Bob Gold
Level 4 (1,378 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Problem Changing Short Name in Lion?

I'm following the steps below to attempt to change my short name, but am still unable to accomplish the change.  Specifically, at step 4, I am unable to rename my Home folder...  I am presuming that step 3 means to navigate to /Users folder via the finder...

 

Yes I accomplished step 1 with no problem... 

 

Have the below steps worked for anyone?  Am I not holding my mouth right? 

 

Thanks

Bob

 

From http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428 (which indicates that it should work for Lion):

 

For Mac OS X v10.5 or later

  1. Enable the root user.
  2. Log in as root.
  3. Navigate to the /Users folder.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
  8. 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).
  9. 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).
  10. Disable the root user.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Feb 10, 2012 2:45 PM

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Bob Gold

Q: Problem Changing Short Name in Lion?

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  • by baltwo,Helpful

    baltwo baltwo Feb 10, 2012 5:20 PM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Feb 10, 2012 5:20 PM in response to Bob Gold

    There's something seriously wrong if you enabled and logged in as the root user and you can't change the name of that folder. I've never enabled the root user nor changed the shortname; however, if you go to Users & Groups, unlock the lock, CONTROL-click on the user account, and select Advance Options, you should find an option to change the Account name (shortname). Proceed at your own risk and the prefPane cautions.

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Feb 10, 2012 5:43 PM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 7 (25,796 points)
    Feb 10, 2012 5:43 PM in response to Bob Gold

    Bob Gold wrote:

     

    I'm following the steps below to attempt to change my short name, but am still unable to accomplish the change.  Specifically, at step 4, I am unable to rename my Home folder... 

    What happens? Error message, can't see the folder, ??

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Feb 10, 2012 6:23 PM in response to baltwo
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 10, 2012 6:23 PM in response to baltwo

    Baltwo:  I suspect something's wrong, but I can't figure out what... I used Time Machine to bring everything over from my Rev A iMac G5 to my new iMac in December...  I seem to be able to do everything a root user ought to be able to do, except change the user name on the home folder (and other) system assigned names.  Specifically, when I click, and then click again the file name on my user name, or on (say perhaps), "System", "Library", or "Applications" folders, I'm not able to change them (nor would I want to!).

     

    I can change the short name on the Account name using the Advance Options, but have been hesitant to go through the entire sequence to change the user folder name as well... I'd like to figure out what's wrong before I do something that might trash my system...

     

    Frank:  When I click on the folder, and then click again, nothing happens...no error message, no hightlighting of the file name, like I would expect to see.  Otherwise, everything seems absolutely normal...  If I pull up the Info for the folder, I'm unable to change the file name there, either...

     

    For what it's worth, I just created a user with the short user name I desire, and have copied to the shared folder all my files... Will be interesting to see if I can transfer everything to the new user, and change permissions to make it all work...

     

    I'll let you know where this all goes...

     

    Bob

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Feb 10, 2012 7:20 PM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 10, 2012 7:20 PM in response to Bob Gold

    Update....

     

    Forwhat it's worth, I was able to change my short user name by first creating a new administrator, and then from there, making the changes to my old short user name, using the above process...

     

    Everything seems to have transfered successfullly from my old account to the new one....Short user name has been changed, as well as the home folder name...

     

    Neither adminsitrator account (old or new) seems able to change it's own short user name...only a new/different admin account could change the short user name of a different account...

     

    Baltwo: I can't expain this odd behavior... seems like a root user ought to be able to change absolutely everything on his, or other accounts...  From that aspect, I don't seem to be a "full" root user when I'm logged in as admin (at least as far as my account is concerned)....

     

    Thoughts?

     

    Bob

  • by baltwo,Helpful

    baltwo baltwo Feb 10, 2012 11:17 PM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Feb 10, 2012 11:17 PM in response to Bob Gold


    Bob Gold wrote:

    Baltwo: I can't expain this odd behavior... seems like a root user ought to be able to change absolutely everything on his, or other accounts...  From that aspect, I don't seem to be a "full" root user when I'm logged in as admin (at least as far as my account is concerned)....

    It might be that you have to log in as the root user and not try using its credentials from a standard admin account. Just a WAG.

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Feb 11, 2012 9:32 AM in response to baltwo
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2012 9:32 AM in response to baltwo

    baltwo wrote:

    It might be that you have to log in as the root user and not try using its credentials from a standard admin account. Just a WAG.

    Perhaps...

     

    However, in order to enable the Root User from the Directory Utility, I seem to need to first be logged in as an Admin...

     

    How does one log in as root before logging in as an Admin?  Single User mode? 

     

    I've tried several different variations of logging in to get to the root user, and in each case, while I'm able to change the short name and home directory name of other users, I'm unable to change the short name and user folder name of the account that's actually logged in...

