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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Osx Login

ggarymanders - Jun 10, 2005 - 1:14 pm

Hi

No matter how many times I change my password login under OSX Panther 10.3 my girlfriend by typing in something in the password box pane can access both my Macs!

How can this be possible? I only have one account set-up on both Macs!


Regards

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 10, 2005 - 10:17 pm

This is a most interesting problem you are having...

However I can understand you wanting your privacy, but isn't your girlfriend the least of your worries? ^_^ (just somem humor there, anyway ill get to the issue at hand here below)

It might be a corrupted preferences file, Ill look to find which file it is and tell you where to find it ASAP!

Until then, just tell her that the keyboard is broken so that is why she can't use it (it worked on my sister everytime! hehe... ^_^)
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jun 11, 2005 - 6:12 am

Hi Jeremie

Thanks for your reply

Yes women!! But I don’t think that the broken KB ploy will work, not on all three macs!!

But I have just done a fresh install of Tiger on two of the Macs & she can STILL hack past the password pane!!

I find this most concerning

Thanks again

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 11, 2005 - 9:21 am

Wait she is hacking? I thought my girlfreind was the only one who could do that !! ^__^

Ohhh!!!

Of course why didn't I think of it before, when you try a password three times it gives a hint, she must be guessing the hint correctly, seem logical to you?

ujst a thought, if it doesnt seenm to be your problem I have many tricks up my sleeve, ex-hackers tend to know a lot about passwords... (hehe, boy was I a bad kid...)
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jun 11, 2005 - 9:44 am

Hi J

No she gets into it first time with whatever she types in as I have been looking over her shoulder when she does it but she’s too quick on the keys to see what she taps in!

By the way she is no computer/Mac expert so I have no idea where she learnt this trick!

If only she was as good at doing the household chores!!

Anymore ideas how she is doing this????


Cheers again

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 11, 2005 - 11:23 am

ok lets try this...

Do you know how to set a master password?
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jun 11, 2005 - 11:45 am

Hi J

I’ve set new master passwords using the start up CDs on several occassions on both my Macs in OSX Panther & now in OSX Tiger but she still gets past them no matter how many times I change them!!

Thanks

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 11, 2005 - 12:09 pm

Ok wow!

either she knows something we don't or something screwy is going on with your Macs, too wierd!!

Ill do some looking and see wat i can find
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jun 11, 2005 - 12:31 pm

J

I’d appreciate it if you could look deeper into this please & let me know if you come up with anything.

Can you recommend any third party security or lock out programmes that I can purchase to see if they can keep her out!!??

Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 14, 2005 - 9:01 pm

I am currently working on getting your solution

Might take some time though...
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jun 14, 2005 - 9:06 pm

Hi J

Thanks for looking after me sooooo well! REally appreciate it mate!

If you could solve this it would be great as it’s driving me crazy!!

Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jun 14, 2005 - 10:41 pm

Its driving me crazy too!!

Not cause of the "women" factor so much as it is that a normal person can bypass advanced security features of Mac OS 10.4!!

'Tis a travesty of the Apple empire!

hehe i love those jokes ^__^

im working on it,
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jun 24, 2005 - 3:14 pm

Ok Gary

Here is what i have found... no one has ever had thos issue before

So here is what im gonna have you do

We are gonna do a fresh reinstall but do it the "old fashoined way"

Ill show you how

Tell me when you have time, preferrably i could guide you through it in an IM chat

respond when you have time
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jun 29, 2005 - 11:48 am

Ok, um you ready?

PS ignore the closed ticket message i accidentilly pressed it (i was up way too late last night)
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jul 3, 2005 - 8:52 am

Ok basically to run this reinstall you need to boot from the Mac OS X disc and you need to go to the installer menu and select Disk Utility and run an erase on your hard disk, remember to select the Zero data option in the erase dialog

Then after that is done, perform an erase and install and you should be all set
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 3, 2005 - 9:13 am

Hi J

Sorry took sooo long to get back to you!

I have done the new install this way ages ago & it does’nt keep her out!

She knows something that we don’t! Is there a website that she may have got onto to find out the password crack or something?

Beats me!

Is there a login programme blocker I can get atall? Tried Lock-Out but if you are quick you can force quit this from the dock before it starts up!

