Master Password

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Can someone tell me what a master password does that the administrator can't do. Sorry very new and trying to learn about this os.
 
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Where do you see this "Master Password" mentioned, context may help? Also, what os?
 

Raz0rEdge

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What master password? In the Unix/macOS land the first user you create on a Mac is also the administrator account that has the privileges to make any change on the machine. A lot of people, to protect themselves, will create a second daily user that doesn't have admin privileges. That way every time you need to do a privileged act, you have to enter the admin username/password and that's a good check to ensure that you are OK with doing what is being done.

This prevents any random app from causing you issues because the non-admin account can only play with files in their home directory.
 
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Bob & Ashwin I was reading this: Hi,

I'm upgrading computers from my very old MacBook (12 years old) to a newer iMac (I'm now running Yosemite 10.10.5). I'm in the process of transferring all my data and documents to this iMac but I have had some problems I've yet to solve. I used the Mac utility Migration Assistant to accomplish the document transfer but not with resounding success.

I have a lot of business files that are documents using TextEdit, usually between one and five paragraphs (one-pagers). I add to or update these files from time to time, fairly regularly as part of my business. It seemed on my old MacBook if a file was opened within the last month, I could open, edit and re-save normally, without doing anything special. However, if it was a file that I had not opened recently (longer than a month, or so) then my computer would prompt me with a dialog box, asking for my password first, then allow me to open, edit and re-save as I saw fit to do. Now, on this iMac with the very same files brought over via Migration Assistant, I get a very different behavior. I get a dialog box saying I'm not authorized to make any changes and I cannot open or edit any of these files but I do have the option of making a duplicate file which I can edit. However, after a few weeks I'll have 10 or 12 duplicate files none of which will have the complete data I need so this is unacceptable. I need to have access, to get into these files.

When I got this iMac, from a generous friend (all her data and documents had been wiped clean here/transferred to her current computer), I first re-set the master password, next, I made myself the administrator with another password. None of these have helped me gain editing access to my files and data. I've explored preferences in both the Apple menu and the TextEdit menu without any success. There must be a way to let the administrator use and gain access to these files but what is it?

I should add that I'm not a power user, I used computers minimally, email and some business correspondence and data saving. Also, I'm the only one who uses this computer (as is also true of my former MacBook). I live alone, it's my home computer and no one else has access to this machine.

Any ideas on how to unlock my documents would be greatly appreciated,

Bob M.


This was in another post here under "Apple Desktops" switching over to iMac - file problems. Sorry for not knowing how to point to it easier.
 
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That post may be referring to the Root account. You can read about it here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012

However, 99.9% of us never need Root account activated. And it is a very powerful account, as the warning box in that article indicates. Basically Root can do anything, even so far as to wipe out the entire boot drive, including the OS, basically killing even the Root account.

All you will ever need to do on a Mac can be done by an Admin account. So you don't need to invoke Root, ever.
 
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Thanks Jake for the link and explanation. So many different things I'm reading here trying to learn. Probably getting a good book would help so not to ask so many dumb questions.
 
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When I got this iMac, from a generous friend (all her data and documents had been wiped clean here/transferred to her current computer), I first re-set the master password, next, I made myself the administrator with another password. None of these have helped me gain editing access to my files and data.


There's already so much to learn with a new Mac and from what you were used to, but from your description as your new Mac is, I would say it's a Mess and you need to get it fixed in order for it to operate properly, which I imagine is what you have been trying to do.

But I dare say, I would seriously suggest you hire an a decent Mac tech who should be able to come to your house and work there. It will be well worth your while.

It seems your basic problem is you have got your reset passwords and especially your permissions all messed up and need to start all over.

Probably a lot of of the solutions will be to move your personal data to another volume as a first step and then set that volume to ignore permissions and then they can be moved back to a completely new admin user account and it's proper permissions.

It sounds complicated, but it's not. Especially for a good Mac Tech.

It would be well worth the money spent I'm sure.





- Patrick
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Patrick, I think you mis-read what Kenny posted. He had quoted, without quotes, and entire post from another thread. What you quoted came from THAT post, not from Kenny. What Kenny asked was what was the "master" password in that other thread, which is what I responded to. I don't think Kenny needs a tech to sort out anything, he was just seeking to learn what that "master" password was.
 
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Can't reply. testing.
 
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I can't seem to post here, or ay least add what I had saved to post.

This happened last week as well.

Not even any Auto-Save/Restore will allow a post.





- Patrick
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Curious, Patrick, your posts about not being able to post posted.
 
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Curious, Patrick, your posts about not being able to post posted.


Same here Jake, and it's happened a few times within the last month and it's the same regardless of browser used.
Yesterday's problem was about the same regardless of using Chrome(that I've been using mostly lately) or Safari and Mavericks 10.9.5.

Yesterday I would get this dialog and nothing I tried would get it to post and no difference if using the Auto/Restore or Past from a Copy I had done. Really strange and stubborn. I even restarted both browsers with no improvement.

Screen Shot 2018-12-09 at 7.47.37 PM.png






Anyway, the page looks ready to post in today. And other replies I did last night at about the same time worked as normal.

Quite strange, and stubborn as I said, and thanks for your concern.





- Patrick
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I have seen that occasionally where I post but the site says if I leave the post will be lost. I leave anyway and the post has always been there. I suspect some bit gets flipped somewhere to say a post is "edited" and if you try to leave after that bit-flip, you get that warning. And something is flipping the bit for all posts sometimes. I haven't bothered to complain about it because it's intermittent and not frequent enough to be really annoying.
 
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Testing again as the last post would not send again and the "Restore Auto-Saved Content" is showing at the bottom, which I shall disregard here now, but may try it later if it's still there.


- Patrick
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"Restore Auto-Saved Content"

Has now disappeared and maybe I can keep posting normally here now. The problem seemed to just occur on certain forum pages. Strange.


EDIT: Sorry to bother the forum, just ignore my tests please.





- Patrick
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