Firmware Password Question

I just enabled firmware password protection for my MacBook. Everything is working as advertised but I just have to ask this question.
Anyone with a Leopard install disk can change you account password or firmware password. Is this correct?
YGTBKM

Király wrote:
What Niel means is that if auto login to the admin account is turned on, then the Startup Disk preference pane may be unlocked. This will allow the user to set a Leopard DVD as the startup disk, without further authentication.
no, that pref pane is always locked unless you manually unlock it with the admin password. automatic login doesn't change that. the same is true with the accounts pref pane. you don't need to unlock that one to change the password of the current user but you do need to enter the current user password in the password change popup. such obvious security holes are plugged in. but you are right about the firmware password not giving data protection in case of theft.
The firmware password simply prevents booting up from any other disk that isn't the set startup disk. A Mac with a firmware password set will still boot up from DVD if the DVD is set as the startup disk.
Once booted up from the Leopard DVD, the admin password may be changed without knowing the old one.
As a side note, many people misunderstand the use of the firmware password, and believe it will protect them from data theft if their Mac is stolen. It won't, because it can be easily defeated without knowing the password. Encryption is the only way to go to protect yourself from data theft.

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EFI Firmware password question

Is there a commandline for the setting the EFI password using the Open Firmware Password Application ?
Thanks

Here's what I found:
Enabling Open Firmware Password
The Open Firmware password is a security feature available on modern Macintosh systems. If you enable the Open Firmware password, the computer will execute a secure boot sequence. Specifically, enabling the Open Firmware password prevents users from starting up the computer from a volume other than the chosen as the startup disk (chosen in the Startup Disk preference panel within the System Preferences.) Also, enabling the Open Firmware Password prevents users from booting into single user mode using Command-S key combination at boot time.
There is currently no public programmatic solution to setting the Open Firmware password (r. 3075615). This means this setting can not be set by an installer. However, an administrator can enable the Open Firmware password using the "Open Firmware Password" application located at: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/openfirmwarepassword.html
This was taken from Technical Note TN2062.
Sorry, but best I can do. Maybe you'll have better luck if you post the question in the Unix Forum.

Hey, My macbook is giving me a flashing question mark on startup. When I hold down the command key to get to system preferences it asks me for a firmware password, that I did not set! Any ideas on how to bipass this?

Hey, My mac book is giving me a flashing question mark on start up. When I hold down the command key to get to system preferences in order to help it find the system software it asks me for a firmware password, that I did not set! I also do not have the start up DVD/disk anymore. Any ideas on how to bypass this?

Contact Apple or an authorized Apple service provider.
(116347)

Cant bypass Firmware password , Folder with Question mark!

I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
I had the folder with question mark show up. I took out my hard drive and put it in an enclosure and it is working fine. Could it be the hard drive flex cable that is damaged and that is why the system can't find the hard drive?
Anyway the big problem i'm having is that i can't remember the firmware password and i tried every combination (command+S, command+R) . memory pull out and nothing worked. I'm stuck please let me know what i can do to get this fixed

Hi caliabe,
Unfortunately, the only way to remove the password would be to visit an Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider, as I understand you can't even access the Mac in recovery mode without the Firmware Password. If you lost or forgot your firmware password - Apple Support
Good luck.

MBP Retina Firmware Password Reset

I purchased a MBP Retina 13.3/2.5/8GB/128GB back in Nov 2012 and all was fine.
Last year I installed Orbicule Undercover software, in case it got lost & stolen and it recommended I set a Firmware Password, which I did and now I have forgotten that password.
I want to reset my MBP but without the firmware password I am completely locked out at the reset screen.
It works fine day to day, and I know the password to lock & unlock features or settings, etc.
It is running the latest operating System, Yosemite. I have had no trouble upgrading the OS System as they have been made available.
Many post say to take the MBP to an Apple Store so they can reset it with a special CD/DVD, only my MBP has no optical drive.
Clearly it is out of warranty coverage, as I did not purchase the extended warranty.
I don't have the skills to take the thing apart, my past history with old window based laptops is not good! (Although I did have more parts left over when I was done)
Does anyone know if I schedule a Genius Bar appointment, if they can help me? And the approximate cost they would charge me??
I have my original receipt & packaging to show that it is mine, and not a stolen unit.
Any Advice or information on the above questions will be gratefully received!!!

