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Not require login passwords & screen resolution issue

Cruciarius

Cruciarius

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 18, 2013
109
17
Massachusetts
My parents recently upgraded from an eMac to the Mac Mini. On the eMac I had setup 3 accounts. An admin account, then 1 account for my mom and another for my dad. Their personal accounts didn't require login passwords, which is what they want on the Mac Mini. However, going thru the Security & Privacy -> General, Nothing I do here seems to allow for them to login without it asking for a password. How do I fix this so it doesn't ask them a password every time?

Now for the screen resolution issue. The monitor in use is a Samsung 1080p, technically a TV. Whenever the Mac Mini restarts I have to adjust the underscan. Otherwise the edges of the screen get cut off. Eventually I'll upgrade the monitor for them, but not until after I upgrade my own. They don't restart that often, since they do very minor things with their computer, but still. I'd like to get the resolution underscan issue resolved.
 
As of OS 10.13 (can't confirm with 10.14) for existing accounts:

As the admin user, go to the System Preferences/Users & Groups, and select one account. Select Change Password.... and change the account PW to nothing (leave it blank). The OS will warn you that it is not secure, but will let you continue.

Do the same with the second account.

Log out and test logging in with both accounts, to confirm they are working as expected.

Keep in mind:

1. You (and they) will have to remember that the occasional PW boxes will be presented. When they come up, they leave them blank...and hit Enter/OK. I have seen older users forget they have no password, and struggle to remember what it might be...and there is no password.

2. Be sure they are standard (not admin) accounts. With no password, there is a significant security risk. Even with a PW, older or novice users not being admins does offer another layer of protection from malicious attacks.
 
hobowankenobi said:
As of OS 10.13 (can't confirm with 10.14) for existing accounts:

As the admin user, go to the System Preferences/Users & Groups, and select one account. Select Change Password.... and change the account PW to nothing (leave it blank). The OS will warn you that it is not secure, but will let you continue.
Click to expand...

Tried that and it would not accept leaving the password fields blank. So if it did work in 10.3, it no longer works in 10.4.
 
Hmmm...works for me. Wondering what is different?

Could be:

  • If the drive is encrypted (File Vault is on)
  • If accounts are admin (not standard)
  • If SIP is enabled?

That's what comes to mind. Will dig around for other explanations, but that's what comes to mind. Perhaps there is another global security setting I have overlooked...

For giggles, try and make a test (non-admin) account, and from admin, see if it behaves the same: can you reset the password to blank?
 
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