Default Mac OSX user account name & password problem

[erdunbar]

Hello, when installing OS X Apple's installer wanted me to fill in one of those user registration forms (as I am sure everyone had to!), so, as per usual I refused to provide any real information (you should NEVER be forced to provide info you don't want known by a corporation).

Anyway, now I am stuck with "noneof" (as in "None of your #@$@#$ business, Apple") as my default login!!! How can I change that name short of wiping the partition and re-installing? I'm hesitant to delete the user using the Network Utility or NetInfo app (whatever it's called) because it's the only User that can be given admin privs *without* a password according to the Users settings panel... AAAAAAAARGH, why the hell did Apple have to force passwords and have USERS on MY OWN COMPUTER??? (although, you can supposedly delete the password with that Network app) [I don't want passwords because they slow down the operation of my computer and make it harder to do stuff, plus, passwords can be forgotten].

A very disappointed Mac OS 9.04 user that won't be upgrading to OSX anytime soon (neat toy but not a functional GUI).

 

[sea_dragons]

(1) Log in as the default user
(2) Create a new user using Users in System Preference, WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE USER CHECKBOX CHECKED
(3) Log out, and log back in as the new administrative user you just made. (If you want to test whether the user has REALLY got "administrative" privileges, open Terminal and type 'sudo ls' and at the prompt enter the user's password ... if you get a list of the user's home directory, you've got it)
(4) Open System Preferences -> Users and kill the user you don't want on the machine.
(5) Drag anything you want to keep from the dead user's home folder into the new user's folder ... but don't erase or move the "default" folders or you'll end up with a need to troubleshoot oddball permissions issues. You want to keep MP3s, files, etc. Delete the dead user's folder at your liesure. Not that all the dead user's folders will be owned by the user who deleted it, and can't be deleted by anyone else.

You should create a "backup" administrative user in case something horrific happens to your new one. You may need to use it to troubleshoot a troubled system.

Take care.

PS Unix-style users and permissions are a Good Thing. You may not notice why unless you are interested in data protection, security, etc. It creates a framework for protecting data from misbehaving persons/programs.