Locking preference settings

Is there a way to lock preference settings. For example, I'd like to lock the Desktop and Screen Saver settings so users cannot change them. Is there a way to do this?
Thanks

Need a bit more information. Do the other users have separate accounts? Are they admin users or regular users? More information is needed.

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Preference Settings for Mac Mini

Hi,
I'm thinking of getting a Mac Mini.
Right now I have Dell Windows XP and my GB's originally were 19 but way down to 7. Computer still works but 4 years old and running slow sometimes.
My question is, is it hard to set up preference settings? I would want the most security on my mac mini so my privacy is protected and I know it has a firewall.
I'm not sure if I am going to get anti-virus. I know Macs don't get them like Windows XP!!
Any help will be appreciated!!
Thanks and have a good day!!!

Hi Beth,
1) Filevault was preinstalled on my wife's mini. It looks to be more of a master password for users too keep others from physically gaining access to you files.
2) Most, if not all online banking is secure from the banks web site. In safari look for the lock icon in the upper right for a secure site. In Explorer it is on the lower left but Explorer is no longer supported by Mac. I'm not quite sure where it is in Firefox. In Safari you can click on the History drop down and click Clear History. Under Safari Preferences click Empty Cache... A good thing to do periodically anyway. Saves disk space, clears clutter.
3) Setting up the Mini, is well, childs play. On the back of the box is a diagram. 1, unpack take out of box. 2, connect monitor, (VGA to DVI adapter included), usb keyboard and mouse. 3, plug in, turn on. 4, explore your new Mac, ilife applications and enjoy. You'll have some preference dialog boxes (time, date, region, email, internet connectivity) to go through but total set up time should take all together maybe twenty minutes if that.
4) 1.800.MY.APPLE (1.800.692.7753) Under the support tab of this site you can go to the Mini page and find answers to questions you may have. Also a nice feature of this site is Mac 101. It is a help to new mac users.
I agree with you on Apple's web site. It is a wealth of knowledge as are these discussion boards.
BTW if you plan to keep you other computer you may want to look at Belkin's Flip KVM switch. I recently commented on it in another post. Also they have a good web site with a better description.
Take care Beth and congradulations on your desicion.
Lee

Trouble locking networking settings

I am very new to mac, but love my macmini and am GLAD to have switched from windows!!!
Now, I attempt to lock my settings after a few proxy changes. I hit the lock key, it locks, and i am unable to change anything unless I type in my password. That's fine, but when I restart my computer, the lock is 'unlocked.' How do I make the lock permanent. That is, even though I lock the settings to prevent someone from changing them, anyone can just restart the computer and the settings are there unlocked to be changed.
thanks...

lecterielin,
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Read, Locking secure system preferences which may answer your question.
;~)

How do I best backup preference settings within Firefox ADD-ONs? RECOVERING from FireFOX RESET

''added this question to this - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/948264 - question thread - locking''
Hello:
what is ffox support suggested procedure to backup your preference settings set in each of the ADD-ONs.
I currently have over 50 add-ons and the list seems to be growing each month.
My add-on component is becoming a major component of my Firefox solution.
Great in functionality, dangerous for recovering from the Firefox RESET feature.
I have searched help online and found nothing of value to provide clear steps of what one must to do.
Thankyou

Which security software (firewall, anti-virus) do you have?
Some security software has virtualization or sandbox features that may cause problems by protecting and restoring files in the Firefox profile folder.
Try to rename or delete the prefs.js file and possible numbered prefs-##.js files and a possible user.js file to reset all prefs to the default values.
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Resetting_preferences
If you rename the file(s) then you can undo the action or inspect the files with an editor like Notepad.
Do a malware check with some malware scanning programs on the Windows computer. 
You need to scan with all programs because each program detects different malware.
Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.
*Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
*SuperAntispyware: http://www.superantispyware.com/
*Microsoft Safety Scanner: http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx
*Windows Defender: Home Page: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
*Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
*Kasperky Free Security Scan: http://www.kaspersky.com/security-scan
You can also do a check for a rootkit infection with TDSSKiller.
*http://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/solutions?qid=208280684
See also:
*"Spyware on Windows": http://kb.mozillazine.org/Popups_not_blocked

Lock preference for all printers.

