Disk first aid

[June Drabek]

I was looking for Disk First Aid, not that I have a problem, but just curious.  It is located in my Utilities but it would not open. This message is the result of more inquiries on Mac help, but I do not understand what it is saying. "If the options in Disk Utility are dimmed, you are not logged in as an administrator. If you know the name and password for an administrator account on this computer, click the lock icon and enter the information." Am I considered the administrator,  and would the password be the same as that I gave when my ISP connected me to the internet ? Am I snooping   around too much ? I ask, as I also got the information that I did not need to run disk first aid, and the eMac was repaired, if necessary, each time I turn it on.

[kelly]

Hi June. You need to know what your Administrative Password is.

Do you remember setting one when you first started the machine?

If you don't know what it is, if any, you can reset it.

Has nothing to do with your ISP or any other Password.

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

[krissel]

Your password (as administrator) is the one you used when you first started up the computer when brand new and it asked you to choose a username and password. You probably wrote this down somewhere. If you no longer have it, then use the link kelly gave you to reset it.

When the eMac starts up (as with most newer Macs) the startup process includes a check by Disk First Aid of the hard drive and if it finds anything wrong it fixes it before continuing the startup process. So technically speaking if the Mac is starting and running OK you don't need to run it again. However, if you suddenly start having problems while working or have a separate partition (which I doubt you do) you can use DFA to check that volume.

You need the administrator's password as "owner" of the machine to run any utilities on the computer. You will also need it when installing new software that affects the system in any way.

It's a safety feature.  

[kelly]

Mac OS X: How to Change or Reset an Account Password

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.
5. Enter a new password.
6. Click Save.

[June Drabek]

Thank you KELLY AND KRISSEL......I have two install disks #'s 1 and 2. Can these start up disks used frequently, just to look around at what I did originally, and what keeps them from re-intstalling those things that have already been done ?

edit..also, I have other programs that have a lock on them that came that way with the eMac...should I unlock them as I come accross  them ? I really don't know now which programs it was, just remember seeing the padlocks, and not knowing what to do.  More thanks.  

[tacit]

The message you are talking about is for Disk Utility, not Disk First Aid.

They are different programs that do different things. Disk First Aid looks for and fixes problems on your hard drive. Disk Utility erases hard drives.

It is not necessary to click on every padlock you see. When you run a program, if it has a padlock, that means that by clicking on the padlock and typing in an Administrator password, you understand that the program is capable of doing something that can significantly alter your computer.

If you click on a padlock, then quit the program and start it again, the padlock will still be there. You must click on the padlock and type in the Administrator password each time you do someting that can significantly alter the way your computer works.

[June Drabek]

Tacit, thank you ! I  will save  your message for future use. My personal memory is about  from the end of my nose to the computer screen.

KELLY......I was able to change my password very easily here.

http://www.info.apple.com/support/howtoid.html

[krissel]

June, you have confused two different passwords relating to Apple.

The one mentioned in the link you posted is for access to the Apple site online. It has nothing to do with the password needed as administrator for your own computer.

Follow the instructions kelly gave above to reset the password for your computer.

It would be a good idea to start a page in a notebook with all the passwords you have for the various things you are doing like the password for your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for going online (email), administrative password for your eMac and the Apple ID for going to the Apple online site.

You will be using many passwords as time goes by.
I have two pages of places and passwords I use. I've made copies and store one copy at my folk's house just in case.

 

And those startup disks are useful for doing things that need to be done when not starting up from the machine's installed system. One of the things that can be done is changing the password because once you start up from the machine's system you're already beyond the "entry" point which recognizes and lets you have access to the files and folders. It's like trying to change the way to get into a locked box from inside, you can't. You must be outside the box to change the entry and having the startup CD is the key to changing "the combination" (your password).
If you don't open and follow the instructions on the discs for installing the OS you won't redo anything you have already done. You have to actively go through the install process for that to happen.

[June Drabek]

Krissel..woe is  me. Here I thought I had done something really special, and find I have just wasted more time and brain power. I will do nothing more tonight,  but tomorrow I will follow Kellys good  instructions, and your instructions for a notebook of passwords.One  more  question  now.  Is  a start up disk the same thing as the Install disk, or am I making another big error here. Frankly, everything I do is with trepidation for fear I will find myself in a corner that I will not know how to get out of. I will check  back tomorrow for more  help. June

[krissel]

Don't worry June about making mistakes, the Mac is easy to fix if you run into trouble. The only real problem would be contacting TS without access to the internet should you have any major problems.
 

But then that's why Apple gives you a year of phone tech help. They would talk you through a reinstall.

To answer your question about the discs, there are two, an Install CD and a Restore CD.  You will use the
Install CD to reset the password if you can't find it anywhere in your records.

Start up the eMac.
Open the CD drawer and put in the Install CD.
Restart and hold down the "c" key.
When you get to the first (I think) screen go up to the menu bar at the top and click on the Installer menu. Then do as kelly says in his post above.

