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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > Enabling New User Wizard in Mac OS X after first boot?

Enabling New User Wizard in Mac OS X after first boot?
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VenomSnake
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Jun 16, 2004, 10:46 PM
 
As many of you probably know, when you first boot a new mac if you buy it from Apple (or when you first install OS X), the New User Wizard will come up so you can set up user accounts, internet connection, etc. Is there any way I could set up the computer, install a few programs, then delete the users I made (or you could just not use them in the first place and use root), and then make it so next time the computer is booted the new user wizard will come up again, as if it was a new computer?
     
Thinine
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Jun 16, 2004, 11:27 PM
 
It depends on the applications you install, but I think there is a way to do what you want. Do a clean install on the system and when it reboot to the wizard, restart it into FireWire target disk mode and connect it to another machine. Use that machine to install whatever applications you want. I think that should work.
     
tooki
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Jun 17, 2004, 12:01 AM
 
Actually, you can do it.

I forget how you delete users (especially the last one!) from the system without using System Preferences. I assume it can be done in single-user mode.

Then, (whether or not you delete the initial administrator account or not!) to get the Apple Setup assistant to run again (Wizards are for Windows! We don't need magicians, just a little bit of assistance! ), delete the file /private/var/db/.AppleSetupDone.

tooki
     
Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 12:12 AM
 
Boot in single user mode and do:

Code:
nicl -raw /var/db/netinfo/local.nidb delete /users/<account> rm -r /Users/<account> rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
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Thinine
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Jun 17, 2004, 02:06 AM
 
I think my way's easiest.
     
Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 02:23 AM
 
Originally posted by Thinine:
I think my way's easiest.
That way doesn't work for all applications. Some apps will only install on a startup volume.
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CharlesS
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Jun 17, 2004, 03:01 AM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Boot in single user mode and do:

Code:
nicl -raw /var/db/netinfo/local.nidb delete /users/<account> rm -r /Users/<account> rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
All that's necessary is:

cd /var/db
rm .AppleSetupDone

Never put a slash in a filename you're passing to rm -r.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
VenomSnake  (op)
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Jun 17, 2004, 09:16 AM
 
Thanks a lot guys. That exactly what I needed.
     
Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 01:32 PM
 
Originally posted by CharlesS:
All that's necessary is:

cd /var/db
rm .AppleSetupDone

Never put a slash in a filename you're passing to rm -r.
He wants to delete the account that he used to setup the machine. So, the above is not enough.
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gorickey
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Jun 17, 2004, 01:36 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Boot in single user mode and do:

Code:
nicl -raw /var/db/netinfo/local.nidb delete /users/<account> rm -r /Users/<account> rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
You are good...no seriously, you are damn good...

     
CharlesS
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Jun 17, 2004, 02:16 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
He wants to delete the account that he used to setup the machine. So, the above is not enough.
Once he gets logged in as the new user he creates with the Setup Assistant, he can easily delete the old user using the GUI. I recommend that as it's the safest way to do it.

If you have to do it all from single user mode, I recommend this instead of what he did:

nicl -raw /var/db/netinfo/local.nidb delete /users/<account>
cd /Users
rm -r <account>
cd /var/db
rm .AppleSetupDone

You should never put a slash in a path you're passing to rm -r!
( Last edited by CharlesS; Jun 17, 2004 at 05:19 PM. )

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 02:56 PM
 
Originally posted by gorickey:
You are good...no seriously, you are damn good...

I wish I could take credit for that but it was straight from the man page for asr.
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Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 03:00 PM
 
Originally posted by CharlesS:

You should never put a slash in a path you're passing to rm -r!
BTW, I wasn't disagreeing with that. I just simply copied the code from elsewhere.
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CharlesS
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Jun 17, 2004, 05:22 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
I wish I could take credit for that but it was straight from the man page for asr.
With one mistake - there's no command named "delete", so what you posted won't work. I think "delete" is supposed to be on the same line as nicl -raw.

Actually, since the Setup Assistant will make a brand new NetInfo database anyway, I'm not sure why you'd need to do that step at all. Shouldn't just deleting the netinfo database do the trick, and be easier?

fsck -f
mount -uw /
cd /Users
rm -r <account>
cd /var/db
rm .AppleSetupDone
mv netinfo netinfo.bak (just in case this doesn't work)

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
Art Vandelay
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Jun 17, 2004, 05:36 PM
 
Originally posted by CharlesS:
With one mistake - there's no command named "delete", so what you posted won't work. I think "delete" is supposed to be on the same line as nicl -raw.

Actually, since the Setup Assistant will make a brand new NetInfo database anyway, I'm not sure why you'd need to do that step at all. Shouldn't just deleting the netinfo database do the trick, and be easier?

fsck -f
mount -uw /
cd /Users
rm -r <account>
cd /var/db
rm .AppleSetupDone
mv netinfo netinfo.bak (just in case this doesn't work)
Quite right. The "delete" is supposed to be on the same line as nicl -raw. Not sure why that didn't paste over. I've actually never done this myself. So, I don't know if just running the Setup Assistant will create a new NetInfo database.
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chabig
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Jun 17, 2004, 07:14 PM
 
Before you do anything:

1) Deauthorize the computer in iTunes! Deauthorize both iTunes and Audible.
2) Remove Open Firmware passwords
3) Turn the brightness full up and volume nearly so.


To create a clean Panther installation:

1. Install OS X and set it up the way you want it. Install the clean system, create
an admin account, update all applications. You'll see later how to delete
accounts and re-enable setup assistant to run on first boot.

2. Boot from a different volume (e.g. firewire drive, or second volume
on your primary drive). This isn't strictly necessary, but makes
the following easier.

3. Clean up the image (use the GUI or these terminal commands):
rm /Volumes/<imagevol>/var/db/BootCache.playlist
rm /Volumes/<imagevol>/var/db/volinfo.database
rm -r /Volumes/<imagevol>/var/vm/swap*

4. Optional extra cleanup items while the image is mounted:
To get rid of the admin account you used to set up the machine, use the terminal:
nicl -raw /Volumes/<imagevol>/var/db/netinfo/local.nidb -delete /users/<admin>
rm -r /Volumes/<imagevol>/Users/<admin>
If you want the restore image to start up in setup assistant:
rm /Volumes/<imagevol>/var/db/.AppleSetupDone

5. Shut down.
     
CharlesS
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Jun 18, 2004, 12:07 AM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Quite right. The "delete" is supposed to be on the same line as nicl -raw. Not sure why that didn't paste over. I've actually never done this myself. So, I don't know if just running the Setup Assistant will create a new NetInfo database.
I seem to remember doing it myself once, back in the 10.1 days. Can't give you a 100% promise that it would work now, but I frankly don't see why it wouldn't.

At any rate, you could copy over the NetInfo database from the install CD - it's what the Installer puts on your drive prior to you running the setup assistant anyway. That would be clean enough since that netinfo database has no users in it.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
Big Mac
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Jun 18, 2004, 07:06 AM
 
Originally posted by tooki:
Then, (whether or not you delete the initial administrator account or not!) to get the Apple Setup assistant to run again (Wizards are for Windows! We don't need magicians, just a little bit of assistance! ), delete the file /private/var/db/.AppleSetupDone.

tooki
It's a minor issue, but the word wizard jumped out and demanded attention; thankfully our great admin addressed the issue.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
   
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