Login Password

[gbloom]

I have a Mac running Mavericks. I do not currently use a login password, but want to set one up.

When I look in "Users & Groups" and "Security and Privacy" panes in Preferences, the only options I see are to reset or change my password, and they require that I enter an old password to do this.

Could someone provide me with specific instructions how to set one up from scratch?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

When you setup your Mac, you would have entered a password. Your Mac is set for automatic login, thus your password is not required at startup. If you forgot it, there is a way to reset it, but that can cause issues with your stored passwords in Keychain.

-Have you tried simply hitting Return when it asks for your password?
-Have you run any software updates? That requires your login account password.
-I assume you have tried the normal passwords you would use, correct?

We'll help get it sorted,
C

 

[gbloom]

Hello and welcome.

When you setup your Mac, you would have entered a password. Your Mac is set for automatic login, thus your password is not required at startup. If you forgot it, there is a way to reset it, but that can cause issues with your stored passwords in Keychain.

-Have you tried simply hitting Return when it asks for your password?
-Have you run any software updates? That requires your login account password.
-I assume you have tried the normal passwords you would use, correct?

We'll help get it sorted,
C

Thanks Cory, I really appreciate your offer of help. In response to your comments:

1. You are correct, “Disable automatic login” is unchecked
2. I run software updates regularly and often have to enter my administrative password, which I know
3. As I recall, when I updated to Mavericks, there was an option to create a login password, however, I opted not to do it at the time

Would you first suggest I check “Disable automatic login” and then hit Return when it asks for a password? If that doesn't work, I really wouldn't know which password to try, since I don't regularly use any particular one, but vary them quite a bit.

Also, if I disable automatic login, and hitting Return doesn't work, would I not be effectively locked out from my system?

Again, much thanks for helping.

Jerry

 

[Cory Cooper]

Not a problem, that's why we are here.

As I understand your request, you want the Mac to startup to a login screen where you would enter your password, instead of automatically logging in and going to the Finder desktop, correct?

1. Understood...that is why it automatically logs you in.
2. No worries here then...you know your password.
3. Maybe the prompt for a password during the upgrade was for a system hardware password? Not sure, but no worries.

You could test your password by simply logging out of your account. At the login screen, enter the password you use for software updates. If you login successfully, then you are all set to turn off automatic login. If the password is not correct, you can simply restart the Mac and it will automatically log you in, so you won't be locked out. Just make sure in Login Options that you have "Show the Restart, Sleep, and Shut Down buttons" option checked.

If for some reason you do get locked out, there is a way to startup with the recovery partition and reset your password.

C

 

[gbloom]

Not a problem, that's why we are here.

As I understand your request, you want the Mac to startup to a login screen where you would enter your password, instead of automatically logging in and going to the Finder desktop, correct?

1. Understood...that is why it automatically logs you in.
2. No worries here then...you know your password.
3. Maybe the prompt for a password during the upgrade was for a system hardware password? Not sure, but no worries.

You could test your password by simply logging out of your account. At the login screen, enter the password you use for software updates. If you login successfully, then you are all set to turn off automatic login. If the password is not correct, you can simply restart the Mac and it will automatically log you in, so you won't be locked out. Just make sure in Login Options that you have "Show the Restart, Sleep, and Shut Down buttons" option checked.

If for some reason you do get locked out, there is a way to startup with the recovery partition and reset your password.

C

Great!! So far, so good. I checked Disable Automatic Login, logged out, and then logged in again.
At the login screen, I entered my administrative password, and it completed booted up to the desktop.

At this point, I have a couple more questions:

1. If I want to change my login password, can I do this in “Security and Privacy” by entering my administrative password, which right now works as the login as well, and type in a new password?
2. Will doing this affect my administrative password? I would like to end up with different login and administrative passwords.
3. I have file and printer sharing set up between my desktop and a laptop computer elsewhere in our home connected via WiFi. Preferences is now set so that on the desktop, which we've been reconfiguring, the password will be required after the screen saver. Will this affect the ability of the laptop to access files on the desktop? Hope that not too confusing!

 

[Cory Cooper]

I think you are a little confused.

If you only have one account on your Mac, it will be an account with administrative privileges. The password for that account is used to login, install software/updates, unlock screen saver, etc.

1. The password in Users & Groups and Security & Privacy for the current user is the same password. If you change it in either place, it has the same effect.
2. See #1.
3. You can still access file/printer sharing if the screen is locked.

C

 

[gbloom]

I think you are a little confused.

If you only have one account on your Mac, it will be an account with administrative privileges. The password for that account is used to login, install software/updates, unlock screen saver, etc.

1. The password in Users & Groups and Security & Privacy for the current user is the same password. If you change it in either place, it has the same effect.
2. See #1.
3. You can still access file/printer sharing if the screen is locked.

C

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm all set up now. Thanks again.

 

[Cory Cooper]

No worries.

Glad it's sorted,

C

 

[Kaveman]

This sounds like you are using an Admin Account for day to day Standard use. I don't recommend that!
Make a new Admin Account.
then change your normal Account to standard.