How to rebuild a user account in OS X

Problems with user accounts in OS X can happen that result in an account not being able to change configuration options and previously accessible resources. One example of such behavior is an admin account no longer being able to authenticate to access system preference settings even though it is listed as an admin account. Another indicative behavior would be the inability to modify that account's settings, such as its password, log-in window picture, or custom home folder location.

While people might think to look for the root of these problems within the user's folder, they will not find them there. The reason for this is the directory structure that defines the account and its capabilities is stored within the hidden /var/db/dslocal/ directory, unlike other system and user settings that are within preferences folders either in the global or user library folders. Should a setting within these configuration files become corrupted, then the account's stability and capabilities might be compromised.
To address such problems, while some people might try adjusting these account properties manually to preserve the account's integrity and correct the issue, such manipulations can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Incorrect settings to these account files can corrupt the problematic account even further and prevent it from logging in, or even corrupt additional accounts and lead to system instability.

If your account is not working properly and others on the system are functioning just fine, then one simple approach to fixing the issue is to simply wipe and rebuild the directory structure for the account. While this may sound like a daunting task, in OS X it is actually quite easy to do and will not require much use of the Terminal (if any) and not harm any of your user data or settings.
In order to do this, you will need to have at least one working admin account on the system, so if your corrupted account is the only admin account then you will need to first create another admin account. Unfortunately creating a new admin account from within OS X generally requires you have an existing working admin account, but you can overcome this requirement by forcing the OS X setup assistant to run when the system next boots. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Reboot into Single-User mode by holding the Command and "S" keys simultaneously at startup.
2. Mount the filesystem as read/write by running the following command:
   mount -uw /
3. Run the following command to delete the OS X setup "complete" flag:
   rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
   
   

Be sure to preserve the account's home folder by selecting this option when deleting the user account. 

When this is done, enter "reboot" at the command prompt and the system should restart and launch the OS X setup assistant tool, which you can then use to create a new user account (make sure it is a different name than the account you are trying to restore).
Once you have a new admin account on the system, log into it and then go to the Users & Groups (or "Accounts") system preferences, and locate the problematic account. Then click the lock to authorize changes, followed by selecting the account and clicking the minus button to delete it. This action will prompt you to either save the home folder in a disk image, delete the home folder, or don't change it and leave it in its current location.
In this case, you will want to leave the folder as-is, so click the option to not change the home folder, and then continue and click the "Delete User" button.

When recreating the user account, choose the option to use the existing home folder when prompted.

By performing these actions, you have deleted the user from the system's directory but have kept the user's settings and data intact by preserving its home folder. Now go to the /Macintosh HD/Users/ directory and locate the home folder for the deleted user. If its name includes "(Deleted)" in it, then edit the name and remove these components so it is the same as the short username of the account (renaming the folder will require you authenticate with your new user account).

Once the home folder is renamed, then go back to the Users & Groups system preferences and recreate the account, ensuring you use the same names for both the full and short account names. If done properly, the system will detect the existing home folder that is the same name as the new user account, and will display a warning with the option to use this home folder for the new account. Click "Use Existing Folder" and then the account will be restored.

After the account is set up, try logging out and back into it to test its functionality and ensure it works as expected.

 

According to The Economist, the average American consumes almost eight 40-foot trees per year in paper. Even if you're not environmentally minded, reducing the amount of paper you consume has many benefits, including saving money and reducing clutter. 

To help you get on the path to living a paperless lifestyle, here are six tips to consider:

Switch to paperless billing
If you're still getting paper bills in the mail, consider switching to paperless billing. Many companies, banks, and utilities offer paperless billing options. The bills will typically be in PDF format, which you access online. When the new bill is available, you'll usually get an e-mail or a text message alert. E-bills will save you from having to scan the bills yourself and shredding them.

Download PDF manuals
More and more companies are offering PDF manuals and user guides for everything from digital cameras, TVs, to furniture. If you save your manuals, find the PDF versions online, then recycle the paper ones. PDF manuals are much easier to find on your computer than trying to remember where you kept the paper manuals.

Scan your documents
Scan any paper documents that aren't available in electronic form and any old documents you've held on to. If you have a multifunction printer (all-in-one), put the scanner to good use. Many multifunction printers come with software that automatically converts your scans to PDF files. For large and frequent jobs, consider getting a multifunction printer with an automatic document feeder or a dedicated document scanner. You can also scan receipts and business cards on the go, with your smartphone.

Print to PDF
If you want to print something interesting on the Web, like this how to, save yourself some paper and ink by printing it to PDF. There are a lot of free PDF printer programs available and if you use Google Chrome, it has PDF printing built in.

