I bought a Mac Pro. Has OS but is password locked/protected. So am planning on buying an OS to break the password thing and upgrade to Mountain Lion. Is this the path to take?
Thanks
Bob AZ
PowerMac, Serial Number 15******UPZ
No. Ask the person you bought it from for the password.
(74790)
I bought it from a University and they are not allowed to tell me anything.
Thanks for the response.
Bob AZ
That is ridiculous - you paid for it, but yet they will not let you own it, essentially, by not telling you the password. If it has OS X Lion or later, you can press Command + R during bootup, and run DIsk Utility and erase the disk. But if not I would try to get your money back.
It is a licensing thing. And if I read the posts here correctly I can get an OS for $20.00 and have everything working. The university does not refund. Also I may be able to drag the computer to an Apple shop and have the password reset.
Thanks for the input.
Bob AZ
And if I read the posts here correctly I can get an OS for $20.00 and have everything working.
Not quite. First, you would have to log in to be able to purchase it. Secondly, even if you purchased it on another computer, moved it to a USB and booted off of it, the upgrade would not remove the password. Best thing to do is erase the disk as I described in my previous post, set it up with your own information, and then purchase an OS upgrade if you want. If it has an older OS, see if you can give that Apple store a visit.
I am able to only boot to a screen that asks for the password. No other options available at this point. I am not even sure which OS I have other than it is an OS X. No version information. I am sure there are many files and other information that perhaps the password owner would not like to share. For $20.00 it all would be mine and not otheres.
I will pursue password breaking online this evening but will probably end up at the apple shop.
I do need to read some more and find out how to erase the HD.
Take care
Bob AZ
Does the computer include DVDs to reinstall OS X? If your Mac includes them, insert the Mac OS X DVD, press C key while your Mac is starting, go to Utilities menu > Disk Utility to erase the disk, and install Mac OS X. Anyway, your case is very strange: if the Mac came with a password, the university should give you it
| Model: | - Mac Pro (CTO) |
| Codename: | - No codename assigned. |
| Build Country: | - We don't know where this unit was built. |
| Build Year: | - This unit was built in 2007. |
| Build Week | - Your Mac was built in week 25 of that year (June). |
| Production Nr.: | - This unit was number 400 to be built that week. |
|
 |  |
| Operating System and Software | ||||
|
>> N.B. It will NOT run 10.8
You should CALL the Apple Online Store and order a 10.6 DVD.
.
Grant
Your post is interesting because I thought that Tiger was just for Mac G5s that used the Pro processor. I was also of the thought that my Mac Pro used Mountain Lion. But whatever I am going to recheck the Serial Number to verify that my post of the serial number is correct.
I do have several Mac G5s that have the Leopard OS X loaded and working well.
And as my original post indicated, I still need to get the password reset. Perhaps I will get to the Apple store Monday to do this.
I am very much a novice at Macs so have lots to learn.
Thanks for your input.
Bob AZ
The Mac OS X versions listed were issued as a "Universal" version, as were several versions of 10.5. 10.6 and later are Intel-ONLY.
Grant et al
Some success. Not everything but at least on the way.
Between the Internet and the Apple Store thing the password is reset and everything looks like it is "Bob Watson". No way am I sure what all is.
Did some checking on the "About This Mac/System Software Overview" window and it looks like I have OS X version 10.6.8. There was a reference to Leopard but it did not stay long enough to see everything.
The Processor is a 2 X 3GHZ Quad Core Intel Xeon.
So do I stop here or go on and try for Mountail Lion?
Thanks all for the help. I do need to do the points thing too. Not sure how to do this.
Bob AZ
<Edited by Host>
So do I stop here or go on and try for Mountail Lion?
The information I posted above appears to still be correct.
You have a 2007 model, and can NOT run 10.8 Mountain Lion.
I suggest you stay with what you have for a while.
IOS-derived features begin to intrude in 10.7, but iCloud is a feature you may want from 10.7. Unless you find features in later versions compelling, what you have is well understood and currently, well supported.
Bought a Mac Pro. Need OS Information
