I bought a used PowerBook G4. The original owners have moved to Canada and I do not have their phone number. The problem is that I do not know the administrator’s password. I am unable to make changes on the computer or add software without a password. How do I get a new password when I don’t even know the existing one?
I bet you’ll be surprised how easy it is to change the administrator (known in Unix parlance as “root”) password on a Mac OS X Tiger, Panther, etc., computer. The key to unlocking your system is the Mac OS X install disk.
If you don’t have this disk, then your best bet is to buy a copy of Mac OS X, even though you already have the OS installed on your computer (you could try calling Apple (800 SOS-APPL) and asking for a replacement boot disk too). One smart way to accomplish this: look for Mac OS X on eBay. You might also ask yourself if you need to run Tiger, or whether Panther would work for you – it’d be a lot cheaper.
Once you have an install disk in hand, double click on the Install Mac OS icon and you’ll get a window with a big graphic (this is one place where Apple isn’t subtle!) and a restart button. Click on it, and your PowerBook will restart and go straight to the install process.
But don’t install the OS again! Just click through windows far enough until you get the regular set of choices on the menu bar. One of those menus is Utilities and one of the choices on that menu is Reset Password….
I’d show this menu as a screenshot here, but can’t figure out how to get a screenshot of the install process. Sorry!
Anyway, using this tool, you’ll be able to change your password to something you know. Then choose Quit from the Installer menu and when your computer restarts, you’ll now know the admin password.
Not too hard.
One important note here for anyone with a Mac: your admin password is only of limited security because anyone with an OS install disk can restart off their disk and reset your password without knowing your existing password. Just something to keep in mind, securitywise!
Hope this helps you out with your new PowerBook!
What do I do when my start up screen is stuck on the gray screen and I’ve tried every reset and command button on start up and nothing works.how do I reinstall osx from another Mac using a firewire.
1) Reboot the computer.
2) Hold apple and s at start-up.
3) Type Mount -uw / then hit return
4) Type rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone and hit return
5) Type reboot press return and wait
6) Type in all information needed.
7) go to system preferences.
8) Accounts
9) Click lock button and enter password.
10) click account you want to reset the password on and click reset password.
HELLO DAVE ITS SHAM HERE WANT’S TO ASK IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT DON’T KNOW THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME WHEN I’M TRYING TO CHANGE SETTINGS IN THE SYSTEM PREFERENCES THE PROGRAM ASKS FOR ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME AND PASSWORD I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME, AND ONE THING MORE LAST TIME WHEN I WAS INSTALLING MAC OS X LEOPARD I SET IT UP FOR A SECURITY WHENEVER MY LAPTOP GET STOLEN AND SOMEONE WILL WANT TO REINSTALL MAC OS X LEOPARD OR WHATEVER THEY WILL HAVE TO PUT PASSWORD TO INSTALL AND I’M NOT SURE WHAT DID I TYPE THAT TIME DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW CAN I SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SHAM.
thanks to you Jose, you saved my sanity!
Dear JoseAranda,
I recently purchased an ibook g4
running panther at a secondhand store.
The ibook had an admin password which was not disclosed by the store when I purchased the item and no os disks were supplied.
After I got the laptop home I discovered the os had not been updated in a number of years. And without the password I wasnt able to update it.
Thank you for your advice. With your help I was able to follow the steps you described and create a new account and to update the laptop.
Many thanks
Regards
Andrew
HELLO DAVE ITS SHAM HERE WANT’S TO ASK IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT DON’T KNOW THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME WHEN I’M TRYING TO CHANGE SETTINGS IN THE SYSTEM PREFERENCES THE PROGRAM ASKS FOR ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME AND PASSWORD I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME, AND ONE THING MORE LAST TIME WHEN I WAS INSTALLING MAC OS X LEOPARD I SET IT UP FOR A SECURITY WHENEVER MY LAPTOP GET STOLEN AND SOMEONE WILL WANT TO REINSTALL MAC OS X LEOPARD OR WHATEVER THEY WILL HAVE TO PUT PASSWORD TO INSTALL AND I’M NOT SURE WHAT DID I TYPE THAT TIME DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW CAN I SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SHAM.
jose you are the mother f’n man 2 year old post worked perfectly the very first time your my friend are god like
DJ d
What M said words even on leopard unless they have fro some insane reason blocked SUM(Single User Mode). (EX. schools and offices).