Access PDFs from the cloud and on devices
Going paperless means having a lot of PDF files on your computer, but they don't all need to be locked away there. You might want to store some PDFs in the cloud, to make them more accessible. Cloud services like Dropbox, SkyDrive, and Box let you access your files from multiple devices, from almost anywhere. And if you've got a Kindle, you can always send your PDFs to your Kindle as well. As CNET's Stephen Shankland suggests, using Dropbox is a great way to view PDF files of subway maps and boarding passes.

Sign documents electronically
One of the annoyances of electronic documents is that sometimes, you actually have to print them. Documents that require signatures are one reason why. If you've got a smartphone or tablet, however, you can forgo this process by using apps designed to allow you to sign them with your finger or stylus.

How to clean the inside of your computer

Heat is your computer's worst enemy. Over time, dust buildup inside your computer could undermine its cooling efficiency, resulting in shorter life spans for your computer's components. To help keep your computer running cool, clean the inside of your computer every 6 to 12 months. Here's how:

Step 1: Turn off your computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet or surge protector. 

Step 2: Open up your computer's case. 

Step 3: Using compressed air, dust the internal components of your computer with short bursts of air. Try to remain at least a few inches away from the surface of the motherboard, memory, processor, and expansion cards. 

Step 4: Remove the dust buildup on your case fans with a can of compressed air. Hold the fan with your finger to keep it from spinning while you're blowing the compressed air onto it. Fan blades can be delicate and may crack if spun too quickly. You can use rubbing alcohol and wipe the blades with a cotton swab for the finishing touches. If the fans are hard to reach or extremely dirty, feel free to remove them from the case for easier cleaning.

 

Step 5: Remove the dust buildup from the power supply using a can of compressed air. If your case has a dust filter underneath the power supply, be sure to clean the filter too. 

 

Step 6a: The heat sink and fan that's mounted on your processor should be cleaned as well. Again, with a can of compressed air and using short bursts, blow the dust away from the heat sink and fan. If the buildup is too heavy, you may need to remove the heat sink and fan from the processor to get it thoroughly cleaned. Just remember to clean the thermal grease off of the processor and the heat sink, then apply new thermal grease before reattaching the heat sink to the processor.

 

 

Step 6b: To remove the thermal grease, moisten a lint-free cloth with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol, then wipe away the thermal grease from the processor and the heat sink. Less concentrated alcohol will also work but may leave a residue that could reduce the efficiency of the thermal paste or grease. A commercially available thermal material remover, called ArctiClean, can be used instead of the isopropyl alcohol, and coffee filters can be used instead of a lint-free cloth. 

Step 7: Finally, dust off all the ports on the computer with compressed air and clean all the exterior vents with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. 

That's it. If you keep your computer on the ground or on carpet, try to remember to clean your computer every six months or so. If your computer sits on a desk, yearly intervals should be fine. An easy way to remember to clean your computer is to schedule a cleaning at the same time as when you get your teeth cleaned. You do go to the dentist, right?

Transfer Windows Phone photos to a Mac

The Nokia Lumia 900 phone features a camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

I have to believe there are at least a few Mac fans who also happen to own a Windows Phone. Even if I'm wrong, I suspect that anyone raised on the "think different" mantra will be curious to see what happens when a Mac and a Windows Phone (literally) hook up.
The frustrating answer is that nothing happens when you connect a Windows phone to a Mac. To transfer anything on or off your Windows phone using a Mac, you must first install Microsoft's Free Windows Phone 7 Connector app. 

Once installed, you'll have an iTunes-like interface for syncing content on and off your phone. Personally, I couldn't get my music or videos to sync to the phone with this tool, but I did have success importing images from the phone's picture folder onto my Mac.
Microsoft even allows a level of manual and custom control over how photos can be imported. Photos will be pulled into iPhoto by default, but you can designate a preferred program or opt to manually transfer images.
To see the process unfold, check out the embedded How To video, as well as the step-by-step gallery.

Get your Windows Phone photos on a Mac (photos)

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Update: A number of you have also pointed out Microsoft's free cloud storage service, Skydrive, as a solution for transferring photos back to a Mac. Because Windows Phone will automatically back up your pictures to Skydrive, you can later download them to any computer, Mac or PC.
Ideally, you should take advantage of both solutions. Linking your Windows phone to a Skydrive account for automatically storing your camera's photos and videos is an invaluable solution for backing up your media online in case your phone is lost or stolen. But when it comes to quickly transferring your phone's photos and videos to your Mac using a method that integrates directly with Apple's iPhoto software, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Connector software is my preferred tactic.