Boot question

artanis

I have an iMac and I set it to automaticaly start on an account. I want when the computer boots to be able to switch on another account. How can I do this?

If I press "alt" when it starts the options I have are "root", "boot volume" and the normal user.

The thing is that I have this computer at my workplace. I have one normal account and I want to keep my real account "FileVault" secured and also out of sight, that is why I want for the iMac to automatically start on the normal user and not on my filevaulted user.



Is there any button combination at boot screen to log on a different user account beside the default one?



PS: The iMac has Panther OS

ricksbrain

I think it's the same in Panther as in Tiger.



System Preferences/Accounts. Under the accounts listed opn the left side is a buttn that says Login Options. (You'll have to unlock the padlock below that to make any changes, I think.) In Login Options, I think there's a checkbox to login to the login box with all accounts. You can also change the default to automatically login as whatever user you choose. Hope this is the same in Panther, can't remember...

peterh

I am using an Intel-iMac running 10.4.8



I wanted to make sure my system was secure, especially as I have a WiFi router.



I ran up the FileVault program, entered a Master password and ticked all the boxes (enter password to log in, log out after asleep for 60 minuets, etc.). And then typed my user password to confirm.



About three hours later, when all of the encryption was finished, it came time to log in. Horror of horrors, my password wasn't accepted, (yes, I did type it in correctly). I tried a few times and eventually got the message telling me to type the master password and change the user password.



It accepted my master password ok. So I entered a new password, then confirmed that password, and entered a password hint. Clicked LogIn and got this message "You are unable to log in to the user account "xxxxxxx" at this time", and that's it. If I OK this I go back to the log in box asking for my password. Every time I do I get this same message again, and then I get the 'enter the master password and change the user password' message.



I have tried restarting with the install CD and changing the password that way, but I get exactly the same results. (Whilst running with the CD I setup the root password). Notice that this NEVER tells me that I have entered the WRONG password, just that I am unable to log into my account at this time.



I'm really stuck now. I really hope I haven't got to re-install OS X and all of my software, as that would mean I have lost all of my personal stuff associated with this account, even though most of it is backed up, it would still be a hassle.



So, has anyone got any ideas how I can get into my computer and disengage the FileVault (which I feel now I should never have used).



I can log in as root, but I still can't change anything or get access to my files or run programs. My user account has admin status, and even as root I can't change anything.



Please help if you can.



Peter

lundy

http://discussions.apple.com/search....+at+this+time+



Has some discussion, but I did not find a clear answer.



Try two things:

1) Boot from the DVD and choose Change Password from the menu

2) When the Hint is shown, click Forgot Password.



Moving to Genius Bar.

peterh

Try two things:

1) Boot from the DVD and choose Change Password from the menu

2) When the Hint is shown, click Forgot Password.



Moving to Genius Bar.[/QUOTE]



Hi Lundy,



Thanks for the reply. I tried this. As this is a FileVault password, you don't get the option of 'forgot password'. You get 'please enter master password and change user password' instead. All of which still won't work.



A little update though. I tried running the disc utility to repair the sparseimage file. I logged in as root, but when I tried to run the Disc Utility it crashed out 'Disc Utility has unexpectedly stopped' etc., and just wouldn't work. So I booted from the install DVD, and tried the disc utiities from there, and this time it ran ok. There wasn't an option to repair the image, but I could scan it. So I did that but then got the message 'Unable to Scan, Authentication Error'



I think this spells trouble, don't you?



Regards



Peter

lundy

I think it is potentially bad, but since that thread at Apple I posted, I would think that there is a good possibility that someone will figure something out. Since the master password works, there should be a way to decrypt the FileVault. Is your machine still within the 90 day technical support period? If so, call Apple. Otherwise, what I would have to do is keep checking the Apple Discussions boards and also check MacFixit. MacFixit should be getting reports of this.



Of course, if the amount of data that you will lose isn't substantial, just zap it and reinstall.



Look at all the threads on Apple Discussions though, as I saw somebody refer to a way to fix a NetInfo problem that they thought was the problem.

peterh

Thank you for the effort you are putting in to try and help me, it is appreciated. I don't want to give up on this untill I am certaine there is no more hope. I'll keep an eye on the Apple Discussions board. I have never heard of MacFixit, so I'll find that and check that out as well.



Sad to say the computer is outside the 90 day period. It's about 8 months old. As for data, the sparseimage file is just over 51GB. If all else fails I'll have no choice but to do a reinstall, as there is software and files I need access to, most of which won't run on this elderly G3 iMac, but like I said, not yet. I live in hope!



Peter

peterh

Everyone, thanks for your help. I have tried just about everything suggested, but the system had somehow become completely corrupted. The kind of thing that Windose users are used to and put up with, but thankfully a veray rare thing for Mac users.



I logged in as root and tried to create a new account, but evertime I tried, System profiler crashed. This has happened with just about every utility and program on the system.



I then tried running the install DVD to restore the system folder (keep users etc. in tact). This seemed to be ok, untill I had 'less than one minuet to go' and the machine just jammed, even the mouse pointer wouldn't move. So I rebooted and it asked for disc 2 again, saying there was only 3.1 kb to install. But then it stopped again and told me there was an error and to run the install from the beginning again. I did that and it jammed at the same place again.



So in the end I just gave up and admitted defeat, and ran the full install (erase hard drive . . .) Happy to say that everyting is working fine now. The moral of this story? NEVER RUN FILEVAULT! Shame really because it seems like a really good program. Maybe it'll be better under Leopard? But will I have the nerve to find out?



Thanks again.



Regards



Peter

ricksbrain

Sorry for your troubles. I'm writing this from five year old tibook with Filevault running the whole time without a problem. Since it ain't broke, I won't "fix" it, but maybe I'll have to rethink using it again once I upgrade.