Resetting admin password without install disks?

I am locked out of my ibook g4. have read all the discussions and suggestions posted here, but the only solution seems to be to do a restore install holding down c. problem is that I am overseas and don't have my discs with me.
my computer was purchased two months ago. it's a 'refreshed' apple product. when I got it, the password was set as a return/enter (no characters). I changed this to a personal password and it has worked til now. is there any common password that an apple tech might have used that I can try?
any other way to get into my computer?!
thank you.

I wonder if it might help to boot to safe mode. If you do so, be aware that it can take quite some time, due to the process involved. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393

Similar Messages

Resetting admin password without OS disk

Hi there,
Simple question, how can I reset the original administrator password without a Mac OS X disk? Reason being the client doesn't have his.
Is there another livecd maybe that has similar functionality or is it a lost cause?

Cal Apple to order a new set of discs. Meanwhile the following method should let you create a new administrator account.
You need to get into single use mode for steps that are listed below.
This page will tell you how to get into single user mode.
<http://www.securemac.com/macosxsingleuser.php>
Basically, you hold down the command-s key when powering on.
1) Get the Mac to set up a new administrative account. You can then delete the old account.
This was Posted by: JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
OK, restart your computer, hold down Command-s and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -y Enter
/sbin/mount -uaw Enter
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone Enter
reboot Enter
Once you've done that the computer reboots and ask you to set up an admin password.

How to reset administrator password without a disk

how can i reset administrator password without a disk....first time using macbook....
please help me to reset the adm. password step by step.
thank you so much

http://www.rit.edu/its/services/desktop_support/mac/xforcenewadminacccount.html
http://osxdaily.com/2011/04/25/change-admin-password-mac/
http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/24/reset-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-password/

When trying to install Epson R200 driver/utility combo, the installer gets stuck in an endless loop asking for admin password without installing. Any idea how to fix this problem?

When trying to install Epson R200 driver/utility combo, the installer gets stuck in an endless loop asking for admin password without installing. Any idea how to fix this problem?

Have you checked on the Epson support site? R200 support is located here.

Resetting Administrative Password without startup disk

Away from my home, attempting to access Macbook Pro administrative settings. Forgot password and unable to gain access without my startup disk. Wondering if there is a way around this or a way to reset password.

Forgot Your Account Password
For Snow Leopard and earlier
     Mac OS X 10.6- If you forget your administrator password
For Lion/Mountain Lion
    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 and
     OS X Lion- Apple ID can be used to reset your user account password.
If you are unable to boot from an installer DVD:
(these will only work on Leopard or earlier)
1. Boot to Safe Mode by restarting and after the chime press and hold down
      the COMMAND-S keys until a black screen with white type appears.
2. At the prompt, type the following commands pressing return after each
      command line:
     /sbin/fsck -yf
     If you do not receive a "Filesystem OK" message then repeat this command
     until you do. If after seven tries you still do not receive a "Filesystem OK"
     message, then the system is corrupted and needs to be reinstalled.
     mount -uw /
     cd /private/var/db/netinfo
     mv local.nidb local.old
     rm ../.AppleSetupDone
     shutdown -r now
The second-to-last command above will cause OS X to think that the operating system is newly installed, and when the new owner starts up the computer it will send him/her to the startup wizard where he/she can start a new user without reinstalling.
This last method does not actually change a password. It simply removes the user accounts and lets you create an initial admin account as if the computer were new out of the box.
Reset Admin Password Using The Terminal
You can reset the password by printing out (or writing down) and carefully following these steps.
First, find the short name of the admin user on the machine. The easiest way of doing this is by looking at what the directory is called in the Users folder.
Now, start in Single-user Mode. It should boot into a command line.
Enter these exact lines. Press RETURN after each.
mount -uw /
ifconfig lo0 up
cd /var/db/netinfo
netinfod -s local
Now you'll need that short name. Enter "passwd", a space, and the short name of the admin. For example, if the admin was rather prosaically called "imadmin", you would enter "passwd imadmin".
The computer will now prompt you to change the password for "lmadmin" (or whatever the short name was). Go ahead and enter a new password.
Now, enter:
sync
reboot
and the machine will reboot. The admin password should now be changed.

I need to reset admin password w/o disk

I need to reset my Admin. password on iMac can not find disk updated to OSX 10.9.3

If the user account is associated with an Apple ID, and you know the Apple ID password, then maybe the Apple ID can be used to reset your user account password.
Otherwise*, start up in Recovery mode. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, select
Utilities ▹ Terminal
from the menu bar. In the window that opens, type this:
res
Press the tab key. The partial command you typed will automatically be completed to this:
resetpassword
Press return. A Reset Password window opens. Close the Terminal window to get it out of the way.
Select your startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name) if not already selected.
Select your username from the menu labeled Select the user account if not already selected.
Follow the prompts to reset the password. It's safest to choose a password that includes only the characters a-z, A-Z, and 0-9.
Select
 ▹ Restart
from the menu bar.
You should now be able to log in with the new password, but your Keychain will be reset (empty.) If you've forgotten the Keychain password (which is ordinarily the same as your login password), there's no way to recover it.
*Note: If you've activated FileVault, this procedure doesn't apply. Follow instead these instructions.

