Q: Used Powerbook G4 needs password to login after startup.
I bought a Powerbook G4 used at an estate sale (had to buy a power cord later to charge the battery and start it up.) It has OS X on it and it requires a password (with the existing user name) to login, which I don t have. What can I do to get around that? I left the sale with only the laptop and need help...
iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)
Posted on Oct 1, 2016 6:18 PM
You should start it up from a Mac OS X installation disc (in optical drive), erase the internal drive, and re-install Mac OS X. A PowerBook G4 can run up to Tiger (10.4.11) or Leopard (10.5.8), depending on the specific model. See if you can determine your model, using this web page (with links to detailed profiles) and any labeling on back of PowerBook's casing
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/index-powerbook-g4.html
You don't need to find that exact model. There are two general types. The "Titanium" PowerBook G4 and "Aluminum" PowerBook G4. If it's Aluminum, it can run up to Leopard. It it's Titanium, 867 Mhz and faster can run up to Leopard; slower can run up to Tiger.
Then, you'll need to acquire the appropriate Mac OS X installation disc. There are some considerations; you can post back with what you find out about the model.
Posted on Oct 1, 2016 6:41 PM