herrmartinez

Q: Why is there an option on the login screen called "other" on the users list when there is only one user on my MacBook ?

A few days ago a new option called "other" appeared on the login screen, it looks like this:

LWScreenShot 2016-02-24 at 6.55.32 PM.png What makes me a little uneasy is the fact that it appeared after I downloaded a torrent client, to download a couple of files, it didn't work, so I eliminated the download, but after that I noticed that the default search engine on google chrome had been changed from google to a weird one I didn't know. So I wanted to know if this new option on the login screen was also caused by that program I installed, if so, how do I remove it from the login screen ? I have already checked the "users" option on settings but there is no option there to remove that icon. Also, I read an article on torrents saying that it passed files through several computers and uploaded the files I downloaded or something, so my other question would be if this "other" icon is a result of that, and if so, how do I stop that process ? And finally, is this just a new icon that came with the lates version of OS X ? I´m running the 10.11.3 version of it.

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 24, 2016 5:10 PM

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Q: Why is there an option on the login screen called "other" on the users list when there is only one user on my MacBook ?

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  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Feb 24, 2016 5:32 PM in response to herrmartinez
    Level 5 (7,552 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 24, 2016 5:32 PM in response to herrmartinez

    'Other' has been an option for many years now. It is a 'guest' account for use with Find My Mac. It allows a person to login to a basic account without knowing the password. If a thief or new owner can use the Mac it can make it easier to track & find. I think it erases the data on logout.

     

    I don't think you can disable it without disabling Find My Mac. If you don't use Find My Mac it could be from using network accounts if that has ever been used on this Mac (server based accounts).

     

    As for your other issues, it sounds like you installed some malware or other junk that modifies your browser. Please create a new topic to focus on that issue. You will get better help in a topic that has an accurate title for the issue.

     

    Torrents may contain malicious software - just like the rest of the internet.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Feb 24, 2016 6:49 PM in response to herrmartinez
    Level 9 (50,198 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 24, 2016 6:49 PM in response to herrmartinez

    Did you enable the root user? That will appear when you do so that you can log in as root.

  • by Piloooow,

    Piloooow Piloooow Feb 24, 2016 6:56 PM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 24, 2016 6:56 PM in response to Drew Reece

    I have find my mac on my macbook pro 15 retina mid 2015 os yosemite and I don't have the ''other'' thingy

  • by herrmartinez,

    herrmartinez herrmartinez Feb 24, 2016 8:29 PM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2016 8:29 PM in response to Barney-15E

    I don't believe I did, I just downloaded a torrent client, installed the software, then I erased it all after I couldn't download the file. Then I noticed my default search engine had been changed to an unknown one. After I changed it back I turned my computer off and the next time I used it I noticed that "other" option. Is there a way to disable it ? And if there's more malware in my computer, how do I get rid of it ? Any suggestions to do so ?

  • by herrmartinez,

    herrmartinez herrmartinez Feb 24, 2016 8:36 PM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 24, 2016 8:36 PM in response to Drew Reece

    Thanks for answering, any advice on how to find out if there's more malware on my computer ?

    And the weird thing about the "other" option is that it appeared after I downloaded the torrent, before that the only user that showed up on that screen was my own, and since there are no other users on my laptop I thought there might be some sort of danger, there is no danger with the possible malware left on my computer of someone stealing my files or personal information right ?

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Feb 24, 2016 8:55 PM in response to herrmartinez
    Level 5 (7,552 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 24, 2016 8:55 PM in response to herrmartinez

    I can't possibly know what you downloaded & may have installed or opened. There is a real danger that software or files from torrents can attack your Mac and steal your data to do other bad things. That is why you need to explain what you did - ideally in a thread that is asking about that issue. Torrents are an easy way to distribute modified software, which can install practically anything.

     

    'Other' users can also appear when you join a network server - have you ever done that on this Mac?

    It can also appear when you have hidden user accounts on the Mac.

    I also think there was a setting for showing 'other users', but I can't recall the setting.

     

    Apple explain several ways to hide users in the login window…

    How to hide a user account in OS X - Apple Support

    Personally I think it is probably better if you start by diagnosing the malware you described earlier. The best solution would be to restore to a backup before you did the torrenting - do you have one?

     

    Piloooow, I'm unsure why Find My Mac doesn't aways create an 'other user' I also have seen Macs without it when FMM was active.