Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

GuitarG20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2011
1,020
1
My MBP keeps showing me a guest account on the login screen... I disabled it in System Preferences, and yet it keeps showing up... Randomly started after I had to force shutdown because the system locked up on me.

Here is what System Preferences Looks like:
Screen%252520Shot%2525202011-10-15%252520at%2525208.37.01%252520AM.png


Does anyone know what is wrong/how to fix it?

Running 10.7.2
 
Last edited:

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Go to Login Options and uncheck "Enable fast user switching". It's not making the guest account... it's always there, just disabled.
 

fisherking

macrumors G4
Jul 16, 2010
11,121
5,470
ny somewhere
if you'd searched this forum, there are several discussions about this...

you can disable it in System Preferences>iCloud>Find My Mac (which, of course, also disables Find My Mac...)
 

GuitarG20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2011
1,020
1
Go to Login Options and uncheck "Enable fast user switching". It's not making the guest account... it's always there, just disabled.

This didn't work...

if you'd searched this forum, there are several discussions about this...

you can disable it in System Preferences>iCloud>Find My Mac (which, of course, also disables Find My Mac...)

Is there any way to keep Find My Mac enabled and not have the guest account there? I mean, i understand it's there so that someone can log on so I can find my mac, but it's a pain to log in now...
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,206
15,763
California
Is there any way to keep Find My Mac enabled and not have the guest account there? I mean, i understand it's there so that someone can log on so I can find my mac, but it's a pain to log in now...

Yes. Turn FMM my Mac on then go to this pref pane and check the box I marked.

This is new in 10.7.2.

20111015-fmntxftsw3i2n6di66s5jdtma.jpg
 

GuitarG20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2011
1,020
1
Yes. Turn FMM my Mac on then go to this pref pane and check the box I marked.

This is new in 10.7.2.

20111015-fmntxftsw3i2n6di66s5jdtma.jpg

it worked! Brilliant, thank you.

Now, can someone explain why it works? Just out of curiosity...
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,206
15,763
California
it worked! Brilliant, thank you.

Now, can someone explain why it works? Just out of curiosity...

This is not a guest account like you had before. It is only allowing Safari to run from the recovery partition. This is here so if someone steals your machine they will (hopefully) discover they cannot login and use this Safari feature to access the Internet, thereby telling Find my Mac where the machine is. Quickly followed by the police swooping in and getting back your computer! :)
 

GuitarG20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2011
1,020
1
This is not a guest account like you had before. It is only allowing Safari to run from the recovery partition. This is here so if someone steals your machine they will (hopefully) discover they cannot login and use this Safari feature to access the Internet, thereby telling Find my Mac where the machine is. Quickly followed by the police swooping in and getting back your computer! :)

so would it be a good idea to leave that (very limited) guest account open? I mean, I can deal with having to click my name, i just was surprised when it happened.
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,206
15,763
California
so would it be a good idea to leave that (very limited) guest account open? I mean, I can deal with having to click my name, i just was surprised when it happened.

Yes, you should leave it on. With it off a thief will have no way to get on the Internet so FMM would never show where the machine is.

As I said though, it is not a guest account. It just allows Safari to run off the restore partition.
 

GuitarG20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 3, 2011
1,020
1
Yes, you should leave it on. With it off a thief will have no way to get on the Internet so FMM would never show where the machine is.

As I said though, it is not a guest account. It just allows Safari to run off the restore partition.

Okay- all my questions are answered. I am gonna leave it on. Thank you!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.