Forgot my administrator password to install software

I am trying to install my printer software and it is asking me for authorization(my admin password). I cannot remember it. Is there a way for me to change it or bypass this password authorization all together? I know I can reinstall my OSX software, but I lost the install discs. Any suggestions for that also? Is there any way that apple will resend those discs to me or maybe I can install the OSX software off the web? Any advice would be great....thanks.

It actually should be possible to reset the admin password without the install disks. Have you ever heard of single user boot mode? If you hold command-s during startup, your computer will boot to a root shell from which you can do nearly anything you want (be careful not to type any commands unless you know what they do, as you could damage your files). I'm no expert, but I've had success with the following commands:
sh /etc/rc this boots your computer fully while remaining in single user mode, it may take a while
niutil -list . /users this command gives the shortname of all the accounts on your computer. you need to know the shortname of the account that you're trying to change the password for
passwd [shortname] you will now be prompted to enter and confirm your password, you will not see any characters appear as you type, this is normal
reboot you're done, you can now use your computer normally
iMac G4 (USB 2.0) and PowerBook G4 (15 inch, 1.67 GHz) Mac OS X (10.4.4)

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Forgot my administrator password

so i forgot my administrator password and i cant log back in. on top of that i tried to reboot my my mac with the mac os x but i need the administrator password for it to work, what should i do?

If your install disc doesn't work, then follow these steps
1.Start up in single-user mode (hold Command-S as thecomputer starts up).
2. Type: mount -uw /
3. Press Return.
4. Type this: passwd (user's short name) Replace "(user's shortname)" with the short name of the user account whose password you wish toreset. If you are not sure what the account name is, you can get a list of usernames by typing: ls /Users
5. Press Return.
6. Enter a new user password.
7. Press Return.
8. Type: reboot
9. Press Return.

Forgot my administrator password in windows 7

sir ,
     i have forgot my administrator password in windows 7 .
     how can i easily solve that problem ?
     and my data is so importanat .
     so pls. help and solve this problem .

I also add my answer here too.
If forget the password of your windows, the most important thing is backup important data, and then try to recover the lost password.
1. Reset windows password with windows password reset disk. If have a
windows password reset disk, you can reset password easy and lose nothing.
1.1. If you enter the wrong password when you attempt to log on, Windows displays a message that the password is incorrect. Click OK to close the message.
1.2. Click Reset password, and then insert your windows password reset disk (or other removable media).
1.3. Follow the steps in the Password Reset Wizard to create a new password.
1.4. Log on with the new password. If you forget your password again, you can use the same password reset disk. You don't need to make a new one.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/What-to-do-if-you-forget-your-Windows-password
2. backup data
" Use WinPE boot disk to boot your computer and backup your data.
How to create
a WinPE boot disk to maintain your windows."
3. If you haven't created a windows 7 password reset disk before, you can use Spower Windows Password Reset (SWPR) to recover your forgotten password in few steps:
Step 1: Download and install Spower Windows Password Reset.
Step 2: Create a CD/DVD or USB password reset boot disk with SWPR.
Step 3: Boot your computer from password reset boot disk.
Step 4: Recover the forgotten password for administrator account.
Have Questions About Windows 7 password?
Forgot windows password, how to reset?

I forgot the administrator password for my mac and cant set a new one without it how can i set a new one

i forgot the administrator password for my mac and cant set a new one without it how can i set a new one

Reset Password 10.7, 10.8...
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20087723-263/how-to-run-the-password-reset- utility-in-os-x-10.7-lion/

HT201364 do you have to have an administrator password to install OS X Mavericks

Do you need an administrator password to install os x mavericks. I am trying to dowload and it is asking me for password?

Yes

HT1631 I don't have an encrypted code, I didn't use my vault file upon starting my computer and I didn't associate it to my apple ID. I bought a refurbished macbook pro (10.7.4), and now I forgot the administrator password. how can I reset that?

I don't have an encrypted code, I didn't use my vault file upon starting my computer and I didn't associate it to my apple ID. I bought a refurbished macbook pro (10.7.4), and now I forgot the administrator password. how can I reset that?

