Q: How do I get into or get a startup disk for an older Apple Ibook I have forgotten the pass word for?

Toward obtaining the correct OS X install discs you would need to identify the unit

correctly; you may be able to locate a 'retail version' OS X suited for the model...

However some were too old to run the last supported OS X Leopard 10.5, so for

those the even older OS X Tiger 10.4 or Panther 10.3 discs may be correct. The

determining factor in using the last OS X versions supported by PowerPC CPUs

is the processor speed. Leopard won't install in a computer with under 867MHz

processor, Tiger would be the last system it could directly install from retail disc.

That is the line. And certain older models would need at least their own original

OS X software install restore packet version that shipped with them when new,

as a minimum; those are on grey label disc. Or a retail later version, not to

exceed the last supported OS X the hardware could run. Intel versions can't.

How to identify the Apple Laptop, iPad, iPod... (this company may have install discs)

http://www.welovemacs.com/howtoidyoapl.html

If you can find the serial number, on the back (maybe) or in the battery compartment

that could be used in a web page Serial Number lookup to determine its vintage.

• Mac Serial Number Info - Lookup your Apple Serial Number:

https://www.powerbookmedic.com/identify-mac-serial.php

Other information resources include http://everymac.com for product build model

details including last supported OS X versions, and other detailed specifications.

With the information from the machine, those sites should help discover what it is

exactly, and then you can choose to look into Amazon, eBay, or some other Apple

centric resellers (or computer stores with old stock, clean used retail Apple OS X

discs; not the grey-label ones made only for certain Mac builds, unless exact) to

look & maybe buy the installer DVD media for vintage/obsolete iBook you have.

There are no discs for these available from Apple, though in some regions up to a

few years ago, the Apple Support (main number, online) had been able to match

up and make a copy from their digital archive, of a replacement install DVD for

Tiger (or for Leopard) depending on serial number and age of the Mac, for a fee.

Sorry there isn't much else I may suggest; except to be on the lookout for other

older Macs that may or may not have software included on retail disc media of

the correct vintage which can have a higher value than an older broken Mac.

And even those may be worth considering, if you want to learn repair skills.

Note the iFixit.com site has mac repair guides for many models, at no cost.

Good luck & happy computing!

Another path is to try a method to reset the admin password without the installer boot disc

as suggested here (note there are differences in OS X versions and methods)

"You can reset a forgotten Mac password without a Mac OS X installer CD/DVD or any kind of

boot drive or recovery partiton, and without having an Apple ID...."

http://osxdaily.com/2010/08/10/forgot-mac-password-how-to-reset-mac-password/

Hopefully the section in here may give you some ideas, single user or command line

is not for everyone... Good luck!