How can i lock preferences for all printers in FF? In about:config there are individual settings for every connected printer. So I have to know the name/identifier of every printer to apply lockPref() in CFG file. But i need some common solution, without connection to printer ID's.

Hi kshatra,
Thank you for your question. At the moment the way to lock preferences can be read about in: [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locking_preferences Mozillazine: Locking Preferences]
I have not tried this before, but it may be useful to you:
*[http://www.brighthub.com/internet/google/articles/107735.aspx]
*[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/r-kiosk/ R Kiosk Add on]

Locking specific settings

It just recently came up to my mind, why isn't there a way to lock your settings on your iOS product? I was thinking in terms of how "Mac OS System Preferences" works. For those who don't know, you can choose to lock specific settings (Accounts,Appearance,etc...) to make sure that when you change a setting, that it is definitely the "administrator" of the computer. Instead of relying on your Passcode to stop "intruders," you'd be able to lock only your settings on your iPhone/iTouch. Perhaps, even passcode any of your apps through a setting within your settings. I understand it makes the initial passcode worthless, but it's just another option for personal security. I'm pretty sure it's already done on jailbroken phones, so why not bring it for other consumers' use. Just an idea. Still not sure if it actually exists on iOS.
-JDA

Tell Apple : http://www.apple.com/feedback
There are some options that can be found in the manual.

Can you transfer apps data/preference settings from one iPod to another?

I just bought a new 32G iPod touch (previously using a 16G touch). I know how to transfer all of my music, movies, etc. from the iTunes library.
But here is my question: is there a way to transfer the "preferences/settings" files for my apps--workout routines, high score settings, mail settings, stock data--from the iPod itself?
The actual apps transferred over fine from iTunes, but is there a way to get all of my info from my old iPod to the new one?

I am trying to do this, but it doesn't seem to work for me. When I restore my new iPod from my old iPod backup, I only get settings and some pictures, but no apps or music.
In order for this to work would have I had to have the "Sync" settings on for apps and music? I can't turn this on now. The music is not a big deal, but I have a few essential apps on here that I really need the data from.
Any ideas?

How to Check System Preference Settings with Time Machine

I just found and fixed a problem caused by a bad System Preference/Universal Access
setting and would like to go back in my Time Machine backup to see where the
error was made. I may have been too quick to blame the 10.5.3 update on the
problem so wanted to look back in time.
The problem is i don't know how to check System Preferences using the Time Machine.
Any suggestion?

If you're looking for specific settings, the short answer is you cannot. You can open the .plist files and try to find the specific option you're looking for, though it might not be too easy to decipher some of the contents of the .plist file. For the most part they're just lists of attributes and settings. For instance, here's a very small chunk of my Finder .plist file:
<key>All Images.cannedSearch</key>
<dict>
 <key>SidebarWidth</key>
 <integer>162</integer>
 <key>ToolbarVisible</key>
 <true/>
 <key>ViewHeight</key>
 <integer>1116</integer>
 <key>ViewStyle</key>
 <string>icnv</string>
 <key>WindowBounds</key>
 <dict>
 <key>bottom</key>
 <integer>1200</integer>
 <key>left</key>
 <integer>56</integer>
 <key>right</key>
 <integer>1920</integer>
 <key>top</key>
 <integer>84</integer>
 </dict>
</dict>
<key>AnimateInfoPanes</key>
<true/>
<key>AnimateSnapToGrid</key>
<string>true</string>
<key>AnimateWindowZoom</key>
<true/>
Each "key" is followed by an attribute, so for instance the "SideBar Width" key is given the "Width" integer attribute of 162. However, some keys have multiple entries, such as the "WindowBounds" key having sub-keys of "bottom", "left", "right", and "top".
These values are finder preferences, though are not accessible via the finder's preference settings. However, buried deep in the Finder's .plist file are some of the user-editable settings:
<key>ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>ShowMountedServersOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>SidebarSearchesSectionDisclosedState</key>
<false/>
If you can find the attribute you're looking for, then that may help you narrow down which version of a .plist file to restore, though not all of them are straightforward legible text. Some have bizarre strings of seemingly random characters that only the application can interpret.
Message was edited by: Topher Kessler