A bug has been filed: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=644566 .

Forgot my Administrator Password on NB520

Help please.. I bought Mini NB520 lately, but since I didn't use it for a quite time I forgot my (administrator) password.
Now I'm stuck.. Is there any way to override this even if I reinstall the windows 7...I really disparate ..
Thanks

Come on, friend. You can easily get out of problem.
Just share my experience with you. I have forgotten my [Toshiba Satellite Windows 7 password . After tried many ways I searched online, I fortunately solved it with the *Windows Password Recovery Basic* finally.
It is easy and quick to help me DIY a password reset disk to recover my lost password. Then the PC is as it was.
Hope it can help you!
+Message was edited: link removed+

I forgot my administrator password, how can i reset it without losing any of my work? MacBook5,1 version 10.6.8 (I had my laptop for 7 seven years, its an old model).

I forgot my administrator password, how can i reset it without losing any of my work?
MacBook5,1 version 10.6.8 (I had my laptop for 7 years, its an old model).

For Snow Leopard and earlier with installer DVD
     Mac OS X 10.6- If you forget your administrator password,
     OS X- Changing or resetting an account password (Snow Leopard and earlier).
For Snow Leopard and earlier without installer DVD
    How to reset your Mac OS X password without an installer disc | MacYourself
    Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD — Tech News and Analysis
    How To Create A New Administrator Account - Hack Mac

I've forgot the administrator password how i can missing it

i've forgot the administrator password how i can missing it

Resetting or changing an account password:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274

How can i unlock my dell laptop if i forgot the administrator password?

Dear Sir,
I forgot my dell laptop administrator password and locked out of the laptop, now i have to use my laptop to finish the home work, how can i unlock my dell laptop if i forgot
the administrator password?
Thanks in advance!

Forgot dell laptop administrator password? It would be very frustrated if you are urgent to use the laptop but locked out of it.
Here are the methods
how to unlock dell laptop forgot password. I hope it will be helpful for you.
Method 1: Reset password on your dell laptop with password reset disk
This method only works when you have
created a password reset disk before you forgot password.
<1>. On your dell laptop logon screen, press
Enter directory, and then a password incorrect hint pups up, click on
OK to close it.
<2>. Click
Reset password… bellow the password text box.
<3>. When the password reset wizard appears, click
Next.
<4>. Insert the password reset disk, click
Next.
<5>. Type in
new password, and the new password hint, click
Next, click Finish.
<6>. Then you can login with the new password.
Method 2: Unlock your laptop password with Offline NT Password and Registry Editor
If you have not created a password reset disk before, you can create a live cd or bootable usb with Offline NT Password Registry Editor which is a freeware program. It is base on the text console, so it
may be a difficult to carry out.
Here are the main steps to use Offline NT password registry editor:
<1>.
Get Offline NT Password Registry Editor and use it to create a live cd or bootable usb.
<2>.
Set your dell laptop to boot with the cd or usb.
<3>. Follow the instruction to finish the operation when the password reset program starts.

Prompting of Administrator Password When Installing New Software.

I recently installed some software onto my Mac but I was not prompted to enter my administrator username and password as is usually the case (or so I thought).
Does anybody have any ideas as to why an administrator password is not always required when installing new software? The reason I ask is that I thought that this was one of the protections offered by the Mac to prevent unknown installations of Malware etc.
Thanks.