     

    I guess it's academic at this point...I don't think I'm going to do a fresh install to see if the behavior changes...

     

    Thanks for the thoughts, guys!
    Bob

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Feb 11, 2012 10:05 AM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 7 (25,796 points)
    Feb 11, 2012 10:05 AM in response to Bob Gold

    You don;t need to be logged in as Administrator, you just need to be using an account that has administrator privileges.

     

    In the Users & Groups  system preference is the checkbox to enable that

    Screen Shot 2012-02-11 at 13.01.48.png

    When you created your account did you set this? If not you will need to log in to an account that does have this set.

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Feb 11, 2012 10:31 AM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2012 10:31 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Frank,

     

    My account does have the "administer this computer" box checked...however--

     

    I'm not sure I understand what you mean about not needing "to be logged in as an administrator, you just need to be using an account that has administrator priviliges." 

     

    If this box is checked it makes that account an Administrator.  If that box is un-checked, that account becomes "Standard".

     

    If I'm using an account that has administrator priviliges, am I not logged in as an administrator?  Perhaps my definition of administrator is not quite right?

     

    Thanks,

    Bob

  • by baltwo,

    baltwo baltwo Feb 11, 2012 11:51 AM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Feb 11, 2012 11:51 AM in response to Bob Gold

    AFAIK, once you enable the root user account, you can set the login window to display As Users and the one named Other is root. This is just a WAG, since I've stayed away from it.

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Feb 11, 2012 2:35 PM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 7 (25,796 points)
    Feb 11, 2012 2:35 PM in response to Bob Gold

    What I meant is that when the OS is installed an account with user name Administrator is created, this account of course has admin privileges. Then when you create other user accounts you can choose to allow the to administrate the system. 

     

    So you can be logged in under your account name, you don't need to be logged in as the Administrator to perform admin tasks.

     

    If you are logged in in an account that has the Allow user to administer this computer set then you should be able to do all the things that have been suggested here. When you do something that requires admin privileges the system will ask for your password to authenticate  you.

     

    At this point I'm a bit confused at where you stand. Where you able to turn on root login? If so were you able to login as root and do the shortname change as described in the links you provided?

     

    In Lion if root logins are enabled you choose other from the login window and then enter root as the username and the password you set when you enabled root logins  as baltwo wrote above.

     

    I also believed (and it makes sense from a system standpoint) that you can;t change the shortname of the account you are logged in as.

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Feb 11, 2012 5:17 PM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2012 5:17 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Thanks for the clarification, Frank...

     

    What I mised in the process, was the fact that I had to log out and re-log in as "root".   That part of the instruction was waaay down on the instruction list, and I mis-read it as being necessary for OS 10.2 (versus 10.2 and above).  Figured that out after your post.

     

    Having said that, I was able to change my short name and user directory name by logging in from a different admin, and accomplishing the changes there...

     

    About logging in as the root user...  I've enabled the root user, and changed the root user password, but am unable to log in using "root" and the password... Not sure why at this point, but I'll putz around with it a bit later...

     

    Thanks,

    Bob

  • by jesse231,

    jesse231 jesse231 Apr 11, 2012 9:21 AM in response to Bob Gold
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 11, 2012 9:21 AM in response to Bob Gold

    I'm having the same problem as Bob Gold, except enabling another administrator account didn't solve the problem.

     

    I was able to log into the root account, but after navigating to the /user/ folder I can't change the folder name. I tried the standard click-pause-click method but nothing happened. No error message, nothing. Then I tried to change it by selecting it and pressing return, but got the "invalid input" sound. This is the same sound that occurs when pressing return without having anything selected.

     

    I have tried disabling and re-enabling the root user and the same problem persists. Any ideas?

  • by Frank Caggiano,

    Frank Caggiano Frank Caggiano Apr 11, 2012 9:33 AM in response to jesse231
    Level 7 (25,796 points)
    Apr 11, 2012 9:33 AM in response to jesse231

    This tread is 2 months old. You;d be better served if you started your own thread and described what you are trying to do, what you did and what is (is not) happening.

  • by Bob Gold,

    Bob Gold Bob Gold Apr 11, 2012 2:17 PM in response to jesse231
    Level 4 (1,378 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 11, 2012 2:17 PM in response to jesse231

    Jesse231,

     

    My initial problem stemmed from the fact that I didn't realize that, after enabling the root user, I had to  log out from my account, and then log in as the root user. 

     

    Subsequentially, I had to delete the root user password, which allowed the system to let me set a new root user password when I enabled root user...  I'm not on my lion machine, so I can't walk you through the steps to let you remove the root password...  You might try googling it...

     

    Once I was successfully logged in as the root user, I was able to change my user folder's name.   It sounds like your machine isn't acting like you are really logged in as the root user...

     

    Wish I could be more help...

     

    Bob

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