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General discussion

Hide Macintosh HD icon

Sep 26, 2006 12:45PM PDT

I attempt to hide the icon Macintosh HD on the user's desktop and in the Finder Window.
Since I just come from UNIX, I attempt to access via a terminal to make the change, but not knowing where to find this icon.
What is the best way to accomplish this task?

Discussion is locked

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Why do you want to hide the icon?
Sep 26, 2006 1:59PM PDT

If there are multiple users, then set up separate accounts (in Preferences) for them that limits their "visibility" and ability to make changes or see certain areas.

Do you want to change then name of the hard drive too or can that remain visible?

If you want to change the appearance of the icon, find a graphic you like and get it into the machine... copy it. Click once on the hard drive and under File, select Get Info. In the get info window, click once on the icon in the upper left corner. Paste the graphic you just copied...

No need to get into Unix - Macs are EASY to use. Simplicity is good.

But before you hide the icon, tell us why you want to hide it... There is no good reason to do so... As a Unix user, you know what account privilege control can provide for...

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make the system more secure
Sep 26, 2006 2:58PM PDT

I want to hide the icon because I think it would make the system more secure.

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More Secure
Sep 26, 2006 9:44PM PDT

Why would the system be more secure if you hid the HD icon? Who, exactly are you hiding the icon from?

You would still know where it was and as you are the only one using the machine that has Administrative rights, you are actually hiding it from yourself. You are not going to tell us, you being a Unix man, that you allow others access to your machine using your Admin account? Surely not.

However, if you are not the only user, create account for the others, do not give them Admin rights, and the system is safe from those account users.

P

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Question for Peter
Sep 29, 2006 1:54AM PDT

When my eyebook boots up it opens my user account which also happens to be the admin users account... of course any system changes require me to submit my admin password.

In ylancantho's case wouldn't having the computer boot up to a different user account basically hide the administrator's HD and accomplish the security they are looking for? In this situation any changes to the system would then require input of admin name and admin password (btw... does the admin name always show up in the users list or can you have an AKA - Also Known As - display in its place?).

How do you go about having the computer boot up in a different user account by default? I'm using X10.4.7

grim

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Accounts
Sep 29, 2006 6:44AM PDT

The HD is the HD whether you are the administrator or just a regular user.
I think the object was to hide the HD completely. A number of people I know have created a regular user account for themselves and do everything with that account. Of course, they enter the required admin name and password when required.
There are those that believe that this is a more secure way to operate as they are never logged in as an Administrator.

I believe the all the account names show up in the logon list, I could be wrong, and any user can administer the machine.

To make the computer boot up to a specific name, by default, go to the Accounts pane an in the section that asks "log this user on by default", with a drop down list, choose the name you want. (That's from memory, I'll check when I get home)

P

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Auto boot
Sep 29, 2006 9:45AM PDT

That section is displayed when you click the Login Options at the bottom of the window in the Account Pref Pane

P

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Underneath it's unix.
Sep 26, 2006 9:56PM PDT

And there we have a boatload of permissions, ownerships and more.

Please use what the OS offers us and lock it down via file and ownership permissions rather than hiding an icon.

Bob

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have a glimpse here
Oct 5, 2006 2:01PM PDT

that will do
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14375
you put it on/or/off with a hot key, not a password> up to you to change that hot key to something very harsh...

As well, you could take your problem the other way around and not hidding things from people, but creating things different for them ( a different desktop, for example...)
that
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12682
there are others desktop management soft.google it.be a big boy

you might want to have a look here.some fonctions about icons might gives you ideas
http://www.macpoweruser.com/menustrip/

hope that puts you on the way of want you want to achieve.
seeya

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Simple...
Oct 5, 2006 9:00PM PDT

Click on the Finder drop down menu, and select Preferences. In the new window that opens, select General. Then uncheck the first box you see underneath 'Show these items on the Desktop:' (it will be 'Hard disks').

Bingo, the icon is no longer on your desktop.

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Hey PKRWUD, I was gonna say that!
Oct 5, 2006 10:01PM PDT

Another way would be to add a new account. Go into System Preferences and click System and click Account. Then call yourself something and use that unless you really need to do something serious . Your 'new self' will appear in the menu bar. When you click on your new self and want to go back, click on your 'old self' in the pull down and type in your admin password.

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(NT) (NT) Nice One!
Oct 5, 2006 10:41PM PDT