Restoring Preferences & Settings after Lion Re-Install

For reasons I regret I decided to re-install Lion, thinking that it might resolve a problem I was having with mail. It was interesting to go through the new process, using the Lion partition set aside on your hard drive... since there are no longer any DVDs involved.
However, the re-install stripped out all of my Sysytem and application preferences/settings/configurations/ etc. leaving me with a totally screwed up desktop, all my Dock icons missing except the basic Apple set. Even my apps are almost unrecognizable, since I've spent years tweaking at least a hundred of them to work "just right" for me.
I'm assuming that everything I need to restore what I had is still in Time Machine, but I need to know specifically what folders to restore. Library>Preferences is an obvious one, but what others?
Also, do I need to boot from a DVD or other external system to carry out the deed? Right now, when I give it a try, I keep getting a messgae that I can't do it because my OS X is using the folder.
I have really found this crippling, so please offer suggestions ASAP. If I had known this would happen, I certainly wouldn't have re-installed in the first place. The original install preserved everything.
All help will be appreciated; but I don't want the kind of advice that says back-up everything, reformat your hard drive and start over from scratch. I don't consider that a solution.
...Charles

Since I didn't receive any replies here anyway, I decided to see if I could do a complete system restore from Time Machine after my original Lion install (when everything was fine) and before I re-installed Lion and lost so many critical settngs, my iCal calendars, dock contents, app settings, etc.
Luckily there was a one-day window in TM for me to do that.
Those who don't use Time Machine may have a more difficult time, but I'm declaring that I've solved my own problem this time.

I disabled my Macbook Hard Disk and lock the settings, after i try to reboot, the system wouldn't come up. It refuses to read instructions from the hard disk. How can i enable the hard disk when the system wouldn't come up?

I disabled my Macbook Hard Disk and lock the settings, after i try to reboot, the system wouldn't come up. It refuses to read instructions from the hard disk. How can i enable the hard disk when the system wouldn't come up?

How do you disabled it if running the same?

HT1338 My mail will not delete. When I move it to trash and then delete it within a few minutes it has all bounced back in again. Checked my preference settings and all seems to be in order. Any ideas how to resolve this frustrating problem?

My mail will not delete. When I move it to trash and then delete it, within a few minutes it has all bounced back in again. Checked my preference settings and all seems to be in order. Any ideas how to resolve this frustrating problem?

That sounds like a compatibility issue with an add-on that you have installed, as reported by a number of users in both Firefox 22 and Firefox 23 over the last couple of months. If you would provide a listing of your installed extensions ''(as you were prompted to do when creating this thread)'' maybe one of us can advise you which extension is the mot likely culprit. You will need to re-install Firefox 23 to do further diagnostic testing.
As far as the compatibility of Firefox 23 and Win XP SP3, Mozilla has verified they are compatible and not one user ''(including me on two separate PC's)'' has reported a problem with compatibility.

Need a lock for settings ASAP

Apple MUST provide a method to lock the settings button on the iPad. My teenage child has significant disabilites and uses his iPad for communication, photos, music, videos, and other entertainment. No matter how many times I have tried to explain leaving the settings button alone, he refuses. I've tried hiding it in a folder on a back page. I've grounded him from using the device for periods of time. And if I see one more comment about providing supervision, I'll happily loan you my child for you to demonstrate just how you recommend going about keeping him out of the settings button 24/7 as a single parent.

You can tell Apple at the link below.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

Why won't my iMac apps retain there preference settings?

Why won't my Intel iMac apps retain their preference settings?

Try using the disk utility to repair your disk permissions

HT4859 How do I replace Mobileme with ICloud on my preference settings?

I have Mobileme on my preference settings and it won't let me log in. How can I replace Mobile me with ICloud? Thanks for any help

What version of Mac OS X do you run on your Mac Pro? iCloud requires ar least Lion 10.7.2 or Mountain Lion.

Is it possible to lock my settings with a different password from the lock code

Is it possible to lock my settings with a different password from the lock code

To the best of my knowledge there is only one Pass Code per se
You can check here > iPhone User Guide

Locking preference settings

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