Can't login to Leopard and would like to format drive

Question

Level 1

9 points

Can't login to Leopard and would like to format drive

I received my Leopard software in the mail and decided to install it onto my new imac which had tiger previously. Now I'm unable to login because my admin password doesn't work in Leopard.

Right now I'd like to format my drive and start over from scratch but I can't because I'm unable to login my account. It's like I'm trapped between the booting up and the login screen.

😟

imac 20' aluminum style, Mac OS X (10.5), none

Posted on Nov 10, 2007 1:06 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 10, 2007 3:56 AM in response to dcmhutch

Please see these Apple articles:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306840

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306876

You should not need to do a reformat.

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Answer 2

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 6:36 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I tried single-user mode. But the "launchct1" command doesn't work for some reason.
It keeps saying "command not found".

😟

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Answer 3

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 6:42 AM in response to dcmhutch

sorry I made a mistake on the command the "1" in launchct1 is really an l

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Answer 4

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 6:56 AM in response to dcmhutch

Can someone please tell me how to format my hard drive from the command line?? My imac is pretty new and has nothing on the drive so I don't mind doing it.

thanks in advance

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Answer 5

Nov 10, 2007 8:00 AM in response to dcmhutch

Are you able to boot from the install disk and format from there - you obviously can't format a disk while you're running off it, and you should be able to do an 'erase and install' from the install disk.

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Answer 6

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 8:28 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

This is my first Mac so I'm really new at this. How do I do an erase and install from my mac?? I've put the Leopard disk in the mac hoping it would takeover but I'm still stuck on the login screen.

Also I deleted my admin (me)on command line but forgot to type in the rest of "AuthenticationAuthority" that was in the support article. I'm sure that made my problem worst being that I can't access someone that I just erased. 😟 Now when I go to the login screen the username is called "other...". This is why I'd like to format my drive. I'll even replace the hard drive if I knew how to open up the new imacs.

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Answer 7

Nov 10, 2007 9:09 AM in response to dcmhutch

I haven't seen the Leopard install disks, but it will be along the lines of clicking on 'Install', where you will be offered the options 'Update', 'Archive and Install', 'Erase and Install': choose the latter. When installation is complete and you have restearted from the internal disk you will get a welcome screen where you can set up a new user.

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Answer 8

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 10:12 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

yeah I'm screwed.
Every time I put in the leopard disk nothing happens. I can hear the DVD player spinning but the mac does nothing. I even tried to use my tiger OS disk too and the same thing happened. Each time I put the disk inside I wait for a reaction and if there is nothing happening then I restart the mac (and sometime cold boot too) again hoping the CD takes over. But no dice. I'm so glad I didn't have anything important on the computer. 😟

Thanks for trying to help me.

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Answer 9

dcmhutch Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 10, 2007 3:24 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I finally got it to work!!! First thing I did was installed Tiger by installing the CD and pressing the "C" button when the computer loads so it would over ride the leopard login screen. Then after I reinstalled Tiger and made my account I installed Leopard.

I know it might sound a little confusing but I got it to work!!!!

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