I am using Mac OS X 10.6.8, I lost my administrator password. I am using the installation disk to reset it, however when I go to utilities and press restart, it is still asking me to put a password and that is the problem, I do not know it, even using the password hint. Please help.
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Booting From An OS X Installer Disc
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.
Reset Password:
For Snow Leopard and earlier with installer DVD
I have tried that but it is not recognizing the C. It just goes on to my regular start up screen. I did see the Mac OS X Install DVD come up. So I clicked on the Install Mac OS X icon, then I clicked on utilities and then it said,
"To restore your computer from a Time Machine backup, repair your disk using Disk Utility, or perform other tasks using utilities, click Restart. When the Mac OS X Installer opens, choose the utility you want to use from the Utilities menu."
Then when I clicked restart a box popped up saying, "Type your password to allow Install Mac OS X to make changes." But that is the problem, I do not know the password. I do get the password hint prompt but apparently my password is not the answer to my HINT. I did try to get into single user mode as if I didn't have a DVD using the command+S but my computer is not recognizing the command just as it does not recognize the C command when trying to restart with disk.
The good thing is that I am not logged off from my administrator account, my computer doesn't require me to use a password because it automatically loads to my desktop, I guess because I haven't logged off user. The password is just an issue because If I want to download or do updates, it is requiring my password.
Try this method:
Boot Using OPTION key:
1. Restart the computer.
2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the
"OPTION" key.
3. Release the key when the boot manager appears.
4. Select the installer DVD icon.
5. Click on the arrow button below the icon.
And, if this all fails you can try this:
How to Create a New User Account if You Cannot Access Your Admin Account
Reboot the computer. At the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-S keys to start into Single-user Mode.
You will boot to a black screen with scrolling white text, release the keys and wait for it finish.
Enter the following lines at the command prompt pressing RETURN after each:
mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone
reboot
After you reboot the computer you will be taken to the Setup Assistant. When you get to the point where you are asked to setup your new user account, create a new admin account. Be sure to name this user account something different than the admin user account that already exists on the system. When you finish the Setup Assistant, it will automatically log you into the new account.
You can transfer your files from the old account to the new one. See: Transferring files from one User Account to another. Once you have moved all your files into your new account, you can delete the old account using Accounts or Users & Groups preferences.
lost password