You probably bought a Mac that was stolen. I sure hope a 2011 model, whether the Early version or the Late version (There was no MID 2011 model), would certainly sell for much more than $515. That should of been your first clue there was something up with this noteboook and the seller.
Apple can remove the firmware password but only for the rightful owner.
The best thing you can do is take back into an Apple store and ask them to look up the serial number to find the original owner, if possible, and see if there is any contact info for them and return that system to them. Yes you would still be out the $515 but you would be doinig the right thing. Do the right thing and the right thing happen.

Firmware password since Mavericks update

So tonight I was having a couple of system issues, so I went to view my options in recovery.. until I was met with this:
Ever since I did an update for Mavericks (not the latest one, before that) I noticed that the odd few settings had been changed, so right now I'm questioning that. I also remember that after the update I was asked to enter my password (on a similar screen) before it got to the login screen.
All in all I never remember setting a firmware password.. I have had this machine from new ever since November last year.

producerlawson,
refer to this Apple document for your next step.

Boot Process with active EFI Firmware Password

I have a MacMini with Linux installed (for an embedded application) on the internal hard drive, and Mac OS X 10.5.6 available on an external Firewire / USB drive. The machine is a 1.83 MHz 2008 production unit with EFI version MM21.009A.B00 firmware installed (no later update is reported as available via the OS X Software Updater).
The system normally boots from the internal (Linux) disk without user interaction when first powered up.
In order to restrict users from starting the system from alternate devices, we activated an EFI firmware password. After doing so with the Open Firmware Password application on the OS X installer DVD (booted with option key and selecting the DVD icon, or with the C-key held), the system no longer automatically boots either of the two available hard disk devices. Rather a flashing file folder icon with question mark appears when the machine is powered up without any user interaction.
With the EFI password active, it is necessary to hold the option key down, enter the password, and then select the desired disk device icon (either internal Linux or external OS X device) in order to boot the system. It appears that the system can no longer automatically select a boot device when started up, even if only one is available. This requires that every user of the embedded system must know the EFI password in order to start the system. This seriously compromises the protections that a user would expect to achieve by using the EFI password capability.
Is this the expected performance of the firmware after the EFI password has been activated, or is this performance the result of a design flaw in the EFI code when the firmware password is active (i.e. is this a"feature" or a bug)?

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
The EFI firmware protection is there for people who work in environments where their machines must be secure from intruders, and secures information in event the machine gets stolen. If that sort of protection is too much for your needs, just setup your security and account preferences to log out when energy saver and/or screen saver is activated, and automatic log on is disabled. That's pretty good unless a person who steals your machine or has access to your machine has the original discs which came with the Mac, or newer retail operating system (up to the limits of the machine's hardware). So consider how much security you need, and you can ask the system to be that secure.

How Do I Reset Firmware Password on the Intel MacBook Pro

Hello, Sorry to post the message here, but I'm unable to post a message in any other area of the discussion board. All I get is subscribe to forum or Mark all topics as read. Nothing about posting message!
Here is my question. I just bought a new MacBook Pro and want to know how to reset the open firmware password on that model. I know its different on the Power Book G4's.
Can some help me.
Thank you
Phil
[email protected]

Sorry wrong place. Problem fixed will try.

DON'T Install Snow Leopard on early MacBook Pro with Firmware password on!!

