OS 10.2.5 and creating users question

[Gary S]

Since I got the OSX machine I have not been using multiple users.
I think I'm ready to create users for my son and my wife.

I have the books that tell you how to go about it but I have a question, maybe a couple.    

I have installed some applications and so forth. Can I just drag them to the other users home folder? For instance, my sons games, and his Aim and IE......anything that's his. Or do I leave them where they are at and assign privleges to those programs?

I am in single user mode and I am listed as administrator.
Like when I log out and the screen apears to log in, it's name is administrator, not my name, Gary. It was set up this way by the shop that fixed my G4. Can I change that?

These are my first questions. i'll go from here.

[CyberPet]

If you have the stuff in the Applications folder, then they can use the same software as you do... it's only if you store stuff in your home-folder that they can't reach them (that's how Admins hide stuff). Some stuff they can't use without an Admin password, but most programs  should be no problems.

[Gary S]

Thanks Petra.  

I take it you mean  the stuff they can use must be in the Applications Folder that OSX creates. The one with all the iApps.

[kps]

Your users can share applications installed in /Applications or anywhere else they have access to. That may include other partitions or drives.

The system will create their own preferences, caches, etc. which will not affect yours. Anything that you install in the user's home directory will be available only to that user and no one else. For example: you may install your son's games in a "games" folder in his home directory, but do not duplicate IE---leave a single copy of IE in /Applications.

Ahhh, the name change deal..    I know you had no choise in this case. If you can't live with Administrator...then  here's the workaround according to Apple.

[Gary S]

Kps,

Here's my situation right now.

I created accounts for my son and my wife.

My account is Administrator with a simple password (1234). That was set up by the people at the shop that installed OSX.2.4.

My son knows that password...1234 and i want to change that too, so he can't get into the administrators account..Mine!

What can I do?

[kelly]

Start up from the Jag CD and choose Change Password Option.  

1. Start up from the Mac OS X Install CD.
 2. Select Reset Password from the Installer menu.
 3. Select your Mac OS X hard disk volume.
 4. Set the selected user to the name of your original Admin account.
 Note: Be sure to select your Admin account name. Do not select "System Administrator". System Administrator is actually a reference to the root user. Do not confuse it with a normal Admin account.
 5. Enter a new password.
 6. Click Save.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106156

[Gary S]

Thanks Kelly,

I did this and it worked:

Use the Accounts preference pane to reset an account password in Mac OS 10.2. Follow these steps:

      1. Log in with an Admin account.
      2. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
      3. Choose View > Accounts.
      4. Click the lock button if it appears locked.
      5. Select the user name whose password you want to change.
      6. Click Edit User.
      7. Enter the existing password.
      8. Press the Return key to navigate to the New Password field.
      9. Enter a new password in both the New Password and Verify fields.
      10. Click OK.
11. If a dialog box appears with the message "Your Keychain password will be changed to your new account password," click OK.

Do you think that will be OK?

[kelly]

Got me Gary?  

"Follow these steps to reset a password when there is only one Admin account on the computer, or if the original Admin account (of several) needs a password reset. "Original" Admin account refers to the one that was created immediately after installing Mac OS X. So long as the original Admin password is known, the original Admin user may reset the passwords of other Admin accounts using the steps described above."

I only speak English.

[cdub1988]

Gary S -

I think the way you did it works just fine.

I got into the same situation here at the office when I installed Jag on a box and I went into the System Prefs > Accounts applet and created a new administrative user with whatever name I chose.

That way, I could change the password on the original administrator account, kill it or whatever.

Worked for me.    

Hope that helps.

Chris

[Bill]

I did the same as you did Gary S when I made the mistake of using my entire name.
Changed it without any problems and that was some time ago.

[Gary S]

It seems to have worked the way I did it.

At least no problems so far.

The problem was when I went to change it the places to type the new password were greyed out. I hit the Return key and the came alive.

[kps]

I'm a little late here...  , but you can change your password anytime you wish... as a matter of fact, corporate system admins change their passwords on a regular basis for security reasons. Now, you, as a home user don't have to, but it's not a big deal to change it using the directions you got and used. The fields were grayed out until you authenticated yourself to the system...you were home free after that.

For added security, check out the simple finder option with a non admin account.