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Windows guy need details for changing MTU Settings
Authored by: JohnMFischer on Aug 09, '02 12:01:16AM

Thanks so much for the details. I think I can follow that sequence alright. Now, just one more "picky-little-detail" question before I have a go at it:

From talking to the Apple Tech Support guy (who's not allowed to help with root commands!), I got the impression that they won't give that kind of Tech Support because making changes in the Mac OSX root is similar to messing with the Windows Registry. Mickey$oft states strong cautions about fiddling with the registry, but they do give all kinds of info about making such changes. I'm comfortable making changes in my Windows Registry, so I'm not averse to making them in my son's iMac root.

However, Micro$soft strongly encourages that before making any changes to the registry, that we back it up, first. I would assume a similar caution pertains to the Mac OSX root? I'll sniff around here at the Mac OS X Hints website to see if I can find reference to such... but if you happen to check-in here again, perhaps you could drop me a note about this?

Thanks again!

Sincerely,

John M. Fischer,
Portland, Oregon



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Windows guy need details for changing MTU Settings
Authored by: osx4me on Aug 19, '02 08:49:01PM
A few clarifications:

"Working 'in my son's iMac root' " is not what's going on. Think of the Root user (this is a Unix concept) as the "master" user on the computer, that supercedes even the "Administrator." The main account you set up in OS X is in fact the Admin by default.

There are (for example) system config (configuration) files that the computer reads when booting in OS X, that you can only edit as Root (meaning, as the Root user).

Editing these files might seem similar to editing the Registry in Windows. It might seem similar, but there's a better analogy: Have you ever edited Windows (system) config files ? Like editing the msdos.sys file in Windows 98 ? That's a closer parallel to what you're doing in this case, in terms of editing the "Network" config file, in OS X.

The problem with working as Root, is that you can do WHATEVER you want, including deleting key system files. The System will not come back and ask you, "are you sure ?" because it's assumed that as Root, you already know what you're doing. Unix is not chatty, in terms of ever (almost never) asking for confirmation of a given command. When you work in the OS X Terminal, you're getting under the hood of OS X - there's Unix in there. Not what some would call "pure" Unix, but a flavor of Unix nonetheless.

Once you've enable the Root user, you should normally use the command "sudo" in the terminal, instead of actually logging in as the Root. This allows you to do something with Root priveleges without being Root.

The easiest way to enable "Root" is to launch the terminal and type: sudo passwd root

it will ask you for your admin (normal) password. Enter it. Then it will ask for a password for Root, and then again to confirm. Don't lose your password for the Root user.

Next, in the terminal, you'd type: cd /system/library/startupitems/network

and then: sudo pico network

In which you're giving the commands: I want to temporarily work as the Root user ("sudo"), and using the file-editor named "Pico", I want to edit the file named "network."

Then, use the down arrow key to scroll through and look for a header/comment filed that reads:

## # Configure interfaces ##

I don't have DSL or use PPoE at home, but I'm pretty sure that the spot I describe above, is what you're looking for.

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