account maintenance for dummies

[Chip Gaylor]

Apologies if this is inappropriate for or-talk. I read these messages
almost daily but am not at all skilled at this.

I try to operate a tor server relay without using it as an exit node. My
server has been both online and offline for months at a time (hopefully
online for a while going forward). 

Problem 1)  - I am registered with one name but noticed someone else
using it on the vidalia relay list after I was offline for 5 months or
so. I changed to another name without really knowing the appropriate way
to do so. I would like to register the new name "officially"  if it's
the right thing to do.

Problem 2) - I am not sure if I should delete an original computer user
account .tor directory or try to move it to a new user account. I am not
sure if I should re-register as a new server and if so how to go about
doing so. 

I installed a vidalia-bundle-0.1.2.19-0.0.16a-tiger under a different
computer user account than my original user account. I changed because I
was running unstable versions not appropriate to my skill level
(minimal) under the original user account and wanted an easier time
keeping the server online under a separate user account. I followed the
mac os 10 install instructions section "How to Uninstall Tor and
Privoxy" before the stable version installation.

Unfortunately, I seem to have made a mess doing so. I am now listed as
both the newer tor version (old) and older tor version (new) on the
vidalia relay list (same ip and user name) and have .tor directories in
both accounts with different fingerprint file numerals. 


Any guidance and/or feedback will be greatly appreciated.