I have an old G3 I would like to donate, but I have forgotten my password and cannot erase the two partitions on my disk.

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I have an old G3 I would like to donate, but I have forgotten my password and cannot erase the two partitions on my disk.

I have an old G3 I would like to donate, but I have forgotten my admin password and cannot erase the two partitions on my disk. I have the CD for 10.3.9 that one partition is running but when I boot from the CD, it wants to set up by connecting to the internet and I cannot connect on the old machine.

I've tried several schemes by logging in with command s and carefully typing directions, but when I reboot it just gives me the old admin.

It keeps trying to connect to network which I do not want to do.

I guess no one really wants an old G3 but I used it for years and I hate to destroy it.

Power Mac G3 (Blue and White), Mac OS X (10.3.x), disk partitioned with 922 on part

Posted on Dec 12, 2013 6:40 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

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361,741 points

Dec 12, 2013 6:43 PM in response to gifter

Give it to the Salvation Army. They will fix it up for someone.

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Answer 2

gifter Author

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Dec 12, 2013 6:53 PM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

I don't want to donate the computer until I erase and zero out the hard drive. I can't erase the disk because it keeps asking for my password and I've forgotten it.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 12, 2013 6:56 PM in response to gifter

Sure you can.

Drive Partition and Format

1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.

3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed.

4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.

6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

No password is required for this unless you set up a firmware password.

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Answer 4

gifter Author

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Dec 12, 2013 8:24 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy,

I was trying to boot from what i thought was the oldest version of OSX, but it was a DVD, I finally found the 3 disks and it booted and I'm zeroing out the disks. I'll donate the 3 installer disks with the computer so someone can use it!

happy holidays!

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Answer 5

Dec 14, 2013 9:38 AM in response to gifter

http://www.apple.com/recycling/computer/

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