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Helpful answers
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Nov 6, 2012 1:04 PM in response to idenizenby BDAqua,Changing the account name
Though there are other methods by which an advanced user may change the short name and related information, the easier and safer workaround is described below.
Before following these steps, you may wish to back up your important data.
For Mac OS X v10.5 or later
- Enable the root user.
- Log in as root.
- Navigate to the /Users folder.
- Select the Home folder with the short name you want to change, and rename it just like you would rename any folder. Keep in mind that the shortname must be all lowercase, with no spaces, and only contain letters.
- Use the Users & Groups pane (Accounts pane in Mac OS X v10.6.8 or earlier) in System Preferences to create a new user with the Account name or Short Name that you used in the previous step.
- Click OK when "A folder in the Users folder already has the name 'account name'. Would you like to use that folder as the Home folder for this user account?" appears. Note: This will correct the ownership of all files in the Home folder, and avoid permissions issues with the contents.
- Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
- Log in as the newly created user. You should be able to access all of your original files (on the desktop, in Documents, and in the other folders of this Home).
- After verifying that your data is as expected, you can delete the original user account via the Users & Groups pane (Accounts pane in Mac OS X v10.6.8 or earlier).
- Disable the root user.
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Nov 6, 2012 1:08 PM in response to BDAquaby idenizen,I'll try it and report back after, with OS 10.7.5.
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Nov 6, 2012 3:48 PM in response to BDAquaby idenizen,How do I log in as root? I logged out and at the stadard log in for other, I typed "root" as user, then I typed my pasword.
The screen does a slow flash (not a shake as with a bad log in) and the returns to the log in menu.
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Nov 6, 2012 4:16 PM in response to idenizenby BDAqua,- Any user with an administrator account can become the root user or reset the root password.
What PW did you make for root?
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Nov 6, 2012 4:36 PM in response to BDAquaby idenizen,An alpha-numeric PW.
I followed previous directions, so where to log in as user: root, if not at stndard Apple GUI?
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Nov 6, 2012 4:42 PM in response to idenizenby baltwo,★HelpfulNo need to enable root. Try ths: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3872
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Nov 6, 2012 4:55 PM in response to baltwoby idenizen,I'd been experimenting with something similar and it worked.
I created a new admin user, then logged in as the new admin and changed the name if the old admin user home directory to the the name I wanted. Then I went to the advanced options in Users & Groups for the old admin and set the account name and home directory to what I wanted.
I logged out adn then logged in as the old admin, adn everything is working. I restarted and logged in and it's still fine.
The Spotlight ref uis probaly good so I will get to that.
Thanks,
Inoshi
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Jan 9, 2014 10:03 PM in response to BDAquaby JenniferFromKettleFalls,I am attempting to do this as well, however I am experiencing problems with renaming the Home folder. I have OS X Lion 10.7.5. I looked up how to change a folder name for OS X Lion and this is what it had to say: "You can change the name of most files, folders, and disks in the Finder. You can’t rename your home folder (the one with your name on it)." Source: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3751
WHY can't we rename the home folder on OS X Lion? Is there really no way around it?
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Jan 9, 2014 11:02 PM in response to JenniferFromKettleFallsby baltwo,The link I posted should give you the steps.