Emac password help

Question

I'm attempting to reset the password on my mother's emac. It's currently running 10.3.9, and the install disks she has are 10.2.4. The computer doesn't want to boot from this install disk to reset the password. I'm attempting to install a cd/dvd burner and need to install software so we can back up years worth of collecting information.
Please can someone help us?

Answer 1

Since I don't know if the older 10.2.4 disc originally was the official boot install-restore
disc which would have come with that computer, or not, the ideal disc set would be a
Panther 10.3.x retail install disc such as the one the license provides the system in
the computer to be working under. With that missing, technically, it would appear the
license is not sustainable. However, to get going on the issue at hand...
There is a way to attempt to reset the password for the system admin account without
the install disc under some circumstances which require using an alternative boot
method as outlined in a few discussions in the web page address links, here:
{NOTE: Research further before using these similar advice links; there is a way that
will allow the original Admin user account to have a new password without losing
access to that account. Some of the information in these links below appear to be
of a nature which may cause the loss of the original account; that is not desired.}
• Reset OS X Password - without an OS X CD:
http://theappleblog.com/2008/06/22/reset-os-x-password-without-an-os-x-cd/
• Mac OS X Tip - No Password, no root, no CD? - No Problem: (more likely path)
http://www.macobserver.com/tip/2003/06/16.1.shtml
The link2 has two sections, numbering from one on up. The second section may be
the path to try to get past the need for the bootable installer disc, since it does seem
to provide the most likely steps. Attention to detail is important. Perhaps if you can't
do the steps, and have access to someone capable of trying this (maybe a tech) it
may be wise to also see if an authorized tech would have access to the correct boot
disc so the computer could have the password reset via that method.
Both linked sources have similar information, one may be better at the process.
{Was the C key held down on startup, with the 10.2.4 disc in the computer? Is the
disc really the original one the computer had when new? After an upgrade to 10.3
there is a fair chance the computer would balk at booting from the old disc & it may
be that the old one won't work to reset the password on the newer OS version.}
If the computer has an Open Firmware or File Vault password, a PW reset not be enough.
In cases with that secure password on another level in the system, RAM modules may
be removed in a sequence described in articles on that topic; and this one is also in the
page linked to above, in the Comments section below the main article text. Similar docs
on the topic of ' Mac OS X reset password without CD ' are found via google online.
Hopefully the method described in the above article will help resolve the issue, since it
is about the only way. It does help if the computer naturally starts and runs in the Admin
account the missing password would be used for; since that could make the task shorter.
Not sure, but there may be a way to save the contents of the computer if it could be booted
in FireWire Target Disk Mode and attached by FireWire cable to another Mac, then the eMac
would be seen as a FireWire enclosed external hard disk drive and just maybe, those user
account files could be saved. They could be moved to another computer or burned to a disc
via the second Mac's optical drive. Access to getting them open may be another story.
There are various possible issues in the overall situation; to use the method without the boot CD
as described is the better option on the outset, but there could be better opinions &/or methods
I am not fully aware of that you could try. Hopefully other ideas can be contributed to resolve this.
Losing the account you are trying to access is certainly not an acceptable option, so you need to
have more information. I have been double-searching, but no longer have the links I used to on
this topic; I suggest reading the ideas and then looking through (search Discussions and google)
to find out how to reset only the admin password without creating a new Admin account where
the original would be lost. You still want to open that original account!
PS: hopefully the replacement optical drive obtained for the upgrade or repair is suitable for eMacs.
• Note: according to the database on Macs (free download) http://mactracker.ca the OS X version
cited in your post (10.2.4) was not among those shipped with the early eMac G4 computers. If this
is the case, the disc may be from a different computer, and if so, may not be used to boot an eMac.
Good luck & happy computing!
{ edited to point out a vital issue }