New mac mini problems

[mikegml]

Well, me and my new mac mini server i.7, 16gb ram haven't made a good start, in fact up to yet it's been a bit of a disaster.

Having made the decision to go apple after nothing but pcs and with my mini having arrived yesterday I'd thought I'd spend a few days just familiarizing myself with it before replacing the first drive with an SSD (Samsung 840 PRO ready to go) and before transferring all my other files onto the 2nd drive, no big rush, I'm running my pc alongside the mac for present.

I assumed set up would be easy because apple are well known for this right? No, it took ages to setup due to the keyboard and trackpad not linking to the mini, Bill Gates solved the problem with a MS USB mouse. In fact the trackpad responded to movement but the 'tap to click' wasn't activated which prevented me from selecting any option! I'm amazed this isn't activated by default.

After set up I setup the keyboard and t'pad preferences, removed parental control, disabled guests to connect to shared folders and to log in to the computer, and some other changes. However I couldn't unlock 'security & privacy preferences' to enable the firewall, as it wouldn't accept my name and password, the dialogue box doing it's 'shake' thing. It did the same thing on a couple of other attempted changes. I know my password!

That was it for the first night. I surfed a while and the mini updated itself.

Night two, I switch on and am presented with log-ons for myself and a 'guest' which I thought I'd disabled? However it's a good job the guest account is on because I can't log into 'my' account, the mini doing it's 'shake' thing again, so I log into the guest acc' (no password needed). What's more I need to use Bill Gates' mouse to do it as the trackpad doesn't work again.

When logged in I discover all the changes I made the previous night have changed back again, inc' parental control. I try to switch it off and again it won't accept my name/password. In fact I can't change anything in 'Security and Privacy' for this reason.

This is the position now. Have to use USB mouse to log onto the guest acc', then have to change trackpad/keyboard prefs', parental control are now on, along with permissions for the guest to do anything they feel like, etc. I've switched the mini off and on again three times and go through this routine each time. It's no use changing anything anyway as it just changes back at boot.

I'm not panicking but I'm more than unimpressed with the apple experience so far. Hopefully you guys can sort this one out. What's more even though I've not done much with the mini yet it seems a little slow but its maybe my imagination. My 4 year old windows i3 acer with a bucket load of apps on it and with various little problems boots faster than the mini with nothing on it!

Anyway, over to you guys for any solutions. Thanks.

 

[Weaselboy]

What you are describing is not normal, default behavior. Sounds like maybe you made some system changes not realizing the effect(s) they have.

Click the Apple at the top right then select System Preferences and go to the Users & Groups pane. How many users do you have there?

Pick the user your are having trouble with and tell me is "Allow user to administer this computer" is checked or not.

Still in System Prefs go to the Security & Privacy pane and in the General tab click the advanced button at the bottom and tell me if "Require an administrator password to access locked preferences" is checked.

You mentioned Parental Controls. Did you turn that on? Parental controls only works on an account that is not an administrator account. I think you may have turned on Parental Control and by doing that disabled admin rights on your account. If you checked the box I described above you will need an admin account to change system prefs. That is why your username/password will not let you change system settings I suspect.

Do you have a lot of data in this account you are attached to? I ask because at this point it may be faster and easier just to set you up with a fresh, new admin account.

 

[mikegml]

Thanks.

I don't think I made any changes, but it's poss' I slipped up somewhere.

There are two users listed, 1. myself which is named in my name and is labelled: 'admin' and 2. Guest user labelled: login, sharing. I can't see any 'allow user to admin this comp''.

In sec' and privacy the 'advanced' tab doesn't respond, I have to 'click the lock to make changes' to make changes which as I've explained won't let me do this.

Parental control is on but I turned that off when I first saw it, I don't think I got that wrong, I think it turned itself back on at 2nd boot.

I don't have any data at all, I'm just at the playing about stage, but I've not played with anything serious, just minor stuff.

 

[KScottMyers]

I think you need to get a little more familiar with how the guest account works. Every time you log out, all changes are deleted. Thats how it works.

http://mac.tutsplus.com/tutorials/os-x/using-the-guest-account-in-os-x/

As for your trackpad - and I'm assuming you mean an Apple trackpad - you can always actually click the physical button and it works as a left click by default. This is assuming you have paired the device already when setting it up from the beginning.

I would start over and go slowly. You're assuming things that aren't so.

 

[mikegml]

I think you need to get a little more familiar with how the guest account works. Every time you log out, all changes are deleted. Thats how it works.

http://mac.tutsplus.com/tutorials/os-x/using-the-guest-account-in-os-x/

As for your trackpad - and I'm assuming you mean an Apple trackpad - you can always actually click the physical button and it works as a left click by default. This is assuming you have paired the device already when setting it up from the beginning.

I would start over and go slowly. You're assuming things that aren't so.

Thanks.

I noticed a warning about files being deleted when I logged out of the guest account, however upon 'first setup' (when I switched on the mini the very first time, straight out the box) I wasn't logged in as a guest I was logged in as 'admin' under my own name, hence the problems came after that.

The 'big' problem I have now is even getting logged in on my new mini for the reasons explained, Weaselboy is addressing the main issues, it's not about me not being able to make changes as a guest.

I have since discovered (by accident) the 'physical click', that's really cool I like that one and will now use it.

 

[KScottMyers]

Great.

I think you'll find once you're familiar with how everything works - you'll find its very well thought through. That "IS" the Apple way.

