Comments on: Mac OSX: Reset Administrator Password Without The Install CD

By: Charlie 4 UXxx

Charlie 4 UXxx — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:54:28 +0000

My apple laptop has been lent to me by a Calderdale Council worker and there are loads of limitations. The internet has been set as a ‘read only’ programme, meaning that i cant watch videos or download music or log into my facebook or twitter. To change it to be able to ‘read and write’ I need an administrator password but i dont know it!!!
GRRRRR!!!!
I want 2 change the password but i havnt got a cd thingy that i need to do it! Can u help me?
Xxx

By: alex

alex — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 07:11:20 +0000

Hello oggy,

It has been so long since I wrote this article I went back to look for the option you are having an issue with and don’t see it. I would suggest taking your computer to a Apple certified professional for assistance.

Thanks.
alex

By: alex

alex — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:06:29 +0000

Hello Brandy,

The instructions in the article are what resolved the issue for me. It sounds as if you may have a hard drive issue or similar at this point and I would suggest taking your computer to an authorized MAC repair shop at this point without trying anything else so you can guarantee that you don’t lose any data.

Thanks.
alex

By: oggy

oggy — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:13:00 +0000

Your instructions worked for me up to the step were I select “Where will you use your computer…” and “What best describes what you will do..”. I made my selections, clicked on Continue, and then nothing further happens. :( I can “Go Back”, and make other changes, but it always stalls after the same two selections are made.

By: Brandy

Brandy — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:46:14 +0000

no such file or directory

i think i did. i turned the computer off and then hit command s at the chime like instructed.

i am so nervous i messed up my computer :/ or lost all my programs. do you think this is fixable.

thanks so much much trying to help. hope you can solve this with me.

By: alex

alex — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:16:29 +0000

Hello Brandy,

Sorry to hear you are having issues with this. What is the specific error you receive when typing the command in step 3? Are you sure you are booted into single user mode?

Thanks.
alex

By: Brandy

Brandy — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:40:26 +0000

by the way i have tried typing this step in every way possible. is there anyway i can just undo what i have already done?

By: Brandy

Brandy — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:39:44 +0000

I am getting to part 3 then it says there is no such file or directory and now my computer will not reboot! i am freaking out

By: alex

alex — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:34:38 +0000

Hello Jose,

Not sure. The macbook I was using was running 10.X as well so not sure that is a limitation regarding the apple key but then again I couldn’t say one way or the other. I rarely use Mac’s so I am also not sure where to get a startup disk.

Thanks.
alex

By: Jose

Jose — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 02:02:01 +0000

I believe the system has the new Firmware Password protect that comes with 10X. Mac started doing this to make it harder to hack and change admin passwords without the start up disk. It disables the C, and S keys. Plus more if you want to. I guess I need to get a start up disk. Where do I find one?

By: alex

alex — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:48:27 +0000

Hello Jose,

You should be able to get into single user mode by holding down the apple key plus the s key at the same time as noted in the instructions. If you are unable to do this it sounds as if there may be another issue.

Thanks.
alex

By: Jose

Jose — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:33:50 +0000

I have a used iBook with limited access. I’ve tried above and can’t make it to the text screen. The software package is 10.5.2. What am I doing wrong.

By: alex

alex — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:39:57 +0000

Hello Oliver,

Please read through the comments as this question has been addressed numerous times.

Thanks.
alex

By: Oliver

Oliver — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:27:22 +0000

will this delete any accounts, files, or settings??

By: recover password in OSX - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net

recover password in OSX - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:59:43 +0000

[...] install DVD? Try this. It worked like a charm for me. [...]

By: alex

alex — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:33:24 +0000

Hello Sheldon,

Sounds like a more complex issue than we would be able to assist with unless we had access to the computer to troubleshoot ourselves. I would investigate a corrupt partition or issues with the HDD.

Thanks.
alex

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:30:16 +0000

Please help, I tried this method and I can’t get past the welcome wizard. After putting in all my info it prompts me to create a new account. I input the user name and password I want and try to continue, the spinning gear comes up along with “creating your account..” next to it. The gear stops spinning and the whole wizard crashes and sends me back to the very beginning (where you select a language). Please help :(

By: alex

alex — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:01:41 +0000

Hello David,

Great to hear. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback.

Thanks.
alex

By: David

David — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:05:08 +0000

Cool, this worked fine for me. I just picked up a used Mac G4 from a thrift store, I wasn’t really worried about losing data…

Thanks!

By: alex

alex — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:31:19 +0000

Hello Joshua,

The steps above are how I have changed the password on various accounts on numerous computers running OSX. Are you sure you are typing the username correctly including making sure of the case of various letters in the username (A versus a)? It should work without issue on any username on the computer as long as it is typed in properly. If this doesn’t work there must be another issue and I would suggest taking it to a qualified Apple technician to make sure there is no data loss.

Hope that helps.

Thanks.
alex