I have tried it and it will work and you will have the highest authority on the computer.
The new account will have the highest priority.
So go with that root instead!
Hey, I tried to do this but when i hit restart it asks for my password again. I got kicked off my admin account while messing around with my settings, now i cant upgrade my computer at all
HELLO DAVE ITS SHAM HERE WANT’S TO ASK IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT DON’T KNOW THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME WHEN I’M TRYING TO CHANGE SETTINGS IN THE SYSTEM PREFERENCES THE PROGRAM ASKS FOR ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME AND PASSWORD I KNOW THE PASSWORD BUT NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR’S NAME, AND ONE THING MORE LAST TIME WHEN I WAS INSTALLING MAC OS X LEOPARD I SET IT UP FOR A SECURITY WHENEVER MY LAPTOP GET STOLEN AND SOMEONE WILL WANT TO REINSTALL MAC OS X LEOPARD OR WHATEVER THEY WILL HAVE TO PUT PASSWORD TO INSTALL AND I’M NOT SURE WHAT DID I TYPE THAT TIME DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW CAN I SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SHAM.
I have tried all of the above (execpt PRAM, NVRAM reset) and come to the same conclusion. They don,t work for the MACBOOK that I am attempting to repair for a customer. Before I go back into the cave where is the best place to start on my reset journey?
Most grateful
i was able to change the password but now how do i completely delete the previous owners file(restore)… keep in mind that i dont have a boot disk
i have an brand new apple macbook and need a way to bypass administrative rights, or reset the account. How can i do so?
Ok I have tried everything on here and nothing works… everytime the new registration starts up it freezes right after it asks me what i will be using my mac for (after the name address all of that part) I also have the CD and can’t make it boot of the CD… i am really desperate anyone your help is much appreciated! thanks
i’m trying to do what josearanda says but it’s not working how do you do it again please somebody help me
The excellent solution by JoseAranda reposted below…only to say I have just used it – Aug 16th 2008. Worked like a dream. Fabulous! Thank you very very much 🙂
***
Please, come on now, all you need is nothing: OK, restart your computer, hold down Command-S and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
Once you’ve done that the computer reboots and ask you to set up an admin password. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!
So who said you needed a CD?
Posted by: JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
Hello,
I did this:
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
…and now I can’t get to the login page at all. I’m stuck at the “Starting Mac OS X” screen. Help, anyone?
I have installed the Install Disc One to reinstall the software. I hold the C key down while restarting the computer and during restart, it fails and tells me I need to restart. It will not allow me access to the Installer menu. Is there anything I can do to correct this?
“I’d show this menu as a screenshot here, but can’t figure out how to get a screenshot of the install process. Sorry!”
Use a digital camera, 🙂
PS: Your answer is very helpful!
Hi there, Dave!
My problem is this; my Installer.app failed to open .pkg files, so I tried using a different program instead, which worked perfectly – until I tried to open up a package file; Admin Password Required.
So I went to my Dad (it’s his computer), and asked what the admin password was. Apparently, he’d changed it and forgot what it was since he hadnt used it for quite some time. What to do, I thought.
Well, I’ll browse the Internet, of course! And I found this guide, which helped me reset the password, but in doing so erased the Admin Profile (when I went back to try to reset again it said no profiles were found in my harddrive). So, in a state of slight panic, i kept on reading here.
Found my resolve, used the cmd-S method, successfully booted up the moviesequence that welcomes you, filled in the first stages but then… Right after the page where you fill in what you’ll use yur computer for and all that, it turns the page only to show a blank page with a black stripe in the middle.
I checked, and it hasn’t froze. It just doesn’t make any progress. Just sits there, no loading icon or anything.
