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Why does this Article say only these Macs or newer can do this. I know this to be false.

For example my late 2007 MacBook can do this if we are talking EFI firmware or my iBook if you include open firmware. But in terms of methods in the article older Macs do it the same, yet it indicates they can't do it.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 8:14 PM

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12 replies

Feb 11, 2016 8:25 PM in response to grahas

The article is very clear about what type of firmware password they are referring to, and the issue is more the OS X which corresponds directly with the Mac version. The type of firmware password being referred to is supported by OS X Mavericks and higher. Your profile indicates that you are running Lion. Are you saying that you can follow the steps outlined on a machine running Lion?


GB

Feb 11, 2016 8:36 PM in response to grahas

"...For additional protection, you can also set a firmware password on your Mac. A firmware password

prevents your Mac from starting up from any device other than your designated startup disk..."


• Use a firmware password on your Mac - Apple Support


This does not say - the first two points ahead of it - were not supported in an OS X prior to 10.9.5.

The use of 'file vault' and 'user account password' basics go way back... nearly a decade. 😐

Feb 12, 2016 5:01 AM in response to K Shaffer

The article says:


You can set a firmware password on these Macs:



My mac is OLDER than this and not included on this article YET I can set a FIRMWARE password.

Feb 12, 2016 12:00 PM in response to grahas

Because this isn't true on older macs.


"Use a firmware password on your Mac

Setting a firmware password in OS X prevents your Mac from starting up from any device other than your startup disk. "


It's a polite way of saying the older machines could be hacked. On newer machine, you need to go an apple store to get around the firmware password.


R

Feb 12, 2016 11:00 PM in response to rccharles

Wasn't the firmware password able to be defeated by simply removing a memory

stick in an older model Mac? Been awhile since I bothered & technology moves on.


The workaround in older Macs for those who forgot their password set in firmware...


• Bypass Mac Firmware Password (circa 2009)

http://osxdaily.com/2009/10/19/bypass-mac-firmware-password/


Seems to me there may be a 'hardware fix' in newer computers, such as those listed.

Or with memory soldered-on-the-board, newer models are unable to have this done. 😐

Feb 13, 2016 12:19 AM in response to grahas

The point is quite simply the feature you see and mention is not the main point of the article.

Because that is not the part connected to the change, as related to these newer models...


The entirety of the article and the intent, is directed to the newer models that also use:


Find My Mac

"When you use Find My Mac to lock your Mac, it also prevents your Mac from starting up by setting a

firmware-based password. As soon as it receives the lock instruction from iCloud, your Mac displays

a lock screen that has four to six blank fields.


To unlock your Mac, enter the code you created when you locked your Mac from the Find My Mac website.

If you forget or can't remember the password you set using the Firmware Password Utility or Find My Mac,

schedule a service appointment with an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. Bring your

proof of purchase (original receipt or invoice) with you. If you plan to visit an Apple Retail Store,

make a reservation (available only in some countries)."


The former means of defeating the firmware password that is stored in hardware is not feasible or practical

and authentic owners should have no trouble with getting help for the newer Macs at authorized AASP...

Also the tie-in with FindMyMac and other aspects of the firmware aren't the same in older hardware.


There may have been a firmware update to help certain older models accommodate this feature; however

if so the article does not imply anything for specific older models. So we can't take that as a blanket fact.


So to use a support article to form a hypothesis and then not choose to see how it applied to the new hardware

in the article, is a curious interpretation of the intent of providing those articles, of interest to newer product users.


Hopefully this concludes today's broadcast...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Why does this Article say only these Macs or newer can do this. I know this to be false.

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