Casper created user visible

[maiksanftenberg]

Hi.
If seen a problem across a lot of our machines that the user we created for management of our machines is visible.
We are on 9.24 and used the command "jamf createAccount" with the -hidden option.

We also moved the home folder to /private/var/.

Any idea how we can ensure the user is hidden? BTW: This also happens when we enroll a new machine with a Quick Add package where the option is set to hide the account...

Thanks.

[mzago]

Perhaps something is wrong with the com.apple.loginwindow plist in that you don't have Hide500Users enabled. The hidden user accounts being in a non-standard location won't matter if they aren't in the HiddenUserList array off com.apple.loginwindow or have a UID below 500 and the com.apple.loginwindow Hide500Users option enabled.

More detail is available in Apple's support KB:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5017

[Matt · Accepted solution]

I always run the Hide500users command as an at reboot script during imaging.

defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow Hide500Users -bool YES

[cstout]

With the recent upgrade to JSS 9.31 my hidden admin account now shows on all new images. I'm in communication with JAMF regarding this, but I'm wondering, is it effective to simply use the hide500users command on the base image? Would that just be overwritten at the time of imaging? I have yet to test this but I suspect it might solve our problem with the hidden account not hiding.

[jdziat]

Do you use configuration profiles or mcx preferences on the com.apple.loginwindow domain? If so it'll override all existing configurations that the defaults write sets.

UPDATE: Also make sure that even if you did not set any of the properties in that domain if you used Caspers Template for certain items it will populate a blank setting and essentially disable all of the settings applied. Try looking at the plist files located in /Library/Managed Preferences/ for any conflicts.

[cstout]

@jdziat I'm not using any MCX preferences or configuration profiles on my most recent test images that are showing the hidden account. Configuration profiles does add to System Preferences as it should, but currently for troubleshooting, I'm not using any config profiles or mcx prefs.

[cstout]

Well, @Matt's recommendation worked for me. It's another band-aid for Casper Imaging though. Casper Imaging 9.31 has several intermittent issues that were present in 9.3 as well and I just keep hoping, "maybe the next release will patch this."

[maiksanftenberg]

Thanks for your help Matt.
Working great now and the user is not longer visible!

Cheers