And it’s reaaally annoying since it says it’s about the final step of it all…
It’s driving me nuts.
Help meh, oh mighty one! 😡
Cheers //Axel
why my mac power G5 reset all programs to original settings, I lost a lot of work done, what can I do to prevent it in the future?
Thanks
i dont know how to reset my password for the apple laptop (powerbook g4) need good help
ok.. i know how to re image a computer.
so turn it off
then turn it back on
when the apple comes up hold the h key
now a planet will come up instead of the apple
keep on holding the h key
and then choose leopard in the re image
then restart again!
I have a mac book pro and I don’t know the pass word can anyone help me I had tried – shut down
– power up with the and s keys held down
you can let go when you see the text messages scrolling by
– at the command prompt, do the following:
/sbin/fsck -fy (takes a long time, but tells you what its doing)
/sbin/mount -uw /
/sbin/passwd root
Enter in a new password. Enter it in again.
I can reset that password can anyone help me please please
Danielle, that’s a weird one. I have no idea what’s going on and suggest that you might make an appointment and take it in to the Genius at the local Apple Store to see if they can figure it out. Do come back and let us know what’s going on if you can?
Hi Dave!
I have a question about my Mac G4 powerbook with OS X.
Last week I noticed my wallpaper was missing so I decided to shut down my computer for the day(I generally put it to sleep). It had been freezing a lot and acting funky.
When I turned it on the screen started up with the usual “loading Mac OS X” bar and then a prompt popped up asking for a name and password.
This is not the usual user name screen that pops up after OS X loads. None of the user names or passwords worked, not even the administrator.
Above this little password prompt has my computer’s name and when you click that it cycles through the serial number, OS X and then it says “user’s not available” with a little red dot in front of it.
Can you help me?? I would love to buy you a soy chai for your efforts (as I too enjoy soy chai’s!)
Many Thanks!
Danielle
I need serious help, ive been trying to figure out my user name and password then after 2 months or so I decided to try it again, so I tryed the jose aranda theory and it rebooted but after I enter my resigtration info, I click continue and it goes to a gray background with a white square in the middle but it won’t go any further. I’m getting annoyed n I just want to know what I can do to bypass this so I can get onto my computer without anymore hassles. Please help me out and tell me what I can do, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I’ve followed this to the reset disk option. I have two destinations to choose from.
Dest 1: The install CD
Dest 2: The main disk, but it will not allow me to reset the password, everything is greyed out 🙁
Help would be much appreciated! Thank you for a great article!
hello! jose aranda method works great, but my computer told me to do it that way:
/sbin/fsck -f [Enter] (not “y” like in original)
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
It would let u added and configure new account
Peace!
i have a g4 and don’t know the admin password- don’t need it to start up, just need it when installing- so i tried the solution below, and it created a new acct, but now i can’t open the default account bec. it’s password protected now, whereas before it was the default acct that opened automatically- all my stuff is still on that! how can i unmake a new account- in other words, how can i reverse the code below so that the admin acct. is the only one and i don’t have to use a password to access it?
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
I want to tell all the people that are unable to reset password if the Darwin Security firmware is enabled. This goes completely agains my will but I do understand the situation.
How to by pass the Admin:
I don’t care who you are and everything you try here, with all due respect to Dave, None of it is going to work.
The only thing that will work and I guarantee that it will, Please follow these steps:
1. get an exact macbook from friend with an unlock firmware admin.
2. Make sure that your friend has Admin rights
3. take his hardrive and put it in your mac
4. check if it boots
assuming it will.
5. Clone the Hardrive any way you can (I’m not giving this tip since it’s illegal).
6. Give back your friend his hardrive or put the clone on his machine and do a CD install by pressing “C” With Desire OS.
