User profile for user: archivery
archivery Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Reset password on terminal reboot can’t find user

Hi all

I restarted the Mac mini to reset the password for one account as forgot the login - been cleaning pc to sell - and can’t find the user to login into to change the password for.

So a user pops up on the start up but how do I shift to the other user I reset the password for? And can’t find the user the Mac defaults to on start up.

I have done a terminal reset after backing up from time machine. Been trying to sell but slow so accessed the pc to use but now I found a buyer but the password won’t take.

Please can someone assist.

Mac mini, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 19, 2020 12:59 AM

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User profile for user: BDAqua
BDAqua
User level: Level 10
250,253 points

Posted on Feb 19, 2020 7:25 AM

Is there an admin user on it?


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065


Or...


You can create a new administrator account by restarting the Setup Assistant:

1. Boot into Single User Mode: Start/restart your Mac. As soon as you hear the startup tone, press and hold ⌘ + S until you see a black screen with white lettering. (If you end up back on the login screen after a flash of the black screen with white lettering, enter your password and it will return to the black screen.)

2. Check and repair the drive by typing /sbin/fsck -fy then ↩ enter - as directed by the on-screen text.

3. Mount the drive as read-write by typing /sbin/mount -uw / then ↩ enter.

4. Remove the Apple Setup Done file by typing rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone then ↩ enter.

5. Reboot by typing reboot then ↩ enter.

6. Complete the setup process, creating a new admin account.




Be very careful to notice the spaces in those Terminal Commands.




Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: BDAqua
BDAqua
User level: Level 10
250,253 points

Feb 19, 2020 7:25 AM in response to archivery

Is there an admin user on it?


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065


Or...


You can create a new administrator account by restarting the Setup Assistant:

1. Boot into Single User Mode: Start/restart your Mac. As soon as you hear the startup tone, press and hold ⌘ + S until you see a black screen with white lettering. (If you end up back on the login screen after a flash of the black screen with white lettering, enter your password and it will return to the black screen.)

2. Check and repair the drive by typing /sbin/fsck -fy then ↩ enter - as directed by the on-screen text.

3. Mount the drive as read-write by typing /sbin/mount -uw / then ↩ enter.

4. Remove the Apple Setup Done file by typing rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone then ↩ enter.

5. Reboot by typing reboot then ↩ enter.

6. Complete the setup process, creating a new admin account.




Be very careful to notice the spaces in those Terminal Commands.




Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!

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Reset password on terminal reboot can’t find user

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