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Admin password & login problems with a new iMac

Hi,


Please could somebody help me with this issue.


I have just purchased a new/re-conditioned iMac 27" from the US. It's a monster beauty but I can't login to make changes, ie. reset password ect in system preferences?


The seller in the US has confirmed that no login password has been set up by himself and I should be able to get in with 'Full name: My Mac and Password: blank (Hit enter key) but when I go System Preference > System > User & Groups > Click lock to make changes and hit 'Enter in the password box under Name 'My Mac' I just get a shuddering box and it won't login me in to make my changes.


My retailer insists that no password has been set and believes I must be doing something wrong not to be able to login. He has instructed me just to hit Enter to be able to continue but this is not working.


This a a new iMac, it smells new and surely there must be a way to reset a password or if there is a factory stored password that you reset on delivery and set up. Is there anyway I can get round this? I just cant install software until I can login as Administrator.


Please let me know if I am doing something fundementally wrong?


Many thanks

Simon

(United Kingdom)

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 3.4 Ghz Intel Core 1.7 - 8GB memory

Posted on Mar 6, 2012 9:58 AM

Reply
8 replies

Mar 7, 2012 8:35 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

Thanks for that Frank. I am now told by the retailer that none of the Macs since Lion have shipped with OSX Restore DVDs and I should hold down the Alt key when booting & I will have the option to log into the Recovery partition, or connect to it via WIFI over the cloud.


I do need to create a new administrator from scratch but do not no the password to the admin login.


Would you recommend this method and will it harm my data and software installed? I am very new to this and any advise will be much appreciated!


Many thanks

Simon

.

Apr 7, 2012 2:34 AM in response to Sizo65

I want to piggyback on the query you have made as I found the answers useful. I have a situation similar, though I am presently not locked out or having any troubles. I have a password which is BLANK. When I bought the MacBook Pro, the sales rep (this was at an Apple reseller location not an Apple Store) advised me to set it up with a blank password and I could change it later.


So, for now, whenever I want to make any system change, install software etc, I simply hit the return key when asked for the password, as mine is BLANK.


I want to know what are the steps to take to set up a password now. I am assuming that I go to the System Preferences, System, Users and Groups, and for administrator, click change password. Up to this step, very easy. It is what happens next that concerns me.


I have no users set up on the machine. I am the exclusive user.


When I am asked to enter my password, do I enter a "return" command or do I "tab" past the block for the password?

Admin password & login problems with a new iMac

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