Changing Powerbook G4 name help please

leon phelps

Registered
Hello,

I purchased a Powerbook G4 with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger on it from a friend. Laptop is two months old. I would like to remove all of my friends settings, docs, user login and laptop name.

When I go to about this mac, I get the name of my freind as the owner. I do have his password, so I was able to change the login ID and password to mine. I now want to get rid of the message at the top of the about this mac screen and also free up some hard drive space.

Any help is appreciated.
 
Hi there, Leon.

I used to run into this kind of thing all the time when I worked for the government: truth is, nobody wants somebody else's name on *their machine, even if it is a buddy, right?

You have a couple of tasks ahead to make this happen, ok? I suggest creating a parallel new account, just for you, and archiving his entire user (temporarily.) Do you remember the original name of his account as well as that password? You'll need it, so jot it down...What I would do, Leon, is set your current account back to his old name and password first. You'll see why...

Here's what to do: Apple |System Preferences |Accounts. Now click the + sign to create your new account with your desired username and give yourself Administrative rights (the checkbox.)

When you are finished and save it, click on Login Options and make sure there is no check in 'Automatically log in as..." Also, select List of users under 'Display login window as'. Now, close System Preferences and Logout.

When the Login window appears, log in as the new user you just created, go back to System Preferences |Accounts and highlight the old user account and click on the minus sign. When asked, (since this is your first time) select Archive or "Not to Delete Immediately" when the OS asks you how you want to delete his old account....An archive will build and save all his docs, settings, etc. and place it in a Deleted Users folder (which we'll clean last...)

Now, open a browser and search for a freeware download called changeshortname. Download that to your desktop (for ease of use) and gather your note with his old acct name and old password. You will need his shortname (the computer name with *no spaces at all) and his original password, likely. Read the instructions before you try changeshortname. It is really easy to use, but mighty!

Last off, Leon, just go to Spotlight, search Deleted Users, go to it and trash his user's .dmg , Option+ Empty that Trash, and Restart. It wouldn't hurt to download OnyX and do a little housekeeping next.

And there you are: you have reclaimed disk space, a properly named PowerBook, the account and password of your choice, and have an optimized system that's right as rain!

Cathy
 
CathyA,

Thanks for the help so far. I do have a new user created and did remove the old one. I still get "My FriendsName" 's PowerBook G4 15" when I am at the apple]about this mac]more info page.

I also have the same info at the middle of the login screen. I am guessing that this is not the shortname that I have just edited.

Thanks for any input.
 
leon phelps said:
CathyA,

Thanks for the help so far. I do have a new user created and did remove the old one. I still get "My FriendsName" 's PowerBook G4 15" when I am at the apple]about this mac]more info page.

I also have the same info at the middle of the login screen. I am guessing that this is not the shortname that I have just edited.

Thanks for any input.

To change the computer's 'name' go to System Preferences and choose the Sharing preference panel. There you'll see a field for 'Computer Name."
 
Good man, Leon. Well pointed out, sir!

Let's go to System Preferences |Sharing folder, authenticate, if necessary, to unlock the pref, click in the Computer Name text box and select the text, hit the Delete key and relock (if desired.)

Next, restart once and logout and back in. You should then have also changed the computer name. Let me know, if this did it, please, Leon.
 
Except for an ipad and iphone I have never had an apple computer since the 80's when i owned an apple iie. I just started getting into vintage computing and picked up a power mac g4. I have no idea how to use the os and thus this tip was fantastic so thanks from a complete mac noob!
 
Back
Top