Need Advice: How to Decline guest user any access to my user files/folders/imessage, etc

[ParagJain]

Hello -

I need to give my macbook pro for battery replacement. For some reason, the service guys needs to know my account id password.
I have tons of data on my macbook, lot of it is also confidential.

My thinking is that i will enable guest user id when i give it for repair.

But, i also want to ensure that anyone who logs in using guest user id have no read access to any of my folders or icloud folders or imessages, etc etc.

Is that possible? If yes, any suggestions to make this happen.

thank you.

 

[Snørrbjørg]

Set up an account for the service guy. Dont share yours.

 

[ParagJain]

Set up an account for the service guy. Dont share yours.

Hi, Okay..can do that, Once done, will it hide all my files,folders from the new account ? In a way that techies can't crack it open I meant ..

thanks for the quick response.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Yes a guest account, try it for yourself and see. Is this a small 3rd party repair shop? There has to be some level of trust but I'm also quite sensitive handing out my data on a platter (pardon the pun). I'm in a fortunate position of being able to remove my drive before handing the MBP (mid 2009) to my small trusted repair shop. Last time it was for a replacement of the SMC and sub woofer, they do component level repairs. So in summary, a guest account should completely suffice for "only" a battery replacement.

 

[velocityg4]

Hello -

I need to give my macbook pro for battery replacement. For some reason, the service guys needs to know my account id password.
I have tons of data on my macbook, lot of it is also confidential.

My thinking is that i will enable guest user id when i give it for repair.

But, i also want to ensure that anyone who logs in using guest user id have no read access to any of my folders or icloud folders or imessages, etc etc.

Is that possible? If yes, any suggestions to make this happen.

thank you.

They may or may not need to access the computer booted into macOS to run diagnostics. They want that info so if they do have to boot. They won't get stopped up trying to get a hold of you. For some reason some people never remember their login password either. They have to type it in to remember it.

They may need admin access for some diagnostic tests they might run. A guest account won't do. Plus the guest account on macOS is all but useless for a tech.

Always wipe your computer before bringing it in to be serviced, if possible. Then restore from your backup when you get it back.

Why would they need this for a batter replacement? I couldn't say. It's probably just standard procedure for any service.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Okay..can do that, Once done, will it hide all my files,folders from the new account ? In a way that techies can't crack it open I meant .. "

I sense that if "the techies" want your stuff, they can GET your stuff.
That's why they're "techies", after all.

You could create a suitable backup, and then erase your regular user account.
(of course create a NEW temp account BEFORE you do this!)

Or, turn on filevault. I know essentially NOTHING about filevault, I don't trust it and never use it.

There are valid reasons why the tech guy might need to be able to log into an account to check things out.
You can create a new, "temp" account for this purpose.
I suggest you NAME the account "temp", and set the password as "temp", too.
That makes it easy for them.
When you get the computer back, you can DELETE the temp account.

 

[ParagJain]

Yes a guest account, try it for yourself and see. Is this a small 3rd party repair shop? There has to be some level of trust but I'm also quite sensitive handing out my data on a platter (pardon the pun). I'm in a fortunate position of being able to remove my drive before handing the MBP (mid 2009) to my small trusted repair shop. Last time it was for a replacement of the SMC and sub woofer, they do component level repairs. So in summary, a guest account should completely suffice for "only" a battery replacement.

They may or may not need to access the computer booted into macOS to run diagnostics. They want that info so if they do have to boot. They won't get stopped up trying to get a hold of you. For some reason some people never remember their login password either. They have to type it in to remember it.

They may need admin access for some diagnostic tests they might run. A guest account won't do. Plus the guest account on macOS is all but useless for a tech.

Always wipe your computer before bringing it in to be serviced, if possible. Then restore from your backup when you get it back.

Why would they need this for a batter replacement? I couldn't say. It's probably just standard procedure for any service.

I’ve been thinking the same. just finished the time machine backup and I am also backed up on the iCloud for all the data. Just the apps I will need to reinstall…

but I also feel that I am better off deleting the data ..
thanks for the suggestions.. let me see how it goes on the weekend.

 

[Lee_Bo]

My wife and I share an iMac. I have an admin account and she has an admin account. Neither of us can see the others files.

 

[ParagJain]

My wife and I share an iMac. I have an admin account and she has an admin account. Neither of us can see the others files.

This worked perfect. Just created a new account and it didnt have permission to access my folders. The mistake I was doing earlier was associating my iCloud Id with the new account and that opened up the documents.. silly me.

thank you everyone, this makes my life lot more easy. Cheers !!

 

[velocityg4]

This worked perfect. Just created a new account and it didnt have permission to access my folders. The mistake I was doing earlier was associating my iCloud Id with the new account and that opened up the documents.. silly me.

thank you everyone, this makes my life lot more easy. Cheers !!

Unless things have changed drastically. They can just right click, get info and change permissions to access your files with Admin privileges.

 

[ParagJain]

Unless things have changed drastically. They can just right click, get info and change permissions to access your files with Admin privileges.

oh 🙁☹️ .

 

[StralyanPithecus]

Use time machine or another backup solution and erase completely the computer, as an IT, if you give me your computer without a encryption option, your data is mine not matter what you do with guest accounts or whatever, that’s goes with any OS. I can reset an administrator password in a few minutes if I have physical access to the machine..

 

[KaliYoni]

Three comments:

1. I have used FileVault and FileVault2 for years. FileVault2 in particular has been reliable and problem free for me. In fact, the only time I remember I'm using FileVault is when I'm setting up or fully restoring a computer, HD, or SSD. Otherwise FileVault just does its thing in the background without any interruptions or problems.
2. If you have data you must keep confidential during a repair at a trustworthy repair shop, I would first encrypt the internal HD/SSD. Then make two backups, preferably using a different backup application for each (for example, Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner). Finally, create a fresh Admin account and delete all existing user accounts just before bringing the machine in to the Apple Store or wherever the repair is being done. Leaving unencrypted files on a disk with their associated user accounts active is risky. Further, if I did not have total confidence in the integrity of the business doing the repair, I would erase a HD or reformat a SSD before creating the new Admin account.
3. The amount of work you want to put into securing your data, of course, should depend on the sensitivity and irreplaceability of the data. If you computer holds business information, especially details concerning clients, or personal financial information, I think you should do everything you can to protect that data.

 

[ParagJain]

Three comments:

1. I have used FileVault and FileVault2 for years. FileVault2 in particular has been reliable and problem free for me. In fact, the only time I remember I'm using FileVault is when I'm setting up or fully restoring a computer, HD, or SSD. Otherwise FileVault just does its thing in the background without any interruptions or problems.
2. If you have data you must keep confidential during a repair at a trustworthy repair shop, I would first encrypt the internal HD/SSD. Then make two backups, preferably using a different backup application for each (for example, Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner). Finally, create a fresh Admin account and delete all existing user accounts just before bringing the machine in to the Apple Store or wherever the repair is being done. Leaving unencrypted files on a disk with their associated user accounts active is risky. Further, if I did not have total confidence in the integrity of the business doing the repair, I would erase a HD or reformat a SSD before creating the new Admin account.
3. The amount of work you want to put into securing your data, of course, should depend on the sensitivity and irreplaceability of the data. If you computer holds business information, especially details concerning clients, or personal financial information, I think you should do everything you can to protect that data.

I think I’ll just go with clean wipe and give it off.
i already have time machine backup and also everything is on cloud as well. The only trouble I will have is to spend few hours to restore the machine.

thanks as always to everyone for their time and guidance.