Altering Account Profile - short name??

M

medieval

Registered
I bought a G3 700 ibook recently and I am somewhat new to MACs however I've been trying to alter the shortname field for the one any only user on the MAC as it reflects the former owners name.

How can this be done please?

If there is any detail I have missed to help you answer this then I'm sorry - please tell me what information you need and thank you for your help.

regards,
Medieval.

:rolleyes:
 
The short name cannot be easily changed. To change it you would have to change it in the NetInfo manager and in the file system as well.

The easiest solution is to create a new user (with administrator privileges) and simply copy the documents over that you still want. You might need to take ownership of these into the new account by using the File - Show Info - Ownership and Permissions settings, but this isn't too hard to work out.

All the best on your new Mac. A word of advice: backup! A backup can make all the difference when something goes wrong, or if you make a mistake. We're only human, and we do manage to delete important files now and then. Having a backup will mean you won't be pulling your hair out when you do. :)
 
I too am having the same problem having just purchased a Bluberry iMac for my wife.

I'm trying to switch the shortname to 'shelley' from the previous owner 'andrew'.

After creating a new user with admin privledges etc.. and copying over the stuff from Andrew's home directory to 'Shelley' a new folder pops up named 'andrew' with a library folder with preferences. I can't get rid of Andrew!

The problem with this is that when I go to download stuff or save to desktop, things start to get wiggy as it's flipping between the old home (andrew) and the new one (Shelley)..

There has got to be a solution to this! Anyone?

Thanks in advance!
Tim
 
You still have to delete the account named "andrew", otherwise the home directory for it will keep coming back!
 
Possibly not the solution you want, but doable.
I've just bought an iBook - recommendation from AppleCentre was to use installation CDs to reinstall everything from OSX upwards, wiping disc as I go.

There may be an easier way, but this one does work.
At least now I know that any problems are mine, and not a legacy.
Walter Burton
 
Yup - I learned the hard way..

It is definitely easier to wipe it clean and start fresh than trying to tinker with admin & user names...

I did the clean install after wiping the disk clean with the disk utility on my Jag disks. The problem was that I couldn't eject the disk once the disk was clean! It wouldn't install because they were upgrade disks! Then I didn't download the firmware update between X and Jag so I had a kooky problem that forced me to wipe them all clean and start again!

I kept thinking, I'm a mac user and have been for years. I think I know my stuff pretty well so what about those users out there that are not as Mac savvy as me? what about those folks who buy second hand iMacs and have to go through what I just did. Knowing Apple and their lack of $upport, this can and probably is a huge nightmare for alot of folk.

Easier than PC maintenance though!

Zilla
 
Never try to alter a short name. I tried to do that, and the only reason I didn't have to do a full reinstall was because my Dad has a Admin user account on my computer. I now keep a user called Admin on my computer at all times, in case I screw up my log in and need to have administrator access :)
In short, it ain't worth the trouble.
 
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