Odd password problem

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I just recently had a local computer shop install a new hard drive on my iMac and when he called to get my login password he said it wasn't working. I told him I really didn't need a password on it to begin with can you just get around it and leave it to where no password is needed, which he done so and I was on my way.

Only thing is now when I startup my iMac it brings me to the screen where I have to enter my password and when I type my old password in it doesn't work. Here's is the weird part if I hit the icon on the bottom "Switch User" I can now just hit my name and it will bring me into the system.

How can I totally just reset this again and get it to normal?

Thanks for the help in advance.
 

chscag

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Only thing is now when I startup my iMac it brings me to the screen where I have to enter my password and when I type my old password in it doesn't work.

Have you tried just entering a null when it asks for your password? A null would be entered by pressing return. If the tech removed your password it means there is none required.
 
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Wow that worked and thanks a million I figured it was something probably easy. I take it you always have to have a login box you can't just go directly into a user each time you wake up your computer or power it on?
 

Slydude

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You can have thew computer log in to the same account each time it powers on. Do the following:
1. From System Preferences open the Users and Groups pane.
2. Select one of the user accounts from the list and click where it says Login Options (click on the house)"
3. When the next screen appears the top option says "Automatic Login" . By default the drop down menu is set to off but you can choose which account you want to log into automatically.

Of course if you use this feature to log into an administrator account you are giving anyone who powers up the machine administrator control. This does not apply to waking up a computer you are already logged into. In that case it goes o the account that was being used when it went to sleep.

Also I don't think automatic login can be used in conjunction with an account that has Parental Controls active but I am not sure of that.
 

chscag

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Also I don't think automatic login can be used in conjunction with an account that has Parental Controls active but I am not sure of that.

I think you're right. Also if you're using Filevault 2, automatic login is disabled.
 
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Great information everyone and thanks for the help this is the first issue i've had with user password issues. Even though i'm the only person that gets on my computer haha With just me and my wife in the house I was going to do away with password protected users.
 

Slydude

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I'm not sure I would do that. Not only is the password on an administrator account the last defense against malware its also the last defense against someone who has access to your system also accessing your data.

Here's a thought that might achieve what you want to do without some of the risks. Create a second user account on your system and give it Administrator status. Do that in the Users and Groups preference pane.Now, while you are there demote your current account from administrator by unchecking "Allow user to administer this computer" Remove the password if you like. When done you will need to restart the Mac.

Now you have one standard account that has no password and one administrator account with password. If you try to install software or perform certain other operations the Mac will ask for a password just as it did before. You enter the password for your newly created Administrator account. You don't even need to log out just enter the username and password in the dialog box.
 
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You know after reading that it knocked some sense in me and I decided to just go back to my regular password I had before I brought it in to get a new hard drive installed.

Thanks everyone for the information i'm new to the site but sometimes come here and read information every now and then about random stuff. Good site for sure!
 

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