Resetting unknown Admin password on refurb 12.1" iBook G4
Last week my wife bought a reputedly Apple-refurbished iBook G4 from an online retailer. Received it Tuesday. Everything works fine, except that neither the online company nor Apple (if it was they who reputedly refurbed the thing) provided us with an Admin password. Under the "Accounts" tab in Sys Prefs, there is only one account:
User
Admin
And the online retailer helpfully provided NO System disk.
This is obviously a dead-stop problem, as no software updates, Migration, or any other function that requires password authentication can be carried out without knowing the original password.
Hoping -- the fool's faith -- to fix the problem myself, I read Article: HT1274 Mac OS X: Changing or resetting an account password, which says, in part:
"Follow these steps to reset a password when there is only one administrator account on the computer, or if the original administrator account needs a password reset. "Original" administrator account refers to the one that was created immediately after installing Mac OS X…. Start up from a Mac OS X Install disc (one whose version is closest to the version of Mac OS X installed). Usually, you can start from the disc by putting it in your computer, restarting, and holding the C key. Or, put it in the computer and click the Install or Restore icon you see in the disc's main window (after which the computer will start from the disc without you needing to hold C). Or, you can use Startup Manager or the Startup Disk preference pane to select the Install disc.
Choose a language, click the arrow button to continue,
Mac OS X v10.6 or later: Choose Password Reset from the Utilities menu.
Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.4: Choose Reset Password from the Utilities menu.
Mac OS X v10.3: Choose Reset Password from the Installer menu.
… Select your Mac OS X hard disk volume.
Select the user name of your original administrator account."
or, in even simpler terms:
"To reset the administrator password using the Mac OS X disc:
Insert the Mac OS X Install disc and restart the computer.
When you hear the startup tone, hold down the C key until you see the spinning gear.
"When the Installer appears *, choose Utilities > Reset Password.
"Follow the onscreen instructions to change the password.
"Quit the Installer and restart your computer while holding down the mouse button to eject the disc."
That sounds all very straightforward. Unfortunately, as in most of real life, it hasn't worked in the very simple and straightforward manner advertised -- in fact, it hasn't worked at all. I followed the steps in Article HT1274, using an original OS X Tiger v10.4 install disk from one of my PBG4 Titaniums. Whatever way I use to boot the thing up ("…you can start from the disc by putting it in your computer, restarting, and holding the C key. Or, put it in the computer and click the Install or Restore icon you see in the disc's main window [after which the computer will start from the disc without you needing to hold C]. Or, you can use Startup Manager or the Startup Disk preference pane to select the Install disc," I get stuck at the * the Installer never appears, just a window I can't get out of or past, telling me how to put batteries in the older, rounded, rocker-click wireless mouse (NOT the new BlueTooth Magic Mouse mouse I have for my 27" iMac). Why this particular window should show up (it NEVER has done so, using the very same disc on installs and re-installs of my PBG4s), I have no idea.
What I DO know, to my consternation and mounting frustration at the last lost 5 hours (and counting) of trying to get the actions described in Article HT1274, is that all that ever happens is that the little "rotating gear" (ex-Beach Ball) "searching" icon spins and spins and spins over the window showing me how to insert batteries in the mouse -- once this morning, it spun for over half an hour, which was 20 minutes after than EITHER of the drives stopped accessing -- but the little "rotating gear" never stops or goes away, nor can I ever get out of the "change batteries" window and continue on to the stage where Article HT1274 authoritatively states that I can then:
"Choose a language, click the arrow button to continue, and… [for] Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.4: Choose Reset Password from the Utilities menu," then "… Select your Mac OS X hard disk volume." Then "Select the user name of your original administrator account" and proceed to change the password. Nice, if it worked.
It doesn't.
In brainless desperation, I even tried starting up from the OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard disk that came with my 27" iMac. Since only Intel Macs can use Snow Leopard, and this 12.1" iBook is, of course, PPC-based, I got the immediate raspberry when I tried to use it to get to the starting point of Article HT1274.
So I'm stuck. I've searched the Apple Support knowledgeable and relevant discussions with no luck whatsoever. If anyone out there knows how to get past this logjam, I'd be most appreciative of any guidance.
Oh, and the problem has just been made oh-so-much-easier by the fact that for unknown reasons, I can't log in to Apple's Discussions, though I've been logging in for years with no problems. All I get today is:
"We're sorry.
We can't find the page you're looking for.
Please return to the Apple Support homepage."
Assuming I'm never going to be able to log on to Apple Discussions in the foreseeable future, I just talked with AppleCare (which I have for my 27" iMac, but not this refurb iBook), and paid $33 for an original retail iBook G4 OS X 10.4 startup disk.
Again, if anyone out there knows how to get past this logjam, I'd be most appreciative of any guidance.
11/12/10 Update: managing to actually reach Apple customer support yesterday, I was able to purchase a 12.1" iBook G4 System disk for the very reasonable price of $16.50. Unfortunately, the shipping cost was a very UNreasonable $16.50, an odd congruence.
Problem iBook:
iBook G4 (M9846LL/A)
PowerBook6, 7
CPUType: PowerPC G4 (1.2)
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.33 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 133MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.9.3f0
Serial Number: 4HxxxxxxSE7
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
Version: 1.0
Installed OS: OS X Tiger 10.4.7
Install disk:
OS X Tiger v10.4
"Authenticate" window:
Name: User
Password: blank and unknown
Requested right: system.privilege.admin
Application: Install Mac OS X
Thanks
Bart Brown
User
Admin
And the online retailer helpfully provided NO System disk.
