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All replies
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Helpful answers
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Aug 26, 2012 5:09 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,That sounds like you are encountering a firmware password. Without that password, you cannot reinstall the system, among other things. If you don't know that password for whatever reason, you will need to take the machine to Apple for assistance. For security reasons, there is no other way to reset a firmware password.
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Aug 26, 2012 5:24 AM in response to thomas_r.by Exhibiton,Never entered that kind of password any of my computers...
Are you sure? I have installed and reinstalled this computer many times before and never met this lockscreen..
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Aug 26, 2012 5:22 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,If it was bought second-hand, the previous owner set a firmware password. If you can still contact the seller, try asking for the password. If not, the Apple Store is the only option.
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Aug 26, 2012 5:24 AM in response to thomas_r.by Exhibiton,If this is the case, shouldnt it have asked that password before also? This is the first time in a year it asked for it.
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Aug 26, 2012 5:48 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,The firmware password is only involved in certain limited actions, such as booting from another drive. See:
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Aug 26, 2012 6:02 AM in response to Exhibitonby Shootist007,Exhibiton wrote:
If this is the case, shouldnt it have asked that password before also? This is the first time in a year it asked for it.
Was your Air bought Used?
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Aug 26, 2012 6:08 AM in response to Shootist007by thomas_r.,Was your Air bought Used?
One of his messages said that it was, though oddly, I notice that that part of the message has been changed.
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Aug 26, 2012 7:23 AM in response to thomas_r.by Exhibiton,Yes it was bought used.
I have though before installed systems from a scratch to it and it did not prompt me thsi password... Or if it did it was the admin password since I got through it.
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Aug 26, 2012 7:51 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,You can install systems like Lion and Mountain Lion without rebooting from a separate disk, just by running the installer. I would guess that this would not involve the firmware password (though I'm not sure, as that install method is relatively new and not mentioned in Apple's documentation of firmware passwords).
However, if you have done clean installs on that machine at any point, booting from an install disk or into recovery mode, then I would think the firmware password must have been added at some later date.
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Aug 26, 2012 9:31 AM in response to thomas_r.by Exhibiton,I have done 2 clean installs for this same computer in the past and it did not prompt this password.
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Aug 26, 2012 10:18 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,Then the password was added somehow after the last clean install. Regardless of how it happened, though, the screen that you took a picture of is a firmware password screen.
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Aug 26, 2012 10:20 AM in response to thomas_r.by Exhibiton,Oddd.... Im the only person who's ever used it.. And Im a pretty experienced user so this wouldnt have happened without me knowing..
Oh well, I guess I have to go to an apple store..
You think a normal Apple repairshop will do? Finland doesnt have official stores..
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Aug 26, 2012 10:25 AM in response to Exhibitonby thomas_r.,I'm not actually sure... you'll probably want to call them in advance to find out. If not, I guess try calling Apple's tech support for advice.