I have an older MacBook Pro and I have forgotten my password? Can it be recovered or reset?
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6)
Resetting or changing a password:
For Snow Leopard or earlier: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274
If it's running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or earlier, insert a Mac OS X install DVD, restart with the Option key held down, click on it, and use the Reset Password utility.
I don't use my MacBook often so I cannot remember my initial password and when I try and reset it, the "hint" on the master password I cannot remember either. I youtube it and tried doing the control R and control S method and it prompts me back to enter my initial password or master password - and I don't know either one.
I tried the 2nd option w/the start up disc and when I held down the Option key, it eventually ejected the CD
Try this:
Reset 10.5 Leopard & 10.6 Snow Leopard password
1. Power on or restart your Mac.
2. At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode.
3. This step is optional, but it’s a good idea because it checks the consistency of the hard disk before moving on. At the prompt, type fsck -fy and press Enter/Return. Wait for the checks to complete before going to the next step.
4. Type mount -uw / and press Enter.
5. Type launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plistand press Enter.
6. Type ls /Users and press Enter. This lists all of the usernames on the computer – helpful if you don’t know or remember what these are.
7. Type dscl . -passwd /Users/username password and replace “username” with one of the users displayed in the previous step. Replace “password” with a new password of your choice. Press Enter.
8. Type reboot and press Enter.
Password Issues