This is obviously a dead-stop problem, as no software updates, Migration, or any other function that requires password authentication can be carried out without knowing the original password.
Hoping -- the fool's faith -- to fix the problem myself, I read Article: HT1274 Mac OS X: Changing or resetting an account password, which says, in part:
"Follow these steps to reset a password when there is only one administrator account on the computer, or if the original administrator account needs a password reset. "Original" administrator account refers to the one that was created immediately after installing Mac OS X…. Start up from a Mac OS X Install disc (one whose version is closest to the version of Mac OS X installed). Usually, you can start from the disc by putting it in your computer, restarting, and holding the C key. Or, put it in the computer and click the Install or Restore icon you see in the disc's main window (after which the computer will start from the disc without you needing to hold C). Or, you can use Startup Manager or the Startup Disk preference pane to select the Install disc.
Choose a language, click the arrow button to continue,
Mac OS X v10.6 or later: Choose Password Reset from the Utilities menu.
Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.4: Choose Reset Password from the Utilities menu.
Mac OS X v10.3: Choose Reset Password from the Installer menu.
… Select your Mac OS X hard disk volume.
Select the user name of your original administrator account."
or, in even simpler terms:
"To reset the administrator password using the Mac OS X disc:
Insert the Mac OS X Install disc and restart the computer.
When you hear the startup tone, hold down the C key until you see the spinning gear.
"When the Installer appears *, choose Utilities > Reset Password.
"Follow the onscreen instructions to change the password.
"Quit the Installer and restart your computer while holding down the mouse button to eject the disc."
That sounds all very straightforward. Unfortunately, as in most of real life, it hasn't worked in the very simple and straightforward manner advertised -- in fact, it hasn't worked at all. I followed the steps in Article HT1274, using an original OS X Tiger v10.4 install disk from one of my PBG4 Titaniums. Whatever way I use to boot the thing up ("…you can start from the disc by putting it in your computer, restarting, and holding the C key. Or, put it in the computer and click the Install or Restore icon you see in the disc's main window [after which the computer will start from the disc without you needing to hold C]. Or, you can use Startup Manager or the Startup Disk preference pane to select the Install disc," I get stuck at the * the Installer never appears, just a window I can't get out of or past, telling me how to put batteries in the older, rounded, rocker-click wireless mouse (NOT the new BlueTooth Magic Mouse mouse I have for my 27" iMac). Why this particular window should show up (it NEVER has done so, using the very same disc on installs and re-installs of my PBG4s), I have no idea.
What I DO know, to my consternation and mounting frustration at the last lost 5 hours (and counting) of trying to get the actions described in Article HT1274, is that all that ever happens is that the little "rotating gear" (ex-Beach Ball) "searching" icon spins and spins and spins over the window showing me how to insert batteries in the mouse -- once this morning, it spun for over half an hour, which was 20 minutes after than EITHER of the drives stopped accessing -- but the little "rotating gear" never stops or goes away, nor can I ever get out of the "change batteries" window and continue on to the stage where Article HT1274 authoritatively states that I can then:
"Choose a language, click the arrow button to continue, and… [for] Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.4: Choose Reset Password from the Utilities menu," then "… Select your Mac OS X hard disk volume." Then "Select the user name of your original administrator account" and proceed to change the password. Nice, if it worked.
It doesn't.
In brainless desperation, I even tried starting up from the OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard disk that came with my 27" iMac. Since only Intel Macs can use Snow Leopard, and this 12.1" iBook is, of course, PPC-based, I got the immediate raspberry when I tried to use it to get to the starting point of Article HT1274.
So I'm stuck. I've searched the Apple Support knowledgeable and relevant discussions with no luck whatsoever. If anyone out there knows how to get past this logjam, I'd be most appreciative of any guidance.
Oh, and the problem has just been made oh-so-much-easier by the fact that for unknown reasons, I can't log in to Apple's Discussions, though I've been logging in for years with no problems. All I get today is:
"We're sorry.
We can't find the page you're looking for.
Please return to the Apple Support homepage."
Assuming I'm never going to be able to log on to Apple Discussions in the foreseeable future, I just talked with AppleCare (which I have for my 27" iMac, but not this refurb iBook), and paid $33 for an original retail iBook G4 OS X 10.4 startup disk.
Again, if anyone out there knows how to get past this logjam, I'd be most appreciative of any guidance.
11/12/10 Update: managing to actually reach Apple customer support yesterday, I was able to purchase a 12.1" iBook G4 System disk for the very reasonable price of $16.50. Unfortunately, the shipping cost was a very UNreasonable $16.50, an odd congruence.
Problem iBook:
iBook G4 (M9846LL/A)
PowerBook6, 7
CPUType: PowerPC G4 (1.2)
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.33 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512KB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 133MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.9.3f0
Serial Number: 4HxxxxxxSE7
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
Version: 1.0
Installed OS: OS X Tiger 10.4.7
Install disk:
OS X Tiger v10.4
"Authenticate" window:
Name: User
Password: blank and unknown
Requested right: system.privilege.admin
Application: Install Mac OS X
Thanks
Bart Brown
12.1" iBook G4, Mac OS X (10.4)
