I have a Mac Pro G5 Power PC. It was bought used, and the Admin (original owner) does not know what the password is. If I use the OSX 5.8 install and startup disc, will I lose all my files already on the computer? I need the Admin password to update software such as iTunes, Java, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated!
MacBook Pro
If you boot to the Installer/Utilities DVD, but do not install...
... and wait a quarter minute for the MenuBar to be drawn, you can select Reset password form one of the Menus.
It is assumed that, since you have a Installer/Utilities DVD and physical access to the computer, you can reset any password.
And no, nothing will be lost, just the passwords reset.
On a Mac that does not have serious internal faults, no files will be lost. Correct.
The Mac has the most approachable, user friendly interface of any commercialy-available system. That is one reason it is worth the premium you pay.
It is excellent for casual users. It does not bite you and seldom will surprise you. Decisons are always made in favor of the user having nothing changed unless they explicitly ask for it. Side effects are always accompanied by warnings that list the side effects. They have entire large departments that focus on issues of User Interface.
Contrast with raw unix. Type terse little commands from your memory with no easy ability to look through all commands or all options. If you make too many errors in a row, the system suggests you may need a nap. (Yes, I am serious.) Extremely powerful. Powerful enough to cut your hand off if you are not already an expert.
Thank you both so much.
Another question....When I boot it up, and have the C key held down, it opens the CD tray instead of booting the disc. Any thoughts?
Hold down the Alt/Option key. This runs an All-in-ROM program called the Startup Manager, which scans all the drives and draws an Icon for each potentially-bootable Volume.
The Startup Manager has fewer pre-conceived notions about minimum systems based on already-installed systems. You should be able to select the Installer/Utilities DVD and press the proceed arrow.
I see the standard Harddrive icon, but nothing called "installer/utilities DVD". And I can't even select it, because there is just a watch face with the hand spinning.
Startup Manager proceeds as if in slow motion, as it is checking everywhere for possible boot devices. Only when the watch disappers after several minutes does it bother to check the DVD reader for your installer/utilities DVD, probably named "Install Mac OS X".
Great. Thank you. Just didn't have Enough patience...
Still not working....I have booted while holding down the Alt/Option key, but the CD drive is still ejecting by itself after about a minute. It is still not recognizing the OS X disc during the boot up. Any thoughts?
If I use the OSX 5.8 install and startup disc,
Exactly what disc is this? It cannot be a disc for a specific model Mac, unless it is the one for EXACTLY your model.
It should be a "Full Retail" disc, which has drivers for every appropriate model Mac on it.
It says it is for OS X 10.5. I have 10.5.8 currently running.
It says it is a "CPU Drop in DVD" version 10.5
| Power Mac G3, G4, G5 | Date introduced |
Original Mac OS included |
Later Mac OS included |
Mac OS X Build(s) |
| Power Mac G5 - see Note 7 * | Jul 2003 | 9.2.2, 10.2.7 (G5), 10.2.8 (G5) | 10.3 | 6S74, 6S75, 6S80, 6S90, 7B85 |
| Power Mac G5 (June 2004) * | June 2004 | 10.3.4 | 10.3.7 | 7L18, 7L32, 7P124, 7T52 |
| Power Mac G5 (Late 2004) | Oct 04 | 10.3.5 | 10.3.7, 10.4 | 7P134, 7T52, 8A428 |
| Power Mac G5 (Early 2005) | Apr 05 | 10.4 | - | 8A428 |
| Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) | Oct 2005 | 10.4.2 | 10.4.4 | 8E90, 8G32 |
That may not be a recent enough version to boot your G5, if it was the last model on this list, for example.
Not sure what I'm looking at here. Mine was made on June 23, 2003. Does this mean I need a different version of the OS X install disc? I have bought a disc for the version currently running (10.5), but cannot get it to boot in order to reset the password. Do I need a disc for the version of OS X that came on the computer, or the version it is currently running?
Some versions of Mac OS X will "pull up the ladder" once they are installed on your Hard Drive. They make settings that may preclude the re-install of older versions.
Do an SMC Reset and a PRAM Reset to eliminate this pre-conceived notion of which Mac OS X is the minimum.
If no joy, you need to run a test to check further:
Power off.
Remove all your Hard Drives.
Power on and boot from the Installer DVD.
The rule now in effect is: "Draw an Icon for each potentially-bootable Volume in the machine".
If no Icons are drawn AFTER the resets, either your DVD reader is not working or the DVD is not a good enough version.
If you suspect DVD Reader problems, you could try a DVD Cleaner Disc to wipe off the lens a bit.
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Do you have another Mac? If so, which one?
So would trying an external DVD drive be my easiest option, and will the steps you suggested erase any files? I have a 15" MBP (late 2012) and a 13" MBP running 10.6.8.
Mac G5 Power PC forgotten password
