On Nov 5, 2008, at 9:34 AM, norm46 wrote:

> My G4 Mac with a 1 ghz processor and 1 gig ram has worked very well
> but as developed an annoying habit. When ever I try to click the lock
> on a system preference I'm asked for an administration name and
> password. I put in what I believe is the right information but this is
> not accepted. If I use root as name I can get in.

Somewhere along the line the root account was enabled.

This can mess up OS X really badly if handled wrongly.  Most often I  
see this on systems owned by previously heavy Linux users who are  
hesitant to use OSX'es 'sudo' oriented administration model in favor  
of Linux's root oriented one. Then they charge in based on 'OSX is  
just linux with pretty eye-candy X-windows" and bollix up the whole  
system.

OSX does a hell of a lot more on the back end making it a consumer- 
friendly Unix, MANY things do not work like they do in Linux.

> I have used the
> start up disk to change the system password. No luck. Any ideas? I
> have all the latest system updates.

If this is happening even AFTER you've reset the password, then what's  
happened is that root owns a BUNCH of stuff root isn't supposed to own.

Try running Repair Permissions. That MIGHT work but I'm not sure. An  
Archive&Re-install, AFTER disabling root's login, MIGHT fix it, but  
you may be looking at a true Nuke&Pave solution.

-- 
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group

Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs



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