is on.
2. Press the power button to start the computer.
3. Immediately press and hold the Command (Apple)
and the S keys until you see white text appear.
At the prompt, type fsck -yf and press the return key.
Type [b]mount -uw /[/b] and press the return key.
Type [b]rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone[/b] and press return.
Type [b]reboot[/b]That will prompt you to create a new account as it did when you first got the computer, and then you can copy your stuff over to the new account.
It is hidden, requires admin privileges, and requires one to right click to reveal it. And it is labeled "Advanced Options."
And when you go into it, there is a big WARNING, letting you know that you could prevent the user from logging in (and authenticating) if you make changes without knowing what you are doing.
If you ignore all that, yeah I am surprised OS X let that happen.
To the OP: Before changing things you don't fully understand, take a second and search. And straight from the horse's mouth: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428
All I was doing was changing a name. So if I do what you say - search - that means I would have to search every command I ever gave the computer, I don't think before changing the name that it would do too much; so basically everything I do that I don't think will do anything but MIGHT do something I should search because I don't know if it will ever end in error... I don't think so. It was just an accident but if it knows that it will mess up then why allow us to change it.
To the people who helped: Thank you so much I got it working, you guys are the best.
No, you should search the implications of what you are doing before you do them. Especially when you see WARNING at the top of them screen. It has nothing to do with every "command" you give the computer.
There are numerous checks before hand. It assumes that you know what you are doing if you are an admin, authenticate and proceed past the warning. If you do all of that, of course it is going to let you change it. They held your hand up to that point.
Here is the search you should have done:
http://tinyurl.com/yaqegd9
First result. An Apple KB that explains how to handle this process.
You cannot change your username while logged in as that user. If you read that article you would understand why. You would have learned this if you search before going into an advanced option, that requires a password and gives you a warning.
And while you think I may not have helped, I did give you a link to the correct way to handle this and some knowledge going forward. If you authenticate a change, it is going to let you make it, don't blame the OS for your ignorance.
Don't worry about the HOLIER THAN THOU answers; you get a lot of that here on Mac Rumors. Glad you got it working and keep tinkering
Don't worry about the HOLIER THAN THOU answers; you get a lot of that here on Mac Rumors. Glad you got it working and keep tinkering
Just pointing out that the OS is not at fault for the ignorance of the user. It has nothing to do with a "Holier than thou" attitude. Twice the OS was blamed for the user's stupidity.
There is a difference between tinkering and making your machine unusable despite the warnings. Common sense should kick in as soon as you see the warning at the top of the screen.
I think he can work out for himself that it wasn't a good idea with hindsight. Honestly, do you get kicks out of trying to make people feel small?
Do you get kicks out of asking people if they get kicks out of something? Does it make you feel big? Or are you trying to make me feel small?
The response you quoted was addressing the baseless idea that somehow the OS is at fault. And sure, he can work it out in hindsight, but learning to read the warnings, searching and not assuming that what you are doing is ok are all useful lessons.
I'll always be more than happy to put a word of support in for somebody who gets an unhelpful, sarcastic and totally unwarranted reply to an innocent question. And I really don't see how he was blaming the OS in there.
I will say this though, I've no idea how he found these advanced settings because I can't.
i did something similar and had to go to the Apple Store to get it sorted, they had to replace my HD...
In the process they upgraded my HD from 160 to 250.
In the process they upgraded my HD from 160 to 250.
Don't worry about the HOLIER THAN THOU answers; you get a lot of that here on Mac Rumors. Glad you got it working and keep tinkering
Thanks a lot man.
Honestly I didn't see it until after I had made the mistake. I guess I should be more careful. I am just really good on PC's so I walk in with my mac thinking I know everything and changing things when I don't.
Thank you again to everyone who helped. Hopefully this thread can be helpful to someone else who runs across the same issue.
+1
BTW: In the accounts window in the left pane under "My Accounts" I just right clicked my admin account and then advanced options... The "unlock to make changes" has to be active.
I'm glad you got it sorted out. I learned something new from this thread, especially from the link to Apple support about short names being used to create users' home folders and how to rename them. I have an old G4 mini that I decided to swap usernames with my wife and her home folder is named after me and vice versa. Until now I just left it but now I know how to fix it!
I do hope a couple of users find the time to come along and edit some of the bickering out of this thread as it distracts from the useful information being presented here.
I took a look at the advanced options dialog. Sure enough, there is a big warning banner across the top. I've been a *nix user for years so I'm not about to go changing my UID, group or home directory but while I noticed the short name and home directory were similar, I didn't notice until now they are supposed to be the same.
I do hope a couple of users find the time to come along and edit some of the bickering out of this thread as it distracts from the useful information being presented here.
I took a look at the advanced options dialog. Sure enough, there is a big warning banner across the top. I've been a *nix user for years so I'm not about to go changing my UID, group or home directory but while I noticed the short name and home directory were similar, I didn't notice until now they are supposed to be the same.
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Is this how you talk to people in person? If only people would act more on forums as they are in person, the social inhibition part of their brain would kick in and become more respectful of others.
It's one thing to help a person, it's another to help them with some attitude.