stupid question but i still need it to be answered...

[krossfyter]

as most of you know..one needs to have administrator access for 0sx to add anything. how do i do that? I set my self as the administrator...but in that little box that you check...

here what i do...

sytem pref...users...edit users...password.,..

then once there there is a box that says "allow user to administer this computer".... i believe that will solve my answer...but im not able to check it or not... i mean it is checked already...so i guess its set right..but its dimmed so im not able to touch it anymore...


now i should be able to administer my computer but everytime i try to install updates of osx it tell me i need to have an administrator password to do it and then i have no other option of doing anything else. i dont understand.

 

[Taft]

Answer (maybe)

Go to the Users system preference panel. You'll see a list of names. Does you're name say Admin next to it? If so, I'm not exactly sure what you're problem is.

Either way, this may help. Open up NetInfo Manager. It is in your utilities folder. Once its open, go to the Domain menu and the security submenu. Choose Authenticate. Type your administrator password. Then go back to Domain->Security and choose Enable root user. You may need to type an administrator password and set your root password.

Now go back to the Users system preferences panel. You should be able to turn on and off Administrator passwords. Try flipping it off, then on. See if it helps.

You may want to disable the root user after you are done, it is a security risk to leave it on.

Matthew

 

[krossfyter]

Re: Answer (maybe)

Originally posted by mrtrumbe
Go to the Users system preference panel. You'll see a list of names. Does you're name say Admin next to it? If so, I'm not exactly sure what you're problem is.

Either way, this may help. Open up NetInfo Manager. It is in your utilities folder. Once its open, go to the Domain menu and the security submenu. Choose Authenticate. Type your administrator password. Then go back to Domain->Security and choose Enable root user. You may need to type an administrator password and set your root password.

Now go back to the Users system preferences panel. You should be able to turn on and off Administrator passwords. Try flipping it off, then on. See if it helps.

You may want to disable the root user after you are done, it is a security risk to leave it on.

Matthew

Yep it says admin next to it. I tried the other instruction but still it does not allow me to check or uncheck it.

Just in case i did not express my problem correctly here it goes...

Im wanting to add iPhoto and install updates on osx...but everytime i try to install it tells me "You must have an adminsitrator password"..something like that. It says nothing else...and does not allow me to put in my password or any other option.



thanks for the help thus far mrtrumbe.

 

[Taft]

Only user.

You are probably the only user on your system. There must be at least one Administrator on your machine. It won't let you turn it off if you are the only administrator.

My only advice would be to turn on root user, log out, then log in as 'root' with whatever password you specified, then try to install iPhoto.

Or try creating anothre Administrator, then logging in as that user and trying to install it with that user.

I don't know why, but it seems your permissions are a little weird on your machine.

Matthew

 

[AlphaTech]

Every time that I need to install software that needs admin level access, I get the dialog box that states it. Sometimes it tells me that I need that level and there is a little lock at the bottom of it. Clicking there brings up the login window where my name is already filled in and I just need to enter the password. It is the same one that I set up the system with. Yours should be too. I have the computer set to log in as me always, since I am the only one that ever uses it.

I have never needed to use the root level access, but it makes sense that some people do use it.

When I set up OS X, I gave myself as much access as possible, and made the password easy to remember. That way, I won't forget it and be screwed to the wall.

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

root access can be useful sometime but you do not need to use it to install anything.

alpha is right.

whenever you cant do something and it says need administrator password there will be a little icon of a padlock. if you click the padlock you will be prompted for your password. The padlock icon then appears to be unlocked. at this point you can do whatever you want.

it might be a stupid question and something simple but if you dont see that tiny little padlock icon then i can understand your confusion. its probably pretty frustrating trying to figure out where to type in your password if you cant find that padlock.

as you do other things i think you will notice the padlock icon quite often. sometimes locked sometimes unlocked. seems rather random.

 

[Taft]

Of course!

The lock. I was assuming he meant the message was in a dialog box.

Always search for the most obscure answer, thats my motto!

Matthew

 

[AmbitiousLemon]

hahaha apple really needs to do a better job highlighting that lock. its pretty obscure.

 

[krossfyter]

Okay cool. that helped a lot. Now this is the problem...

(one after the other..im sorry)


im on the installation process and it tell me to "select a destination volume to install security update"

what do i do from there. how do i select what its telling me to select?

 

[AlphaTech]

That one is easy... Simply select (single click) the drive (or partition) that contains the software you are updating. If it is for the OS, then where that sits. If you only have one partition, it makes things very easy to install updates. Just select that drive and let em rip.

Next question...

 

[krossfyter]

im trying that....but nothing happens.

 

[kansaigaijin]

obscure lock

sitting here trying to remember how to get the login to do updates?

oh yeah the lock, yes very obscure!
Probably designed to discourage messing about.

 

[krossfyter]

where would the security folder be so i can update it?

 

[AlphaTech]

Originally posted by krossfyter
where would the security folder be so i can update it?

What are you updating, or rather, which updater are you running????????

 

[krossfyter]

SecurityUpdate10-19-01

 

[AlphaTech]

What does that go to??? It sounds like an m$ orfice update to me...

I have found that Apple updates just need to be pointed to a drive and they take it from there.

I just did a search, the only ones that go with OS X are either for Java, Frameworks or deal with browsers. Also, why are you just now updating something from about 4 months ago???

A little more info can go a long way.

 

[krossfyter]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
What does that go to??? It sounds like an m$ orfice update to me...

I have found that Apple updates just need to be pointed to a drive and they take it from there.

I just did a search, the only ones that go with OS X are either for Java, Frameworks or deal with browsers. Also, why are you just now updating something from about 4 months ago???

A little more info can go a long way.

Yeah I guess it does sone a bit microsfty! However I got that from the apple site. My goal is to get all the osx upgrades/updates. In order to do that it says you need to go in order starting from the security update. If I could do it all at once then I would but I dont know about that.


here is that page im looking at

 

[AlphaTech]

Which OS are you coming from??? What gets picked up when you run the Software update item from System Preferences??? I would shoot there first, and see what it pulls...

 

[AlphaTech]

I just noticed the statement at the top of that page... "
* This update can be used only to update from Mac OS X 10.1.2. If you are updating from Mac OS X 10.1 or Mac OS X 10.1.1, you need the Mac OS X Update Combo 10.1.3."

Go for the combo update....

 

[krossfyter]

i have osx. the first one. 10.1 i believe.

10.1.3 gets picked up when i run the osx update.


im assuming that be the combo but im not sure...its doesnt say.
im going to do that update ....but i know i will have problems selecting a destination for it.

 

[AlphaTech]

Take a few deep breaths, think good thoughts, and trust that Apple will do alright. If it is picking up and update for OS X 10.1.3 and you are on 10.1, then I'd say that there is a 99% chance it is the combo update.

Just remember to click on the padlock on the lower left corner of the window when you go to install, and enter in the admin credentials that you set the computer up with originally. All you will probably need to do is enter the password.