I'm going to summarize my postings from yesterday because I don't want anyone wasting their night like I did.
Many of us who upgraded from Tiger created a Firmware password to ensure that people won't be able to wipe and re-install the HD for sale if the computer gets stolen. I also note that, like me, many have been suffering the recent won't wake from sleep issues that make it feel like the HD is dead. Sometimes it starts from sleep, mostly it's a real hassle to get it to wake up and when it does it's generally in safe sleep mode. I managed to find a "halfway" good fix for that issue by changing the sleep mode from 0 to 3 in the terminal, found a useful script by Googling the problem. Fixes 90% of my issues on that score. But I wanted to install Snow Leopard to "hopefully" fix that issue for good.
HOWEVER, if you have a MacBook Pro 2006-2007 model and the original install disc is still Tiger, WARNING TURN OFF THE FIRMWARE PASSWORD if you created one before you attempt an install. Otherwise you'll be completely stuck in black screen **** and you cannot restart from the Snow Leopard disc once you have it in, neither can you eject it because you never get that far.
The computer, after installing Snow Leopard just gets stuck on the grey screen for a while and then goes black. The computer will not boot from the Snow Leopard disc, Techtool Protege or Leopard disc and the BIGGEST PROBLEM is; you can't Zap the PRAM with firmware active to try and continue installation as some other posters have suggested. Basically, you're screwed.
To get the Snow Leopard disc out I rebooted in Windows and ejected the disc, then put in first the Leopard disc... didn't work... then rebooted, ejected and put in the original installation disc with Tiger, that did work but no firmware password reset!!!
The only solution was for me to wipe the disc, reinstall Tiger from the original install disc, which was the only one that worked. Once I could restart the computer again in Tiger, I was finally able to reboot from the Leopard disc and disable the firmware password.
Then I restarted, zapped the PRAM and using the Leopard disc, restored my machine to its former self with my Time Machine back up. Ran Techtool Pro 5 to fix permissions and rebuild volumes etc. and now have it working again.
I think I'll leave Snow Leopard for a while since I don't know whether the zapping PRAM works during install and frankly, don't have the time to go through this entire debilitating process again. If anyone does manage to get things running on the earlier MacBook Pros please let me know how it went!
Anyway, just thought I'd give people a heads up on the Firmware password thing... it's really a bugger on the older models because it wasn't originally included on the original install disc leaving you with no options!!

Sorry, just wnated to post a comment not question, wasn't sure how to mark it!

Remove Firmware password on MBP 2010

A password entry space and Firmware (pad lock) icon appears on the screen when trying to perform a clean usb os x lion 7 install pressing keys- (command + R). I don't remember ever setting up a firmware password. Question is how do I remove it?

Did you buy this Mac new back in 2010? If not then it was set by the previous owner.
Apple is the only source of help. Make an appointment with a G-Bar.

Password questions on new mac pro

Please forgive a very elementary question from a decades-long PC user. Just received my first Mac ever, a 2.66, 4 gigs,2/500, ati card Pro. Struggling with passwords. Loaded my admin password at initial startup with a "hint" in case I forgot it. The computer now won't accept that password. Can't seem to find where the "hint" is contained to retrieve it. Tried to restart from install disc 1 while holding the "C" key, but the computer continued to boot up normally without going into utilities to allow a password reset. Any advice?
Initial impression of machine? One week early shipment, louder than my previous Sony Vaio VGC-RA834G PC tower with significantly louder HDD noise on Apple supplied drives, beautiful esthetics, beautiful graphics, very fast. Purchased for use with Final Cut Studio and Aperture. I know I will enjoy it once over these elementary PC to Mac transitional problems.
Thanks for your help--
Mac Pro Mac OS X (10.4.7)
Mac Pro Mac OS X (10.4.7)
Mac Pro Mac OS X (10.4.7)

1. The hint may appear after you've made three incorrect password guesses.
2. Restart your computer with the Option key held down; if you see a screen with a padlock icon, an Open Firmware password has been set on the machine and the C key shortcut is disabled. You will need to know the Open Firmware password or a Mac OS X administrator password to restart your computer from the DVD, which can be accomplished from the Startup Manager, which is what you see when the Option key is held down at startup. If the screen you see does not have a padlock icon, click on the DVD and then on the button with the straight arrow. If the DVD isn't in the drive, insert it and press the button with the curly arrow.
(16176)

How can I reset the open firmware password?

I wanted to installed Mac OS X Lion from scratch on my newly purchased MBP 15,4"
I put the installESD.dmg on a USB pendrive, then I boot on it. I used Disk utility to erase en encrypte my drive, and at the same time I set the Open firmware password.
I launched the installation process, after a while the computer reboot but I got an error:
there was a problem installing mac os x try reinstalling
I google this error and found many people who solved this issue by erasing the PRAM using the shortcut: cmd + opt + P + R. I'm asked to enter the password which I did but it's still keeping asking for the password so I guess its wrong which is weird cause I typed it in few minutes ago, so I might have done twice a typing error or I don't know.
So my question is how can I reset this password to be able to install my OS? (I cannot access to any OS cause the installation process failed).
Thnak you for your help

Yes I did use the disk utility to restore the dmg on my USB drive. The USB drive is perfectly fine, I can boot on it without any problem, well before setting this open firmware password I could do it.
Now the situation is:
No system installed,
Lock with a password
I have the disk to install SL but I cannot boot on the DVD because it is asking me for this password.

