Setup guide

UNCLASSIFIED
Chapter
4
UNCLASSIFIED
21
Chapter 4-
Configuring System Settings
Configuring System Settings
System configuration follows the installation of the operating system and its updates.
System-wide configuration settings are the focus of this chapter. This chapter also
includes instructions for configuring the initial administrative account. In addition
to these settings, user accounts should be created for each user. Chapter 5 describes
the steps for creating and securely configuring additional accounts.
The instructions in this chapter assume that the system has been installed and
updated as described in the previous chapter. However, most instructions in this
chapter should still be applicable to any Mac OS X v10.3.x system. If applying these
instructions to an existing system, extra caution should be used to ensure the
applicability of the instructions. For example, if the system being configured already
has FileVault enabled, the instructions for doing so in this chapter will not be
applicable to that system.
As it is impossible for this guide to
address all possible previous system
configurations, instructions in this
chapter are given under the assumption
that the system was installed as
described in Chapter 3. If this is not the
case, each step in this chapter must be
evaluated to determine how it applies to
the current system configuration and
how to adapt those steps to fit that
system.
Frequently during system configuration, text files must be edited as root. Several
text editors are included with the system and available from the command line.
Those familiar with a particular editor are free to substitute that editor for the one
used in this guidance, pico. Pico was chosen because of its accessibility to new
users, even those with very limited command line experience. It is assumed that the
reader, once he has started pico, will be able to use the editor, and additional
instruction will not be required.
All system configuration guidance given in this chapter should be performed from an
administrator’s account. (If the system has been installed as directed in Chapter 3,
the initial system administrator’s account will be the only account on the system and
the system will automatically log into this account at startup.) Once automatic login
is disabled, it will be necessary to log in anytime the machine is rebooted or a user
has logged out. Once the system is in that state, an administrator’s account should
be logged in to perform the configuration described in this chapter.