grey screen with lock icon

hi,

This is the same screen that I keep seeing. I've owned this white iMac since 2008 (late 2006 model) and I updated it last year, to Lion, then moved to my new house and couldn't log in. I placed it aside and now I really need data off of it. I turn it on, regardless of what I do I'll see the login screen with my picture, no menus and the password won't take. I've been able to get it to the grey lock screen and tried the password (plus some) and nothing. I know the computer works fine, maybe I've tried the password too many times. I tried the Firmware pw removal from apple documents without success, memory as well. Any suggestions without lugging it to the apple store, please do assist. I swear I thought I would have been able to reset the pw with my apple id but no, it won't seem to have the option. scratching my head often. I tried target disk mode, lock screen.

Also, I have all of the manuals, books, cds, etcetera from when I purchased, I've tried all of the original install disks and tried Lion Combo, I ordered the Lion CD (AGAIN PURCHASE grr) and am waiting for it to arrive however I'm quite certain it won't let me by the lock screen- there is no documentation about this screen online except for here, I've searched all day and found this thread- Thanks !

If it looks like this, Kappy is right and your firmware is locked. You need to use the password used when configuring this feature in Open Firmware.

To force remove password protection, change the amount of RAM by adding or removing DIMMs then reset the PRAM three times.

what if i dont have the disc

?

I was able to do this ! YAY ! I believe I did something incorrectly on the first go with the PRAM reset. I was able to enter Single User Mode with original disk. Yay ! It was indeed the firmware password! Thank you Kappy !

Following Kappy's steps, I did the following;

If you're running OS 9, you may need another mac (though i suspect a PC with firewire and a HFS driver would do) and a firewire cable. You will need to delete preferences pertaining to keychain access and any keychains in the preferences folder in the system holder The first imacs ran this so its plausible

If you're running OS X on the imac

Single user mode would do the trick unless there's open firmware password protection in place

To go into single user mode

1. Press the power button to start the computer.
2. Immediately press and hold the Command (Apple) key and one of the following: the "s" key for single-user mode. (Command-S) This should boot into a white screen, and iirc throw you into a command prompt

These instructions should work for older versions such as 10.4. Khafshoh S' version works for newer systems 10.5 and better - 10.7 also has yet another option for resetting the password involving the 'resetpassword' command in lion recovery.

Instructions for changing the password are based off of Apple's documentation though the documentation goes very in-depth.

You would then mount the file system as writable with

mount -uw /

then find out what the accounts on the system are with

ls /Users/

then change their passwords with

passwd username

reboot and get back into graphical mode with

reboot

Then check the accounts to work out which one is the admin account.

This is for those of you who've tried to find out how to do away with the gray padlock of death. You have to install the original OS disc that came with your computer. Insert it and go to Mac installer, under Disk Utilities to the drop down menu. Then go to about the fourth one down marked Firmware Password. When you do, it just turn off the password portion of it and you won't need to enter any password the next time you install or reboot from your DVD/CD disc. But just be aware that in doing this, anyone can login into your OS. Hope it helps. ~Kathryne

1. Insert OS X Installer Disc into the optical drive.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the "C" key.
4. Release the key when the spinning gear below the dark gray Apple logo appears.
5. Wait for installer to finish loading.

Good Day I have same problem it happens sometimes ago I switched on my IMac Desktop then it shows a hard disk and a picture of the world globe in clockwise direction spinning I tried to fix it then it became worst now it shows a padlock icon with a text box beneath it. I followed several tips on YouTube to fix it but kuldnt watched one video and followed the Instructions I happen to get the IMEC Reference Number and send to www.Unlockriver.com were they will do the resetting and send me with a flash drive but the Site it's still locked please I need help some other tips to fix my IMac. It has something to do with the firmware and the pram got corrupted it seems.

On the IMac Desktop 27inch it has no CD Slot when I start it shows the padlock icon so how can you reset the Pram all I have now is 24 reference number. Which I got following a tutorial on YouTube am stuck now

I had a similar issue when I was trying to access a partitioned hard drive on my mac desktop.

I successfully partitioned my mac hard drive to install windows software, however, once I had accessed my new partitioned hard drive (with a new user account/password etc), I could not access my original one. Every time I tried to reboot using the command key + other key options, a grey/black screen with a big padlock symbol and a login bar would appear.

Entering my passwords did work; I thought my computer was hijacked.

As it turns out, if you can access any of the partitioned hard drives, all you need to do is:

Enter system preferences, select startup disc, unlock changes (small padlock symbol that uses login password), select new partitioned hard drive, and click restart.

Thank for everyones' feedback, it helped me to problem solve:)

cheers

What bout on the 27inch IMac Desktop it has no CD Slot so how can I do the repair as you stated on the MAc with CD Slot. Firmware repair and the Pram to. I all I got now is when I start the System it shows the Grey padlock icon, managed to get the 24 IMEC Reference Number following some tips on YouTube am stuck now please any easy way out pls.

I have tried to reset my pram by pressing and holding command+option+p+r and by removing one of my memory sticks and same combo and this is the only screen I get.

I know this is old, but this worked! Thanks 🙂

Brandon my iMac as forgotten password stuck in a grey screen with a padlock asking password