eiger3970

Q: How to change Users name in Terminal > Users.

Hi, I am trying to change my Users name from firstnamelastname to mac on my OSX10.7.5.

I went to Terminal > Users and tried to rename, however upon reboot, the Terminal > Users always brings back the folder firstnamelastname.

 

How can this be changed?

 

I did go to Mac > Apple > System Preferences... > System > Users & Groups > Current User. This shows the firstnamelastname has been changed to Mac.

However I need the Terminal files in /Users also changed from firstnamelastname to Mac.

Mac 10.6.8, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 24, 2013 12:22 AM

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Q: How to change Users name in Terminal > Users.

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  • by Solai_4,

    Solai_4 Solai_4 Jul 24, 2013 12:33 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 1 (70 points)
    Jul 24, 2013 12:33 AM in response to eiger3970

    In system preferance in login option change fast user swithing to shortname reboot

    it will chaneg to your shortname and reverse the process by change to full name i hope it will fix this issue

  • by eiger3970,

    eiger3970 eiger3970 Jul 24, 2013 1:04 AM in response to Solai_4
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 24, 2013 1:04 AM in response to Solai_4

    Thanks for the reply.

    I went to Mac > Apple > System Preferences... > System > Users & Groups > Login Options > Click the lock to make changes. > Password: > Unlock > Show fast user switching menu as > changed Full Name to Short Name > Click the lock to prevent further changes. > Apple > Restart...

     

    The Mac still had firstnamelastname in Terminal > /Users rather than the name Mac.

     

    I then went to Mac > Apple > System Preferences... > System > Users & Groups > Login Options > Click the lock to make changes. > Password: > Unlock > Show fast user switching menu as > changed Short Name to Full Name > Click the lock to prevent further changes. > Apple > Restart...

     

    The Mac still had firstnamelastname in Terminal > /Users, rather than the name Mac?

     

    I think the /Users folder with the folder firstnamelastname is some kind of permanent folder when I first set up the Mac, however I would still like to change the folder name, so maybe I need to set up the Mac like new or something...how to do that if there isn't a way of changing the folder name?

  • by Solai_4,

    Solai_4 Solai_4 Jul 24, 2013 1:11 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 1 (70 points)
    Jul 24, 2013 1:11 AM in response to eiger3970

    Just create other user with new name and transfer any personall stuff then remove that user.

  • by eiger3970,

    eiger3970 eiger3970 Jul 24, 2013 1:50 AM in response to Solai_4
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 24, 2013 1:50 AM in response to Solai_4

    Thanks for the reply.

     

    Yes, I tried that again. I think I tried it before but it must have failed.

     

    I went to Terminal > /Users and the Terminal prompt says Firstnames-Mac:Users firstnamelastname$.

    I then typed in Terminal >

    Firstnames-Mac:Users firstnamelastname$ mkdir Mac

    This command made a new folder.

     

    Firstnames-Mac:Users firstnamelastname$ sudo rm -rf firstnamelastname

    This command deletes the folder firstnamelastname.

     

    I then restart the Mac > Terminal > /Users and the firstnamelastname folder is back again with a Terminal prompt:

    Firstnames-Mac:Users firstnamelastname$

     

    What's going on?

  • by eiger3970,

    eiger3970 eiger3970 Jul 24, 2013 5:24 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 24, 2013 5:24 AM in response to eiger3970

    Well, ended up restoring the whole computer. Lost all my data and time machine doesn't seem to be restoring files.

    So after new restore finishes in about 20 hours, if I'm lucky the time machine might save something from about a month ago.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jul 24, 2013 5:28 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 9 (50,401 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 24, 2013 5:28 AM in response to eiger3970

    Here is Apple's approved solution to changing your short user name:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 24, 2013 10:26 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 9 (72,571 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 24, 2013 10:26 AM in response to eiger3970
  • by eiger3970,

    eiger3970 eiger3970 Jul 24, 2013 9:13 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 24, 2013 9:13 PM in response to Barney-15E

    Thank you for the reply.

    I can confirm this one doesn't work for what I'm trying to do, as I found and tried this article.

    I am trying to change the name of the Current User Admin found in either Apple > System Preferences... > User & Groups or in Terminal > /Users.

     

    I can note that I have changed the User name by reinstalling a new OS.

    However this took about 20 hours and now I can't restore any of my files from the Time Machine?

    I have lodged a new forum post re this new problem https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5192324.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Jul 25, 2013 4:22 AM in response to eiger3970
    Level 9 (50,401 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 25, 2013 4:22 AM in response to eiger3970

    What you did is incorrect and will never work.

     

    The steps in those articles are the only way to do it.

     

    However, do you wish to change the name of your Mac and not your short user name?

    If so, that is done on the Sharing System Preference.

  • by baltwo,

    baltwo baltwo Jul 25, 2013 4:49 PM in response to eiger3970
    Level 9 (62,256 points)
    Jul 25, 2013 4:49 PM in response to eiger3970

    Firstnames-Mac:Users firstnamelastname$

    To recap:

     

    Firstnames-Mac:Users is the computer's name, stored in the Sharing prefPane, mentioned by Barney-15E.

     

    firstnamelastname is the current user's shortname. To change that, see Changing user account shortname.