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Lost disk password - how to re-install OSX?

We have a mac mini in the office I desperatly need to get working so we can start developing an IOS app.


When you switch on, it asks for a "disk password". The guy who set this up has left, and we dont know what it is.


We have no other macs.


There is only one partition.


We tried booting with cmd-S to go into single user mode, but it doesnt.


We found an old Snow Leapard disk, and we can boot with this (by holding down option), it then works for a bit, then says you need to restart your computer. When we do this, and restart, it says "your computer was restarted because of a problem" then it just goes back to the "enter disk password" again. I.e it doesnt seem possible to re-install OSX from snow leapard DVD.


There seems to be no way to purchase a bootable/installable version of mountain lion, as we have no other macs to go to the appstore. Even if we bought or borrowed a second mac, just to be able to download mountain lion, We do not know if it is possible to convert it from the downloaded format (which is presumably is DMG ) into something bootable, and if this bootable image will work to recover our bricked mac mini.


We dont care about the data, we just want to wipe it and reinstall, which so far seems imposisble. Opening the mac to take out the disk, format it with a PC, then put it back in looks too risky, and we dont have the special screwdrivers, and we dont know if this will help solve the problem and allow us to install Snow leapard, then upgrade through app store.


We dont know what version of OSX is installed, but its probably 1-2 years old. We dont know what kind of mac mini it is, but it is metal, with a DVD slot, and a plastic round base which can unscrew, HDMI and displayport. It doesnt say on it which version it is.


So do we need to throw it away, or is there a way to get this machine working agian?


Any help greatly appreciated.

Posted on Aug 17, 2013 6:14 AM

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Posted on Aug 17, 2013 8:21 AM

Go to > OS X: Changing or resetting an account password and click on "Resetting the original administrator account password"

14 replies

Aug 17, 2013 8:47 AM in response to den.thed

Hi, thanks for linking that article, but it is not usable as it requires that you can login. The mac mini only presents two options when it boots: enter the disk password (which we dont know) or login as gues which gives you safari and nothing else. The article you linked to requires that you login with an administrator account. We neither know any current or original administrator account passwords, nor is there any way to login as one.


The article doesnt seem to deal with encrypted disks.


It might be worth noting that Thing-R doesnt open any recover console, it just goes straight to the "enter disk password" screen


Thanks anyway.

Aug 17, 2013 11:08 AM in response to den.thed

Hi, I already expanded this section, and I have previously tired those options as detailed in the original mail, and they are not applicable i.e.


option1: In OS X Lion or later, you can reset your user password with your Apple ID.

We dont think lion is installed, and we dont know if the developer had an apple ID, and we cant login to find it.


option 2: Start up from a Mac OS X Install disc

As outloined above, this does not work. We Hit C to boot with the disk, it works for a bit, then says reboot, when we reboot it comes right back to the "enter disk password". I.e. it does not come up asking for language, nor give any option to install, nor any option to reset passwords. It is not possible to recover or rebuild using a DVD.


We assume that the instructions in the link you gave were for a NON encrypted disk, unfortunately.


Aug 17, 2013 11:20 AM in response to hobbss

1. Startup from the install DVD, go to Utilities and open Disk Utility.

2. Highlight the new HD in the list of drives and select the Partition tab.

3. Under Volume Scheme select 1 Partition and click on the Options... button.

4. Select GUID Partition Table in the drop down window and click the OK button.

5. Set the Format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and then click the Apply button.

6. Once thats done, do a clean Install of the OS X that is on the Install Disc and update.

Aug 17, 2013 11:30 AM in response to den.thed

Hi, this is not possible, let me reitterate what happens when we try and start up from the DVD again:


  1. put in DVD
  2. boot with "C" held down to boot from DVD.
  3. it works for a bit, then gives a splash page which says allong the lines of "you must now switch off your mac and switch it on again"
  4. We switch off the mac, and switch it on again.
  5. The mac prompts us for the Disk password, which we dont know.


There is no utilities, no menu, no option to reset passwords nothing. There is no parition tab, no ability to highlight the HD, nothing.


The Mac will not boot from DVD because it has an ecrypted HD, for which we do not have the password.

Aug 17, 2013 12:46 PM in response to hobbss

Hello,


If you don't know the model, find the Serial# & use it on one of these sites, but don't post the Serial# here...


http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html


http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php


How to find the serial number of your Apple hardware product...


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1349


Then, what is the 2z691-****-A number on the Install Disc?

Aug 17, 2013 2:00 PM in response to Joe Bailey

I dont think this is a firmware password, when you boot, it shows two icons, a disk and a guest user. Below the HD icon, it says "disk password". Looking at google images for firmware password, they all explicity say firmware password on the various dialogues.


The issue is simply someone has encrypted the disk contents. Installing osx on top of this using a DVD does not seem to work, so some other solution is presumably required. this must be a fairly common scenario - someone forgets their disk password, and has to re-install from scratch?

Aug 17, 2013 2:14 PM in response to hobbss

There is a way to do that, but Apple does not want it out in public or it would invalidate all the OS X security. You could take the mini to the Genius Desk at the earest Apple Store and if you can convnce them you are the legitimatd owner of the computer, they can break in. However it will take some convincing and prefferably some documentary proof of ownership. If you take it to the Apple Store be sure an call ahead or log on online and make a Genius Desk appointment before you go in. Otherwise you could find yourself waiting for hours to be worked in.

Aug 19, 2013 2:49 AM in response to hobbss

OK, got hold of a mountain lion disk, and booted with it. None of the options in this arrticle http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274 are availble. E.g. there is no "password reset" option under utilities.


I tried the option to reinsatll OSX. It asks for the HD encryption password, so that wont work.

I tried the disk utilites, but if I select the HD, and the erase screen, all options are greyed out.

Lost disk password - how to re-install OSX?

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