HT201760: Mac OS X: Software installations require administrator password

Learn about Mac OS X: Software installations require administrator password
Wilsey

Q: After a software update, my mac has restarted and I am being asked for my name and password. Can't remember password. What can I do?

Hi I have an IMac and after a seemingly routine software upgrade last week, I cant use my computer without logging in with user name and password - (which I've never had to do). And it seems that the details I normally use aren't right and I can't log in. Please can you help me? Can I reset my password?

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Dec 28, 2013 7:53 AM

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Q: After a software update, my mac has restarted and I am being asked for my name and password. Can't remember password. What can I d ... more

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  • by Klaus1,Helpful

    Klaus1 Klaus1 Dec 28, 2013 9:33 AM in response to Wilsey
    Level 8 (48,821 points)
    Dec 28, 2013 9:33 AM in response to Wilsey

    Resetting or changing a password:

     

    For Snow Leopard or earlier:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274

     

    For Lion or later:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6022

  • by Wilsey,

    Wilsey Wilsey Dec 29, 2013 6:57 AM in response to Klaus1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 29, 2013 6:57 AM in response to Klaus1

    Klaus - many thanks.  I couldn't reboot at all - and when I tried to reset password in 'terminal' it had wiped all users, so I called Apple's telephone support.  (Excellent customer service incidentally - I got escalated to a senior engineer when the problem wasn't easily remedied).

     

    Root cause?  I have upgraded my operating system three times - OSX Lion in 2011, OSX Mountain Lion a year later and then OSX Mavericks last month and this has caused damage.  (This is a total gutter as Apple encourage you to upgrade; it's costly and you can't buy the latest apps unless you've got the latest version of the OS).

     

    Solution: Have had to wipe my hard drive and re-install OSX Mavericks.  Daren't restore from Time Machine/Migration Assistant in case it reintroduces the same errors, so need to manually update my data... but the Apple engineer's going to talk me through that tomorrow, because he's a nice bloke.

     

    Wish me luck!

    Wilsey

  • by Klaus1,

    Klaus1 Klaus1 Dec 29, 2013 8:33 AM in response to Wilsey
    Level 8 (48,821 points)
    Dec 29, 2013 8:33 AM in response to Wilsey

    Good luck!