I've forgotten my Administrator Password. When researching, it generally tells me I need to reboot my account with the original start-up disk. Is there a way to go about resetting your password without the disk?

Please if anyone can be of help whom knows how to reset your adminsistrator password without your original start-up disk, I would really appreciate it! Thanks

Try the method as mentioned by " Ds Store " in the below User Tip. You will have to boot your Mac in Single User Mode where you can reset the Password using Terminal Command and without the Snow Leopard Disc.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5381

Forgot admin. password, using install disk- STILL CAN'T RESTART IT :[

I'm so frustrated.
I forgot my administrator password, so I read up that I use my Mac OS X Install Disc 1
At first, I wasn't able to restart it because it said I needed a password, so then I did manual restart while holding the C key and that worked...
Then I clicked on utilities and selected the only user option typed in my new password... and then a screen popped up that it cannot restart my password because I'm denied permission or it failed due to a general error.
What the heck? How am I supposed to change my password, its getting really frustrating because I haven't been able to update anything for about 2 months.

Just to make sure that "general error" isn't due to disk problems, once you have booted up from the Install DVD and before you try changing the password, go to Disk Utilities in the same Utilities menu and do a Repair Disk on your regular startup volume. Redo if any errors appear, until it comes out clean. Then, do a Repair Permissions, which needs to be done only once. With that out of the way, retry changing the password.

Resetting admin password with install disc

Hi. I am using 10.4.7. I do not know the admin password - the computer belonged to a deceased relative. I want to change the password so I can install programs etc. I have the install disc, but when I click on the Install icon in order to change the password, it asks me for my admin password.
I have looked at several topics about this and have not seen this problem addressed. Any help would be greatly appreciated - I am not used to Macs! Thanks.

Hi mluthin, and a warm welcome to the forums & Macs!
Boot up while holding the Option key down until you see the boot manager, do you see this...
Firmware password protection in Mac OS X ...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352
It would block usage of all the startup keys, like C, N, T, D, CMD+s, CMDOption+pr, CMD +v, Option, and Shift, as well as booting from anything but the Hard Drive.
Finally which exact model of Mac is this?

Resetting admin password sans startup disk

Hi! I have an iMac G5 (non intel) that I stopped using about three years ago after we got laptops. I change my passwords frequently and now I can only log into my son's account. I need to reset the admnin password for the whole thing and the only tutorial I saw needed the startup disk and the only one I have is the one for my laptop. Does anyone know how to fix this?

JackNordic,
Mac OS X 10.6 requires a Mac computer with an Intel processor.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/specs.html

How do i reset admin password without cd

I GOT MY MACBK FROM MY AUNT, SHE NEVER TOLD ME ADMINPASSWD ANY1 KNOW WHAT 2 DO?

Resetting or changing an account password:
For Snow Leopard or ealier: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274
For Lion or later: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6022

8,000 miles from home. No OS disks. Forgotten Administrator password. Is there a way to reset password without OS disks

8,000 miles from home. No OS disks, Is there a way I can reset administrator password without OS disks? thanks lynda

If you can access the Web*, try this link: http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-73393-change-mac-admin-password-without-the-d isk
Caveat: not tried by me.
* I assume you have Web access because you posted here.

How can I reset my admin. password without the MAC OXS reinstall, bought mine used and have no such disk

Hi, how can I change my admin password without the reinstall of MAC OXS disk or whatever that is, I bought my macbook privately and cant update my adobe flash without the password which I have never set up. but anything I type in is wrong...... as a password.

ok have read all relivant posts and have tried the restart command+R which does absolutely nothing. My Computer opens up as usual.
I have found another response which suggests command+S and generate an entirely new admin. and password and you are not supposed to loose a single file.
Has anyone done this and been successful? I have just installed a new hard drive in the last 3 months and don't want to do any damage.
Hearing a success story would be nice. Thanks

How to reset my admin password without a password

Hi, I forgot my admin password and can start my Macbook 13

With 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6 put your install DVD into the optical drive (CD/DVD drive) and reboot. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc. As soon as you hear the boot chime, hold down the "c" key on your keyboard (or the Option Key until the Install Disk shows up) until the apple shows up. That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
When it does start up, you'll see a panel asking you to choose your language. Choose your language and press the Return key on your keyboard once. It will then present you with an Installation window. Completely ignore this window and click on Utilities in the top menu and scroll down to Reset Password. After resetting the password use Startup Disk from the same menu to choose your hard drive for startup and restart.
If you're running 10.7 Lion check this article
http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/24/reset-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-password/
With 10.8.3 restart holding the Command and R keys, then from the drop down
of actions, choose Terminal. When Terminal opens type:
resetpassword
and press enter.
You will get a reset password window from which you can select the user you want to reset, the admin account in your case. Type a new password twice, do not do anything with the hint box. Click Save, then confirm you want to do this reset. Then click apply to the user's home directory, and click the apple in the left corner, and choose Restart.

Resetting Password without startup disks

Left startup disks home, unable to get access to administrative settings. How do I reset password without startup disk?

jsmurphy06 wrote:
Left startup disks home, unable to get access to administrative settings. How do I reset password without startup disk?
"unable to get access to administrative settings?"
Why, are you admin or not?

Resetting admin password *without* install disks?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for

Resetting admin password without install disks?