I just bought a new mac and am having some issues. I wasn't happy with the short name I selected when I first started up my Mac for the first time, so I created a new account with Admin access and deleted the original account. Now I'm unable to setup auto login, change my time zone, and I'm sure a host of other issues I haven't noticed yet. I'm not 100% freaking out yet, but I'm close... any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Trouble with my new mac...
- Thread starter tyba
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I went into accounts and deleted it... But since you mention it I did use the guide found here first... http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106824 ... but I had some problems getting that to work properly. Tell me I didn't kill my mac the first day I had it...
At the very worst you'd have to reinstall, but I really doubt it'll come to that. If you now create a third account, does it exhibit these same issues?
If it's a brand new Mac, then maybe it's just easier to perform a clean install rather than troubleshoot much further. Changing the Home name is a complicated process, and has thrown quite a few more variables into the equation. 
If it's a brand new Mac, then maybe it's just easier to perform a clean install rather than troubleshoot much further. Changing the Home name is a complicated process, and has thrown quite a few more variables into the equation.
hey, I'm down... there are probably more than a few threads on here that have to do with doing a clean wipe and reinstall... just one last question then, how detrimental is it to the laptop to format it and do a fresh install.
(I can't believe that I'm doing this the first day I have my laptop)
Not at all detrimental. Sorry for the crap advice mate. We could probably get to the bottom of it eventually but since it's clearly a user error (no disrespect, it's easily done) and not something wrong with your machine, plus it's brand new, I think it's just easier to start again. Hopefully it's not too much of a hassle. Of course if it is, I'm happy to try and help further.
Not at all detrimental. Sorry for the crap advice mate. We could probably get to the bottom of it eventually but since it's clearly a user error (no disrespect, it's easily done) and not something wrong with your machine, plus it's brand new, I think it's just easier to start again. Hopefully it's not too much of a hassle. Of course if it is, I'm happy to try and help further.
Hey, you've been great =)
User error isn't shocking, I've killed my fair share of PC's over the years... totally new to Mac's though, and the fact that I'm not hesitant to mess around with, well, everything, doesn't help matters any either...
I'm going to start my fresh wipe in the next few minutes here... thanks again for all the help =)
Changing the Home name is definitely one of the more complicated things to do. I'm impressed you attempted it as a new Mac user.
As a rule of thumb, don't change, rename or move any file you did not create yourself. From here it's pretty hard to run into software-based trouble.
As a rule of thumb, don't change, rename or move any file you did not create yourself. From here it's pretty hard to run into software-based trouble.
I had to do the same on my new MBP, because at startup, I elected not to transfer from my iBook right away. I waited until I had Leopard installed and updated and then used Migration Asst. Mistake. With MA, you have to create a new user acct. with a different name. I wanted to use my old stuff straight from the iBook (I also ended up with about 4 different accts. because I didn't see any evidence that they stuck the first time). So I did an erase and install, transferred when Setup Asst. asked, and everything was hunky-dory. No problems since.
Sorry for not getting back quicker... I want to make sure to post my results incase anyone needs to reference this thread in the future...
Wiping my drive and starting from scratch couldn't have been much simpler... everything works perfect now and I couldn't be much happier
Wiping my drive and starting from scratch couldn't have been much simpler... everything works perfect now and I couldn't be much happier
I also am a new switcher from PC to Mac, and I reinstalled 3 times in the first 2 days till I had done all the dumb things I could try in setting it up the first time.
I thought it was very strange after hearing all the hype about how secure OSX is that upon starting up the MBP, the first account you create (and the only one prompted at this time) is a user account with admin rights. Got to installing a few programs when I realized that I was very open to some major problems running as admin for everything, reinstalled and created correct users with rights.
I thought it was very strange after hearing all the hype about how secure OSX is that upon starting up the MBP, the first account you create (and the only one prompted at this time) is a user account with admin rights. Got to installing a few programs when I realized that I was very open to some major problems running as admin for everything, reinstalled and created correct users with rights.
Being logged in as admin all the time has never affected me nor do I expect it to. I wouldn't worry about it. Basically most all of the potential Mac security breaches so far involve the user actively doing something to start the breach like opening programs you know nothing about that are sent to you. There is always a risk, but for the Mac OS it is so small as to be largely invisible.