I forgot my password!

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Level 1

35 points

I forgot my password!

Hello everyone,

I have forgotten my password, which means that I cannot install new software. I decided to reinstall Tiger but this also requires the password. I have searched this topic but have not found any suggestion that worked.

iMac Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Oct 8, 2007 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Oct 8, 2007 12:04 PM in response to Laszlo Stock

Start with http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106156

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Answer 2

Laszlo Stock Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 13, 2007 7:47 AM in response to Laszlo Stock

Dear Baltwo,

thank you for your quick answer. Actually, I checked a very useful book (guess which one or ask me in a private email:<edited by host - please for your protection do not place your email address in the body of a post.> ) and I found the following:
switch on the computer
insert Mac OS install disc
restart the computer while holding down the letter 'C' key
don't bother about the appearing window but select "Reset password" instead from the Installer menu

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Answer 3

Laszlo Stock Author

Level 1

35 points

Oct 9, 2007 12:16 AM in response to Laszlo Stock

sorry, I posted the first half of this message by mistake, I continue here:

so you selected "reset password" and gave a new one.
now you can quit the installer if you don't want to reinstall the system.

This solution was very quick and simple but I have to add that it worked because I did not set a master password when I set up the system. Now I have to sign in each time when I turn on the computer, which makes sure that I will not forget the password.
I think this master password thing is not offered when you first switch on your machine (but you can set it if you want to protect your machine strongly), which is very clever.
I am not thinking of setting a master password at all. : )

Thank you again for the quicjk answer, I will save it just to be on the safe side.

Laszlo

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Answer 4

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Oct 9, 2007 12:37 AM in response to Laszlo Stock

Thanks for the feedback. Good computing.

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Answer 5

thisists

Level 1

0 points

Nov 12, 2007 11:06 AM in response to baltwo

what can i do if i do not have my mac os disc?

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Answer 6

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Nov 12, 2007 4:30 PM in response to thisists

VERY CAREFULLY (a mistake can wipe your hard drive), do the following:
1. Boot in single user mode (immediately after pressing the power button, hold S.)
2. Type ($ represents the command prompt, don't type it, (RETURN) means press return, not type it):
$ rm /var/db/.applesetupdone (RETURN)
$ reboot (RETURN)

You will be able to create a new admin account, then from there reset your account's password.

Good luck!

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Answer 7

koset

Level 1

0 points

Dec 6, 2007 8:26 PM in response to joshz

Friends, I did a bonehead thing. I changed my password, but when I went to log in with it, it didn't work. Yes, I'm sure I'm typing it correctly, but alas it still didn't work.

I was able to restore it to the previous password with these steps.
1. Log in with another account that has administrator privilege (or root user).
2. Restore the files in /Library/Keychains using Time Machine. Voila, I had my old password back.

This didn't restore my keychain password. I could have done that too, but I'm using FileVault and it would be more trouble than it was worth to get that back. Without FileVault you can just restore the /Users/myself/Keychains files. With FileVault, I'd have to restore the entire user directory to another location and copy over the files I want. Perhaps I'll do so in another circumstance.

I hope this helps someone else in the same predicament.
Koset

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Answer 8

koset

Level 1

0 points

Dec 6, 2007 8:28 PM in response to koset

typo ... /Users/myself/Keychains should be /Users/myself/Library/Keychains

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