Roommate wants access to my computer when I am not around...

[weapon]

That would almost work except they are on 1.5 TB spread out among the 3 drives.

Don't want to have to pick through random stuff to find each doc or photo, etc.

There is no way to just block access to drive b,c & d. Only allowing him access to the start-up drive (a)?

[ADent]

You should be able to block access to casual snooping by unselecting "Ignore ownership on this volume".

There may be more limiting options if you choose Parental Controls.

[morlock]

I think you can click on the drive, then Get Info.
at the bottom of the Info window is a place to set access and permissions for that volume.

[Jimmypoo]

Can you remove the drives? I don't know if you have them internal to a box or not.

As for when you are on -- vs. quick change-overs, if you enable Fast User Switching - you/he would go to the upper right corner (where your name is now) and it logs you out without closing your work.

He is logged in, without access to anything you are doing, and your apps or browser tabs, etc., remain as they were when you get the unit back.

He can log out - under the apple OR up in the corner, and it returns to a log in screen for YOU.

I'll have to take the guys above on their ownership of the drives thing -- encrypting them would be a real hassle, and the last thing you need is to be waiting for decryption on the fly - as well as some screw-up DURING encryption.

Unless that has changed so flawlessly....... BACK WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE - I recall trying that once in 1991 - Just when StuffIt / Aladdin had acquired it.

Even though it wasn't supposed to, it encrypted the System folder on my massive 40MB drive (via an SE) - and then stopped. It was hard to tell if it was working or stuck, but after 2 days, I restarted it.

I restarted it - but nothing happened...... because the system file was gone, and the encryption couldn't be rescued without a nuke and pave.

at $500 for a 100MB hard drive, those were not the days to have full back-ups of drives except on floppy (or maybe that new fangled Zip thang) - SO ..... all was lost.

In reality -- is any computer so expensive, even if a Winduds box, that this puke can't find a junkie student to sell him one for $75?

Review that last option and it sounds better every time. Family? That's one thing. You can beat them mercilessly as well as hold it over their head at family gatherings 25 years from now. A roommate? Once you break his nose, you'll only see him again, in court -- like I did mine.

I wonder what he's doing now? His nose was forever changed in October 1983.....
(Bwahahahahahahaha!!!)

[MacArtist]

I don't get this. He is your room mate. It is your computer.

It's okay to share the bathroom; share the bills; hell share a box of Cheerios. But why the need to share a computer?

Look; you're worried about it already. What happens if you give him an account and there's a problem down the road? Are you going to wonder if he had something to do with it?

My computer is my territory. Period. That's just the way it has to be. My wife and daughters have their own. When a new computer comes into the house; the older model gets passed down. But if something goes haywire on mine; I only have myself to blame for it.

Just lay down the law to the roommate. Like jimmypoo said; tell him to get his own cheap PC or tell him to go to the library if he needs access to a computer.

This right here is the reason I could have never had a roommate. The lines of ownership and respect for other's feelings disappear.

Good luck.

[davester]

Actually, he only wants access so that he can access your 1 Tb porn collection. Giving him his own user account would defeat the purpose.

[NewtonMP2100]

I wouldn't give it to him (unless you are REALLY close like a family member). . .who know what he will be doing on it. . .with it. . .etc. . .IMHO. . .

he should be able to get his own computer. . .

[OWC Jamie]

sloppy seconds taken ?

[Paul F.]

Personally, I wouldn't...

But if you DO, then setting up a user account on your computer is the way to do it.
Restricting access to the external drives? I dunno.. not enough caffiene yet to tackle that one.

But this kinda thing is EXACTLY why OS X has User accounts in the FIRST PLACE!

[weapon]

Not external, internal drives.