Be sure to write down the name and password you chose. Note that if your password is less than 8 letters or numbers you will see at least 8 dots appear when you enter the password and click to go on to the next window. As a safety feature the system adds extra "letters" (dots are seen on screen) to make it more difficult for anyone to figure out your password. They haven't altered the password but to the average person it may appear that it is not what you entered. Also make note of any long or short names the computer may create for your account. Just write down everything that appears in that initial password window to be safe.

The Restore CD is used to replace all the files, applications and system on the eMac should you ever have a catastrophic problem that needs a complete reinstall. This CD will erase everything on the hard drive before reinstalling so you have to be sure you have copied any important files or info off the machine before doing that.  

This brings up a question of whether you have files you may want to save by possibly burning them to a rewritable CD. I'm assuming the eMac you have has a burner in it. I believe all but the bare bones models for schools have burners. Either that or an attachable drive like a zip would be a good idea to save things that you wouldn't want to lose. These are things to think about before you have any trouble. Of course you may never have a problem but ....
 

[June Drabek]

Krissel,  I have printed out the above message..it does give me courage, but i have more questions. I have TWO install disks..# 1 and 2. I have THREE software restore disks, and I have  Apple hardware Test, Verbatim, World book, Install cd, containing itunes3 iphoto 2 and imovie 3. and one more disk called Install DVD containing itunes 3, iphoto 2, i movie 3 i DVD 3.......and  i have done nothing with the bulk of them.   You can see how "in the dark" I am, and just how much help I need. I  will  be  awaiting more information if you have the patience. June

[krissel]

To change the password you would use the Install CD 1. The second one is used only during a complete install of the system which you aren't going to do.

The Restore CDs would be used in numerical order if you were going to reinstall all of the software that came on the machine when you bought it. The DVD actually has all the software on one disc because it can hold much more than a  CD. Since you have the DVD disc you must have the CD/DVD burner model.

The Hardware test CD is used if you are having problems and suspect something may be wrong with the machine itself, not the system running on it. It has software that can test the eMac to see if there are problems.

The install CD with the iMovie, iTunes, etc. is just in case you have to reinstall those particular applications.

The World Book is an encyclopedia. It may already be installed on the hard drive and that is just a copy for possible reinstallation. Look under Applications on the hard drive and see if you find a World Book folder. If so, just put the disc and all the other CDs in a very safe place. The World Book program may ask you to insert the CD in the drive when you activate the program.

If the World Book is not installed you can just insert it in the CD player and when the icon pops up on the desktop, double click and it will probably ask to install a "player" and some info on the hard drive. That's fine. However it may ask for your administrator's password before installing. Maybe not, depends on what and where it wants to put things. Then you can run the encyclopedia program any time you want. If I remember correctly it asks whether you want to install the full program or just the bare bones. The bare bones means you would have to put the CD in the drive whenever you wanted to run it so it has access to the videos on the CD. An alternative way is to copy the whole CD to the drive but it will take up probably 600MB of space. If you access the encyclopedia a lot and have a large hard drive with little on it this might make sense. Otherwise just put it in when you want to use it.

The disc labeled Verbatim is most likely a blank CD or DVD for your use in burning on the eMac. I know at least one blank comes with that machine. Verbatim is a brand name of a manufacturer of storage items.

I'm heading up to my folks' house tomorrow and they have an eMac so I can play with their machine if you have any further questions.

Basically all you need do now is either find your administrator's password or reset one by using the Install CD 1. Then you can put the discs away and hope you never have to touch them again. (except the World Book and the blank)

[June Drabek]

Thank you Krissel !!! You are a great Blessing !!! Have a good visit with your folks. June

[krissel]

Am at my folks' now.  Just double checking the CDs that came with their eMac.

It was pretty much as I had remembered.

One thing I noticed when the machine first came last year was a mistake in the label printing on the Restore CDs. Forgot to mention it yesterday.

Would be interested to know if other TSers noticed this or have the same problem on Restore CDs from other computers.

OK, here's the mistake:
If you look at the Restore CD labels you will see to the right a small white dot and an arc of mini white CD images arranged near the white dot. I believe this was an attempt to help people quickly and visually find the right one while going through the process. The text with the number is quite small.
Restore CD 1 has one of the mini white disc images
Restore CD 2 has three mini discs
Restore CD 3 has two mini discs
Restore CD 4 has four mini discs
Restore CD 5 has five mini discs

Seems as though the second and third discs have the wrong icons or the wrong text. I've never has to do a Restore so I don't know which is correct. I would assume the text is right and the image number a mistake but I really don't know.

Just something to keep in mind.    

[June Drabek]

KRISSEL AND KELLY......This morning  I took out all the printed info the two of you have given me concerning the password,  and tried to follow instructions...as  usual my eMac sent up different information after I got the password put in. It would not let me leave...so I had to reinstall all of disk one...about an hour and a half, then it requested disk two, to continue the reinstall. That one went more quickly. Fortunately, the computer  knew better than I what it was doing, and everything turned out just fine..I haven't lost any files ....everything remains the same, except now I DO know what my password is. I thank you both again for your kind help and patience. I feel I have climbed Mt. Everest..not tired, but exhilerated.    June