Lost login credentials for iMac

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Level 1

69 points

Lost login credentials for iMac

This is a surprise to me. But this computer is 8 to 10 years old and for the first time it is asking for my login name and password. The password I have, it is the login name that I remember that isn't working. I can see the name from my network settings with my laptop. I can also see it on Find My and play a sound with screen notification that won't go away with the enter key on the iMac.

The desktop screen does not look like anything I have seen before. I don't understand why it isn't showing the same screen as previously.

At any rate my question is there anything I can do to retrieve the credentials that the computer needs from me, that for some reason I can't provide?

I could try a restore from Time Machine, but that would be the last resort because it would be a full restore the way it works.

BTW I have restarted with the same results.

iMac 27″

Posted on Jul 6, 2023 10:20 PM

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Answer 1

ku4hx

Level 7

23,502 points

Jul 7, 2023 6:38 AM in response to dnorth12

What year is your Mac? Different year Macs have different features and capabilities, and saying it's somewhere around X years old will not narrow it down enough. https://www.idownloadblog.com/2020/11/12/find-age-of-mac/

Forgotten passwords: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202860. This may not be relevant at this point.

Here are two discussions of your problem that may be of help:

macbook pro asking for name and password … - Apple Community

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/354946/mac-asking-for-username-and-password-on-starting-up

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Answer 2

ku4hx

Level 7

23,502 points

Jul 7, 2023 2:07 AM in response to dnorth12

What does your screen look like? One of these: If your Mac doesn't start up all the way - Apple Support (ZA)

From your description so far, it sounds like your OS has failed.

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Answer 3

dnorth12 Author

Level 1

69 points

Jul 7, 2023 7:45 AM in response to ku4hx

It is a late 2013.

But I have gotten back in.

I reinstalled the OS only and when it restarted it took my full credentials and loaded my desktop.

I did that based on your suggestion that the OS may have quit. Although I never heard of that before. But so be it.

Thank you so very much for the help.

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Answer 4

dnorth12 Author

Level 1

69 points

Jul 7, 2023 3:54 AM in response to ku4hx

Actually none of those. Here is two iPhone pics. My normal login screen after a restart would be my selected icon and the prefilled login name and the empty password field.

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Lost login credentials for iMac

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