How prevent other users from accessing my home folder, system folder, etc?

Question

How prevent other users from accessing my home folder, system folder, etc?

I've got 10.5.6 and have been the sole user (admin) until now. Now I have created two more users. But those must have limited access. E.g. they shouldn't be able to open different disks, my home folder, the system folder, etc.

I have checked out this "Parental control" but this gadget only offers the option to prevent access to some applications, not to areas of my choice.

How can I achieve this?

TIA for help.....

G5 1.8Ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 12, 2009 5:56 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 12, 2009 6:16 AM in response to Community User

Simply don't make the other users admins. That's all! They won't be able to browse other users' home folders nor will they be able to change anything system-relevant without knowing the admin's name and password.

To verify this, make sure that it says Standard and not Admin beneath their user name in System Preferences/Accounts.

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Answer 2

Mar 12, 2009 6:19 AM in response to Community User

Doing as Björn says prevents any user from accessing another user's Home Folder, or making any changes. However to block access to an external hard disk you need to do a get info on it (select it and command-i) and change the settings in 'Sharing and Permissions' so that only you can read it: be careful about this because if you incautiously set yourself not to have access you may have a problem.
Another method is to use Parental Control and use the Simple Finder: then external disks don't show on the Desktop and you can nominate which applications can be used. This is however quite limiting for the user.

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Answer 3

Mar 12, 2009 6:23 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Ah, I did overlook the external disks part. Roger is right and I would recommend the same for that!

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Answer 4

Mar 12, 2009 6:28 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

Björn,

Odd. I created the other users as "standard" and checked if I could access my own home folder when I logged in as one of them. I could, no problems, and I could open any document. I then changed the users to "Managed with parental control", selected a few options there, and then locked my own home folder and the extra disks by changing the permissions as Roger suggested.

Anyway...it seems as it's working.

But I'm a bit baffled as I took for granted that it's pretty common with a request like this and that it should be a very simple tool to use to achieve it....

Thanks for replies!

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Answer 5

Mar 12, 2009 6:35 AM in response to Community User

Hmm, this is not normal behaviour. The home folder normalley has priviliges for the owner to read and write and for others to only read, but the folders inside it (Pictures, Music, etc.) do have other permissons! They are owner read/write and for others no access at all. So when logged in as another user you would see the folders inside the other user's home folder, but advancing any further won't be allowed as indicated by the red forbidden sign on the folders' icons.

Why your home folder's content does have different permissions, I can't tell. But it is not the default setting!

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Answer 6

Mar 12, 2009 6:46 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

Yeah... likely, my system need to be reinstalled...hmm....

Now next question is how to change system language depending on the user.....if possible... do you know?

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Answer 7

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,566 points

Mar 12, 2009 7:32 AM in response to Community User

Now next question is how to change system language depending on the user.....if possible... do you know?

When logged in as the user, go to system prefs/international/languages and move the language you want to the OS to be in to the top of the list, then logout/login again. Be careful what keyboard layout is active so you know which one has to be used for username and password.

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