Have fun.

 

[Weaselboy]

I don't have any data at all, I'm just at the playing about stage, but I've not played with anything serious, just minor stuff.

Okay... I think you turned on Parental Controls on your account and made it a non-admin account. Now you are in a Catch 22 where you can't make changes without an admin account. Ackkkkk....

Since you don't have any data there, let's start you fresh.

Follow steps one, two and three in this article to make a new admin account. Make sure you name it something different than the one you already have. Once you are done and logged in to the new admin account go to the Users & Groups pane in System Prefs and delete the old account and its data.

Let us know how it goes and any other questions you have.

 

[mikegml]

okey doke, I'll do that and get back.

I not sure if this means I'll need to change my main admin name cause that would be a real long term bummer on account of my name being well......my name and I sure do like me being me.

Maybe I'll need to do a third change to get back my real name, anyway I'll get on it tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[Weaselboy]

okey doke, I'll do that and get back.

I not sure if this means I'll need to change my main admin name cause that would be a real long term bummer on account of my name being well......my name and I sure do like me being me.

Maybe I'll need to do a third change to get back my real name, anyway I'll get on it tomorrow.

Thanks.

You can easily do that. Just make the new account following the article and call it whatever you want like TEMP. Now login to that account and delete your real account and all data. Now while still in the temp account add back your real account. This will start it fresh with all settings at default. Now login to your real new account and delete temp.

 

[opinio]

Apart from what has already been said, I have to say that all problems relating to the mini appear to lead back to the fact that your password is wrong. I understand you know 'your' password, but you may have input the wrong master password originally, or had caps lock on, or did not type in the entire password due to your keyboard issues. Also if when you input the master password you used say a windows keyboard or OS X thought you had a non-apple keyboard (due to a mixup) then you may have used keys on that keyboard that are in different places on your Apple keyboard. Unlikely but possible.

Easy way to fix a lost master password is to re-install OS X. Considering the mini is new in terms if new apps etc you wouldn't be too far behind.

On the BT devices, your issues are strange assuming all your items came straight out of a box. Perhaps you were not aware whether they are on or off etc. Anyway, I would try deleting and re-connecting them through BT in system preferences and re-name them.

I think you have just had an unfortunate series of events that can be ironed out.

If problems persist call Apple Care or take the BT devices back to the store. I really do not think there is a problem with the mini but hey you never know.

I am sure you will be hooked on the mini and OS X in no time.

Also, make sure you iron out the problems before you do the open heart surgery on the HDD/SSD operation as you may need to send the mini back if all else fails.

 

[mikegml]

Apart from what has already been said, I have to say that all problems relating to the mini appear to lead back to the fact that your password is wrong. I understand you know 'your' password, but you may have input the wrong master password originally, or had caps lock on, or did not type in the entire password due to your keyboard issues. Also if when you input the master password you used say a windows keyboard or OS X thought you had a non-apple keyboard (due to a mixup) then you may have used keys on that keyboard that are in different places on your Apple keyboard. Unlikely but possible.

Easy way to fix a lost master password is to re-install OS X. Considering the mini is new in terms if new apps etc you wouldn't be too far behind.

On the BT devices, your issues are strange assuming all your items came straight out of a box. Perhaps you were not aware whether they are on or off etc. Anyway, I would try deleting and re-connecting them through BT in system preferences and re-name them.

I think you have just had an unfortunate series of events that can be ironed out.

If problems persist call Apple Care or take the BT devices back to the store. I really do not think there is a problem with the mini but hey you never know.

I am sure you will be hooked on the mini and OS X in no time.

Also, make sure you iron out the problems before you do the open heart surgery on the HDD/SSD operation as you may need to send the mini back if all else fails.

I just revisited this thread to get the link to Weaselboy's suggestion to solve the problem and saw your post.

I did use a windows keyboard and there were problems when entering a password so it may well be the problem. You suggest re-installing the OS, so I'm not sure which method is best. I had pages, numbers and keynote installed and aren't sure these would be re-installed with the OS and so lean towards Weaselboy's suggestion first.

I wont be doing any stuff like SSD or anything else on the mini until all is setup ok and I've played around with it.

I also won't be taking it back to my local store as it came from out of the country (I think Germany ?) apparently because I requested special items, Pages etc?

 

[mikegml]

Well, just tried Weaselboy's suggestion 4 times and it didn't work.

I typed the entries in 'very' carefully but it didn't seem to work.

The first command response was "you must specify a file system type with -t." second response was "command not found" third and fourth responses just give me the :/ root# option again.

I'm sitting here now looking at a black screen with it waiting for me to type in another command.

(Well I'm sitting here surfing thanks to good ol' Bill Gates waiting for you guys to get me out of this hole I've dug myself in).

 

[mikegml]

Wow! I've done it, Weaselboy's suggestion worked.

I entered the second part of the command line to remove the flag file but just like the first entry nothing really seemed to happen and just assumed that it hadn't worked.

I got fed up of looking at the screen and so switched the mini off and idly switched it back on and it went straight into setup mode!

So I obviously set it up, new admin name, new password, etc (all entered on the mac keyboard) and hey presto, done!

I've deleted the old admin acc' in my old name.

I'll be back later with various questions on all manner of this new Apple stuff but in the meantime..........Thanks guys, Weaselboy

 

[Weaselboy]

Glad it worked out!