Any other suggestions mate??


Cheers


Gary

Jeremie - Jul 3, 2005 - 7:02 pm

In reguards to her finding a crack site or something, iits a thought but if she has suprassed my googling skills (I am an RA - research assistant for my IT dept) then I shall mail her my degree in computing...

Ha but seeing as while she may be quite smart, she shall never be getting her hands on my certificate

I will tell you what, boot from the installeer disc and run a permissions repair, just to speed up the computer somewhat and stick with Lock-Out I think i know a Mac hack to make it start up as soon as someone logs in, there fore making it impossible for anyone to force quit it, because it loads with or before the dock so that should provide you some help

For now batten down your hatches and stick with Lock Out I will find that hack again and see if it will work in this case.

P.S. Have you tyred making her her own account by chance?
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 3, 2005 - 8:09 pm

Hi J

If you could find that hack for LOck out I’d be grateful mate, she’ll twig the force quit soon for sure!

Own account! She has her own iBook but just likes to check if I have been emailing other women etc on my macs!

Something else I want to ask you while I’m here to;

I have QuarkXpress 6.5 on my main hard drive on my G4 & on my iBook & Quark say that you are only supposed to install on two computers which I think it really crazy after paying hundreds for this programme!

I also have two other drives in the G4 that I use for back up & have a system to start up from in case of emergency etc on both.

Is there a way to copy the Quark over to these two drives without going through the validation fiasco which probably would’nt work anyhow if you are only allowed two installs?

I have tried Carbon Copy Cloner but when you open the Quark it asks you go through the validation/activation process as if you have just done a fresh install of Quark.

Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jul 5, 2005 - 8:08 pm

Well technically I would think that the people at Quark would let you use your serial code again figuring youmight have had to reinstall the operating system, I will see

But from what I have seen on the web and talked ot Mac people about, Quark is one program that is pretty much sealed tight

But Ill call on my "other resources" *cough* hackers *cough* hehe just kidding, they are just really good with Macs

Ill see what i can dig up...
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jul 7, 2005 - 1:56 pm

Im still looking around for Quark (we might be able to generate some fake serial keys, but I am not supportive of that action...)

You need to add the Lock-Out program as a logon item, under system prefs, accounts (select your account) and the login items tab, just borwse to the program and that should be it.

I am not sure if this is what you have already done, but other than that, we have one last resort that we can try, but this is a desperate measure and it could be dangerous if you forget the password, but if you really wish to do it we can

I will explain if this last suggestion doesnt help...
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 7, 2005 - 2:05 pm

Hi J.

Thanks for the mail

YES I’ve already done the LOck-out thing so we better try your plan B please.


Thanks


Gary

Jeremie - Jul 7, 2005 - 10:48 pm

Ok Gary, I just found out that they changed this function in Panther and Tiger so it will no longer work for this situation... Sorry bout that

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A WAY TO STOP HER FROM GETTING IN

I just cant find it

Give me about a day or so and I should dig up something...

Just as a thought, is your GF familiar with Unix Terminal?

Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 8, 2005 - 5:44 am

Hi J

NO shes knows nothing about Unix terminal, she would’nt even know how to boot into it!

Cheers


Gary

Jeremie - Jul 8, 2005 - 10:58 pm

I can't be certain at this time, but I think that we may be able to use this against her. (you and i know enough about it so there MIGHT be a trick)

I will have to do a lot of looking, but I think that I can find something, if not I am sure we can find something (for now if you need immedaite security i may suggest hiding the keyboards!

HEHE, a simple idea, yet it always works for me!

just to hold you over... ^__^
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jul 11, 2005 - 6:33 pm

hey Gary I just thought of something, have you been using FileVault?

Also if you havent try to set a master password

if you have already done so, I am having a crack team check it out

Its too bad we are soo far away, if you lived in CT you could bring your computer into my business and I could really give it a once over and prolly fix it.

Oh well we'll ahveto deal with this...
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 11, 2005 - 6:44 pm

Hi J

I did’nt try File Vault I thought that was a bit extreme!

Don’t suppose you know how to resurect an iMac after a firmware update in prep for OSX install failed by any chance?


Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jul 11, 2005 - 7:07 pm

NOOOOOOO!!! Your poor baby

I think I can help

But PLEASE ACITVATE FILE VAULT and SET A MASTER PASSWORD also just a tip do not let any progrsms run while you engage filevault,set your master password first, then just activate File Vault and let it go for a minute or two.

I am almost certain we have her for SURE now!

Also I will look around and see if there is a firmware reset for the iMac (is this a G5 or G4?)

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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 11, 2005 - 7:37 pm

Hi J

This the problem I have with the iMac which is a slot loading G3 400mhz.

I felt it was time to upgrade to OSX so I tried to install & it came up with an error that I needed to upgrade the firmware.

So I did the usual thing with the recessed button held in & waited for the chime etc. It did the update, restarted then after the welcome OSX9.1 screen came up shut down.

BUT it did’nt shut down entirely! The green light is still on but the screen dead! When it started up the screen was very light & washed out also & there was no chime.

Before this firmware update it was working fine! The update I did was version 2.4 but I have since found put that there is a newer one version 4.1.9.

I have also re-set the PMU button

Heeeeelp??

Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jul 11, 2005 - 8:45 pm

Ok, do you have thew original firmware update?

If so try to run that again, if not i will tell you, but try this first and be patient with your baby


Well take this a stepat a time...

P.S. did you turn on Master Password and filevault?
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 11, 2005 - 9:30 pm

Hi J

Here we go again!

I have tried to install the original firmware several times but as I told you the iMac shuts down soon after the welcome OS9.1 welcome screen.

It’s 3.30am here (time to hit the sack) so I’m going to unplug it over night to see if that helps. In the morning if there is stil no joy I’m going to check the battery.

Cheers

Gary

Jeremie - Jul 13, 2005 - 6:59 pm

So Gary, how is it going?

Any progress?

I hope all is going better...
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 13, 2005 - 7:26 pm

Hi j

the crt is shot for sure!!

cheers

gary

Jeremie - Jul 13, 2005 - 7:31 pm

Well, can you take it in for repair?

or would u rather just leave it be?
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 13, 2005 - 7:45 pm

Hi J

I’ll use it for spares!!

Any luck with the Quark copy to other HD etc issue?


Gary

Jeremie - Jul 13, 2005 - 9:21 pm

Not many people have been able to gvget around the tight security the people who make quark built it with.

But I might be close.
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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jul 19, 2005 - 5:25 pm

Ok,

The only way to get around that is to use an "illegal" patch, which would keep the program from contacting the Quark servers, yet leave the program FULLY operable.

I do not support this method

Tell me what you think

Also have you turned on File Vault and set a Master Password on your computer as of yet?



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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 19, 2005 - 5:54 pm

J

LOckOut seems to have done the trick so i did’nt bother with FV

I had a friend who used the patch with Quark & ran into all sorts of problems & errors when saving etc!

But I still can’t understand if I clone the whole HD why it can’t pick up all the codes or what ever Quark install embeds.

THanks again


Gary

Jeremie - Jul 19, 2005 - 9:28 pm

Its kinda wierd, I think that the Quark server records the IP address that the copy originally came from, so if it sends a confirmation of registration from another IP it may reset the registration info

I am not an expert on that, but its possible

Anyway, I am glad that lockout did the trick, but Gary, buddy, you know how to do it right? Just in case she kinda surprises you one day?

hehe

Peace,

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Jeremie Bell

Jeremie - Jul 22, 2005 - 10:34 am

Well Gary, shall we close the ticket?

Are your troubles finally over?

If something else has come up let me know if not then tell me when to close it.

Well it was a pleasure working with you and I wish you many happy days of Mac use.

Cheers, ^___^
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Jeremie Bell

ggarymanders - Jul 22, 2005 - 10:42 am

Jeremy


Guess we can close the ticket now

Thanks for all the help anyhow!

Is there a link I can use to contact you in person should I have anymore issues?

Cheers & regards

Gary

Jeremie - Jul 22, 2005 - 10:45 am

Absolutely

My AIM (do you instant message?) is casiocomputer

and my email is jeremiebell@macosx.com

Your choice!

regards,
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Jeremie Bell