HT204455: What is a firmware password and how do I set one up?

Learn about What is a firmware password and how do I set one up?
grahas

Q: Why does this Article say only these Macs or newer can do this. I know this to be false.

For example my late 2007 MacBook can do this if we are talking EFI firmware or my iBook if you include open firmware. But in terms of methods in the article older Macs do it the same, yet it indicates they can't do it.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 8:14 PM

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Q: Why does this Article say only these Macs or newer can do this. I know this to be false.

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  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Feb 11, 2016 8:20 PM in response to grahas
    Level 10 (270,309 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 11, 2016 8:20 PM in response to grahas

    What in the world are you talking about? Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Feb 11, 2016 8:25 PM in response to grahas
    Level 7 (25,724 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 11, 2016 8:25 PM in response to grahas

    The article is very clear about what type of firmware password they are referring to, and the issue is more the OS X which corresponds directly with the Mac version. The type of firmware password being referred to is supported by OS X Mavericks and higher. Your profile indicates that you are running Lion. Are you saying that you can follow the steps outlined on a machine running Lion?

     

    GB

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Feb 11, 2016 8:36 PM in response to grahas
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 11, 2016 8:36 PM in response to grahas

    "...For additional protection, you can also set a firmware password on your Mac. A firmware password

    prevents your Mac from starting up from any device other than your designated startup disk..."

     

    • Use a firmware password on your Mac - Apple Support

     

    This does not say - the first two points ahead of it - were not supported in an OS X prior to 10.9.5.

    The use of 'file vault' and 'user account password' basics go way back... nearly a decade.

  • by grahas,

    grahas grahas Feb 12, 2016 5:00 AM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (38 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 12, 2016 5:00 AM in response to Kappy

    I was using the "start a discussion" based on a KB article feature.

  • by grahas,

    grahas grahas Feb 12, 2016 5:01 AM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (38 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 12, 2016 5:01 AM in response to K Shaffer

    The article says:

     

    You can set a firmware password on these Macs:

     

     

    My mac is OLDER than this and not included on this article YET I can set a FIRMWARE password.

  • by grahas,

    grahas grahas Feb 12, 2016 5:09 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (38 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 12, 2016 5:09 AM in response to gail from maine

    Why yes. I can! IMG_0298.JPG

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Feb 12, 2016 12:00 PM in response to grahas
    Level 6 (8,471 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Feb 12, 2016 12:00 PM in response to grahas

    Because this isn't true on older macs.

     

    "Use a firmware password on your Mac

    Setting a firmware password in OS X prevents your Mac from starting up from any device other than your startup disk. "

     

    It's a polite way of saying the older machines could be hacked.   On newer machine, you need to go an apple store to get around the firmware password.

     

    R

  • by grahas,

    grahas grahas Feb 12, 2016 3:39 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (38 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 12, 2016 3:39 PM in response to rccharles

    But I did set up a firmware password on my older mac. What are you saying I did then?

     

    It prompts me for my password just like it does on newer Macs if I try to startup with ANY other disk.

     

    IMG_0299.JPG

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Feb 12, 2016 6:06 PM in response to grahas
    Level 6 (8,471 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Feb 12, 2016 6:06 PM in response to grahas

    It's a polite way of saying the older machines could be hacked. 


    I'm glad you feel well about turning on firmware password; however, making you feel well is all it does on older machines.


    The only security on a mac [ and many other computer os's ] is filevault [ full disk encryption ].

     

    R

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Feb 12, 2016 11:00 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 12, 2016 11:00 PM in response to rccharles

    Wasn't the firmware password able to be defeated by simply removing a memory

    stick in an older model Mac? Been awhile since I bothered & technology moves on.

     

    The workaround in older Macs for those who forgot their password set in firmware...

     

    • Bypass Mac Firmware Password (circa 2009)

    http://osxdaily.com/2009/10/19/bypass-mac-firmware-password/

     

    Seems to me there may be a 'hardware fix' in newer computers, such as those listed.

    Or with memory soldered-on-the-board, newer models are unable to have this done.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Feb 13, 2016 12:19 AM in response to grahas
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 13, 2016 12:19 AM in response to grahas

    The point is quite simply the feature you see and mention is not the main point of the article.

    Because that is not the part connected to the change, as related to these newer models...

     

    The entirety of the article and the intent, is directed to the newer models that also use:

     

    Find My Mac

    "When you use Find My Mac to lock your Mac, it also prevents your Mac from starting up by setting a

    firmware-based password. As soon as it receives the lock instruction from iCloud, your Mac displays

    a lock screen that has four to six blank fields.

     

    To unlock your Mac, enter the code you created when you locked your Mac from the Find My Mac website.

    If you forget or can't remember the password you set using the Firmware Password Utility or Find My Mac,

    schedule a service appointment with an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. Bring your

    proof of purchase (original receipt or invoice) with you. If you plan to visit an Apple Retail Store,

    make a reservation (available only in some countries)."

     

    The former means of defeating the firmware password that is stored in hardware is not feasible or practical

    and authentic owners should have no trouble with getting help for the newer Macs at authorized AASP...

    Also the tie-in with FindMyMac and other aspects of the firmware aren't the same in older hardware.

     

    There may have been a firmware update to help certain older models accommodate this feature; however

    if so the article does not imply anything for specific older models. So we can't take that as a blanket fact.

     

    So to use a support article to form a hypothesis and then not choose to see how it applied to the new hardware

    in the article, is a curious interpretation of the intent of providing those articles, of interest to newer product users.

     

    Hopefully this concludes today's broadcast...

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by etresoft,Solvedanswer

    etresoft etresoft Feb 13, 2016 4:50 PM in response to grahas
    Level 7 (29,071 points)
    Feb 13, 2016 4:50 PM in response to grahas

    Hello grahas,

    That article doesn't say anything whatsoever about older Macs. Most likely, that is because Apple considers that machine to be obsolete: Vintage and obsolete products - Apple Support