change password in terminal question

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Level 1

10 points

change password in terminal question

My passwords are all screwed up. No longer am able to determine what user password is. Having problems booting into terminal to change password, so I go into terminal, verify user name and enter the following: " dscl localhost -passwd /Search/Users/****** " with ****** as the username. Command comes up to enter New Password which I do, hit return and I always get this:

passwd: Invalid Path

<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14009 (eDSUnknownNodeName)

I thought I was supposed to get confirmation of the password and yet I cannot.

Help is needed. I have three macs that I use to connect to each other and previously had no problems. Somehow passwords got mixed up and now I cannot connect from one to the other as before.

I need to change my passwords on all of them and would like to do it the easiest way. I'm thinking terminal might be that way.

Thanks.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 2 MBP, Mini Mac, iPhone 4

Posted on Dec 31, 2011 1:59 PM

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Answer 1

Tony T1

Level 6

10,247 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:00 PM in response to tdstout

Try: http://osxdaily.com/2011/09/19/change-password-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-without-knowin g-current-password/

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Answer 2

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:10 PM in response to Tony T1

Tony, thanks for the suggestion, however this is what I am doing now. After I enter the new password I get the message ....

passwd: Invalid Path

<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14009 (eDSUnknownNodeName)

Everytime. Also I have two admin IDs. I can log into one with correct password but it does not allow me to change password on the other. It is the other that I need to change. It is the other that is my main ID.

Thanks.

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Answer 3

Tony T1

Level 6

10,247 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:16 PM in response to tdstout

Did you try: http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/24/reset-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-password/

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Answer 4

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:37 PM in response to Tony T1

I am aware of this and have attempted it a number of times, however I am having problems getting the mac to boot by holding OPTION at start up. For some reason it will not. All I get it a blank screen that stays for ten minutes or more before I give up and reboot in normal manner. And I don't have a working boot disk. [ I should say I have a disk but it is requiring me to enter password before it will advance to either utilities or to So I am pretty much left trying to change password after a normal boot using terminal.

I am going to try to delete applesetupdone and create a new admin account. Only problem is I'm afraid of somehow deleting the user I need.

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Answer 5

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:52 PM in response to tdstout

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3599131?answerId=17102966022#17102966022 might help.

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Answer 6

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2011 3:56 PM in response to tdstout

I can't delete AppleSetupDone as it requires going into termainal via OPTION at boot up. Not sure what to do. I've long past the point of repetition, ergo, I am insane.

I've just noticed that my problem at start up might be due to using a bluetooth keyboard. I will plug in the old usb and see what happens.

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Answer 7

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Dec 31, 2011 4:08 PM in response to tdstout

Since you're running Lion, you should be able to access Terminal via the Recovery HD. Restart holding down CMD+R.

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Answer 8

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2011 5:03 PM in response to baltwo

I appreciate all the advice. I can get into Terminal but then unable to perform the functions. For example, when I was in Terminal I could not get to proper setting to show up to enter what I needed.... it displayed bash and some other stuff.

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Answer 9

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Dec 31, 2011 5:16 PM in response to tdstout

I should be pleased everything else is fine with all my macs. Not being able to connect from one to the other is small potatoes as they say in Boise. Besides it is New Years Eve and I've been doing this for far too long tonight. I'll get back to it later.

Thanks again. And if you have sure fire ways of resolving this please let me know.

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Answer 10

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Jan 1, 2012 11:57 AM in response to tdstout

Might take some tricking, since most likely there's only a subset of Terminal commands available via the Recovery HD. One thing to try is to see if you can get into your HD's /bin folder wherein is the re command. Then, something like this WAG should work:

/Volumes/"name of HD"/bin/rm /Volumes/"name of HD"/var/db/.AppleSetupDone

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Answer 11

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Jan 1, 2012 4:28 PM in response to baltwo

If you can start the Recovery HD, just type resetpassword in Terminal.

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Answer 12

tdstout Author

Level 1

10 points

Jan 4, 2012 7:02 PM in response to tdstout

Sorry for the time delay... new years etc. No, the problem is not resolved. I am having more problems now that I no longer know various keychain passwords and user password.

The funny thing is ... I set the system up with two users, both mine. The first was a mistake and I was afraid to delete the user for fear of losing documents and files. The second is the one I use, and it does not require a password to access. However if I attempt to change the password it will not allow me to do so.

When I have gone into Terminal to change the password, I am unable to do so. Here is an example:

passwd

Last login: Wed Jan 4 18:46:44 on console

MacMini:~ tdstout$ passwd

Changing password for tdstout.

Old Password:

New Password:

Retype New Password:

MacMini:~ tdstout$ 092147

-bash: 092147: command not found

MacMini:~ tdstout$

So it appears that I should be able to change the password but it is not happening. I'd really like to fix this. What is this -bash ?

Thanks again.

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