[X4U] admin help

[Neil Laubenthal]

There is an issue with Leopard where if you do an update install it  
causes admin accounts to be changed into non admin accounts.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306876 has a step by  
step solution . . .essentially you enable the root account  
temporarily, change your account back into an admin one then use  
Directory Utility to disable root again. Don't leave root permanently  
enabled.

Personally I recommend against using an admin account for day to day  
usage as it leaves you more vulnerable in the event a virus/trojan/ 
whatever for Leopard was actually written.

Create a second account and give it admin privs . . . then remove the  
admin rights from your normal, everyday account.

When you need to do something that requires admin rights . . . even  
though you're logged in with your normal account just use the admin  
name/password in the authentication dialog and things will work  
perfectly . . . no need to log out/in with the admin account.

This ensures that you will always get asked for things that require  
admin rights . . . and if the aforementioned trojan/virus/whatever  
appears and pops up the authentication dialog . . .and you know you're  
not doing anything you can intercept it.


On Dec 23, 2007, at 23:32, Robert wrote:

> I looked in /Users and tried that name. Didn't work. What has  
> happened is the other day the computer would not boot. I ended up  
> having to reinstall 10.5. I can't remember if I have installed  
> anything since I did this. Tonight I did the new security update.  
> When it came to installing you get a window showing your admin name  
> and asking for the password.  Tonight the admin name was blank. I  
> tried using the user name in the home folder and my normal password  
> and if failed. This password has always worked up till now. I then  
> went to system prefs/account and tried that name. It failed.