No password will ever be requested when you simply use drag and drop to install an application in the Applications folder. This is because you are a member of the admin group, and the admin group has authorized access to the Applications folder.
Nothing should install without your knowledge. If you are concerned about viruses and the like, then that's a different matter altogether from the question you asked. See this:
Do You Need Anti-Virus Protection for Your Mac?
According to Rich Mogull's article, Should Mac Users Run Antivirus Software?,
"The reality is that today the Mac platform is relatively safe. There are hundreds of thousands of viruses and other malicious software programs floating around for Windows, but less than 200 are known to target the Mac, and many of those are aimed at versions of the Mac OS prior to Mac OS X (and thus have no effect on a modern Mac).
It's not that Mac OS X is inherently more secure against viruses than current versions of Windows (although it was clearly more secure than Windows prior to XP SP2); the numerous vulnerabilities reported and patched in recent years are just as exploitable as their Windows equivalents. But most security experts agree that malicious software these days is driven by financial incentives, and it's far more profitable to target the most dominant platform."
Mr. Mogull is a computer security expert. I recommend reading the entire article as it is quite informative.
For additional information on viruses, trojans, and spyware visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on viruses and spyware.

Forgot my administrator password. how can I reset it?

I have a Mac mini late 2009 edition and the original installation discs with OS X Yosemite installed. I probably need to install the original software that came with it and reset the administrator password. Witch one should I choose, "Archive and install" or 'Erase and Install?"

Forgot Your Account Password
For Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks
    Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
     When the menubar appears select Terminal from the Utilities menu.
     Enter resetpassword at the prompt and press RETURN. Follow
     instructions in the dialog window that will appear.
     Or see:
       Reset a Mac OS X 10.7 Lion Password
       OS X Mountain Lion- Reset a login password,
       OS X Mavericks- Solve password problems,
       OS X Lion- Apple ID can be used to reset your user account password.
For Snow Leopard and earlier with installer DVD
     Mac OS X 10.6- If you forget your administrator password,
     OS X- Changing or resetting an account password (Snow Leopard and earlier).
For Snow Leopard and earlier without installer DVD
    How to reset your Mac OS X password without an installer disc | MacYourself
    Reset OS X Password Without an OS X CD — Tech News and Analysis
    How To Create A New Administrator Account - Hack Mac

Forgot my administrator password to mac book pro retina

I I forgot to write down my chosen administrator password as I went trough the set up process on my new Mac book pro retina 15 inch.
I put the machine to sleep, and now I can not access my own machine.
I made a passwordhint, but having tried some 30-40 word combinations I still haven´t hit the right.
How can I access the machine to make a new password? Since the new Retina models don´t come with an external software CD, I feel pretty lost.

Use Recovery HD to reset password.
OS X 10.7 Lion /10.8 Mountain Lion
Follow the instructions in the first and third boxes.
http://pondini.org/OSX/Password.html

What can I do if I forgot my administrator password?

I just recently got back to my Mac and it has been a long time and now I don't remember my administrator password to update everything, what do I do?

Hello, depends on OSX version...
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Utilities from the Installer menu at the top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access the Menubar at top.
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Reset Password from the Installer menu at the top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Reset Password.
Reset Password 10.7, 10.8...
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20087723-263/how-to-run-the-password-reset- utility-in-os-x-10.7-lion/
Then Reset your Keychain...
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1544

HT201240 Forgot my administrator password

I forgot my administrator's password. How do I reset it? Will it have to delete all files?

Hi Kbennett411,
The article below will help you reset your administrator password using your Apple ID account:
OS X: Apple ID can be used to reset your user account password
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4798
To reset your OS X user password with your Apple ID
If you incorrectly enter your account password at the login window three times, a message appears stating "If you forgot your password, you can reset it using your Apple ID". Click the arrow-in-a-circle icon to bring up the "Reset Password" dialog. Enter your Apple ID and password, then click "Reset Password" to proceed.
Note: In some cases, you may not be presented with the opportunity to reset the password after three incorrect attempts. If this happens, open Users & Groups preferences, remove the affected Apple ID, and then add the same Apple ID back. This issue could occur after upgrading from Mac OS X v10.6 to OS X Lion.
Note: Changing the user account password will create a new keychain. The previous keychain still exists and can be accessed if you later remember the previous password.
Click "OK" in the dialog that appears to inform you about the new keychain.
Enter a New password, Verify password and Password hint fields, then click "Reset Password" to proceed.
Click "Continue Log In" to finish logging in using the new password you just created.
Hope this helps!
- Judy

Forgot my administrator password to install software

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