Unknown Firmware Password prompt after deleting Bootcamp

I bought a MacBook Pro second hand last year. The previous owner installed bootcamp on it and I tried getting rid of it to no avail. When I shut it down and tried to turn it back on I just got the folder with the question mark, presumably a startup disk issue. When I try the reset shortcuts and resetting pram it just shows a firmware password entry, of which I don't know. neither does the precious owner. Ive brought it to the apple store to see what they can do but they said they can't do anything without original proof of purchase. Neither I, nor the original owner has the receipt. So, I have a paperweight that runs and is a password away from working. Help?

Hi Boudewijn,
I personally haven't seent this behavior as of yet. I've done 6 upgraded on the SX300 series and 4 on the SX500 series. The good news is, there is nothing lost if you have the ability to console the unit.
If you console the unit there is a password bypass option
1)Bits per seconds: 115200
Databits: 8
Partiy: None
Stop bits:1
Flow control: None
2) Reboot the switch, just unplug the power and plug it back in
3) When prompted, press ESC
4.) I beleive it is option 6 that is "password recovery"
Once you choose this option, the switch should boot as normal and you may sign in without the admin password.
-Tom
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Open Firmware/ Firmware Password

Sorry, I hope this is the appropriate board for this question.
I'm confused about the Open Firmware/ EFI password application.
I restarted using the install DVD, then navigated to the Firmware Password App. I checked the box and filled the password.
However, it seems that if I want to disable it, all I need to do is restart from the install DVD and untick the Firmware Password box, and that's it. I'm not even asked to put in the old password to make sure that I'm me, and not a thief or someone like that.
Second, and this may be related, the restart while holding command-option-o-f keystroke to access the Open Firmware doesn't work. My MBP just continues to merrily boot up.
Am I missing something here?

However, it seems that if I want to disable it, all I need to do is restart from the install DVD and untick the Firmware Password box, and that's it.
Yes, but doing so requires that you have either the firmware password or an administrator password for that computer. To increase security, disable automatic login from the Accounts or Security pane of System Preferences.
Second, and this may be related, the restart while holding command-option-o-f keystroke to access the Open Firmware doesn't work. My MBP just continues to merrily boot up.
That keystroke is for PowerPC Macs only.
(50864)

Open Firmware Password..oops

Today I decided to see if the startup disc on my external HD was working properly. I went to System Preferences and clicked over to the Maxtor as my prefered choice. I did not click the lock at the bottom. I then clicked Restart, everything on the desktop dismounted and the screen went dark and then came back up with the gray screen with the spinning wheel....and stayed there.
I noticed that there was a circle with a line through it and then I noticed that my iPod was still connected, it was dismounted and charging.
I shut off the power, to the iMac, disconnected the iPod and turned the power back on, and the gray screen with flashing folder with a question mark appeared.
I went to the MacBook and did a search in the discussions and the only thing I could find out was that I needed to boot from the install discs, hence the oops.
I have Undercover installed, and part of their setup is to enable the Open Firmware Password.
How can I get my iMac up and running if I can't use the install discs or target disc mode?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ddougYo, I have the Orbicule software on 5 MAcs (it nearly got one that was stolen back for me too) and also had its predecessor, Lapcop which also used the Open Firmware Password utility.
You are not going to be able to boot up until you can get through the Firmware Password Utility and there are only two ways: the password itself, or the method that Baltwo has suggested. If the password is not working then you have possibly not entered it correctly.
If, for some strange (unidentified) reason that is not the case, then Baltwo's solution is all you have left. Have a look at the manual: getting the iMac's RAM out should not be hard. Do you have one or two modules? If one, try putting it in the other slot.

Firmware Password Question

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