7. You got your MAC Back.
my mac g4 every time i restart a black screen with computer name ask for root# where & how to find or enter what #
thanks fa
i did everything to reset my password, went through the opening and then reloaded but now all i get is a blue screen. help please
Hi, i have a macbook. I cant make any changes from modifying my Hardrive to installing new software. It asks me to type in a Administrative user Name and password and i type my ONLY account in and it says it isnt. Then upon going to accounts in System Preferences, it says my ONLY account is a standard acccount and not a administrative. How do I fix this?
oops I put the COMMAND key in angle brackets… edit what I said to say this:
power up with the COMMAND and S keys held down
This works on power mac also. Not so much on the G4 with older versions of OSX, ‘cos the commands are slightly different.
After a lot of tooling around on my G5, I figured out how to do this without the boot disk (provided you can boot, that is)
Do the following:
– shut down
– power up with the and s keys held down
you can let go when you see the text messages scrolling by
– at the command prompt, do the following:
/sbin/fsck -fy (takes a long time, but tells you what its doing)
/sbin/mount -uw /
/sbin/passwd root
Enter in a new password. Enter it in again.
Then type: reboot
I saw some people use the command SystemStarter. This will not work. Also note that the fsck command requires the -f in there to work as well.
Done. 🙂 I now have r00t!!
I bought Imac desktop and Im tring to install Tiger OS sofware and when I try to install it .. I click on the restart but before I can restart it asks me for an Admin password… I tried to create a new account but it wont let me because I need th password to unlock …. what do I do please help
Id like to thank JoseAranda for his tutorial:
restart your computer, hold down Command-S and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
I have a don’t ask, don’t tell policy when i FIX a computer and when I got iMAC G5 (10.0 X) it had several users with passwords on them. I am not to familiar with MAC’s, but I know these were “network” logins not locals logins. this works awsome
i have an imac that i brouht on greg list in the box but i find out it was not that persons now am afraid to use it is there any way around that my brother tells me take it as a lost becouse it is tracsable is ther any way to reboot it and make it mine
help me /// I was fooling around w/ security preferences in the get info dialog of the MACINTOSH HD and somehow set it to no access or something of the sort. My mac will not boot now, since its not allowed to use the drive. school projects due monday, need help / used CD, to reset permissions w/ disk utility, didn’t work /
I tried the whole I have an iBook G4 and it refuses to use fsck -y so i used fsck -f
and followed the other steps. Now i can’t log on, it takes me to the setup page and does go beyond the keyboard settings page when it switches on
OK this is the best resource that I’ve came across. I even got to delete other peoples accounts that they tried to set up and lost their password. Now I only have one password and no one can go on my laptop.
I was ready to buy a mac os X CD, but i was continuing readding, and i found this with out the CD to reset de admin possword,
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
thakns!!!
For whatever reason, I couldn’t remember the Admin login or password. Reformatting would have been a solution however I never setup Time Machine and wanted to lose as little info as possible.
Using the disk, I had the same ironic problems as others, it wanted the Admin to restart… to reset the Admin!
After many attempts and reading that you have to put a space after “rm” in JoseAranda’s solution, I finally got it working.
Thank you for helping with the Admin reset.
I now have an Admin account that I should remember and can use Time Machine for the first time! Doc Brown would be proud.
Alloc-mem request too big when I type in mac-boot so computer won’t start don’t know what to do???
I HAD THE HARDEST TIME RESETING MY PASSWORD… SO HOPEFULLY THIS SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS ABOVE.
I have a new Mac book
Was OS 10.4
Now OS 10.5
This following method does work
-Shutdown your computer
-Power you our computer, and hit the Apple Key and “S” until text appears on the screen.
-There will be a black screen with text, and at the bottom you will see “something something” root
-Enter the text below….
/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]
in the 3rd line, MAKE SURE THERE IS A SPACE BETWEEN RM AND THE SLASH… so “rm [SPACE] /var/db/.applesetupdone” this was I couldn’t make any changes and it couldn’t find the file…
hopefully this helps.
i have a mac book g4 and i have no password no disk and tried rebooting it while pressing command s and tere is nothing that happens the sign in scrren appears again ….. hwta is there to do …… i dont have any other ideas….
hi dave,I have the same problem as lissa posted on 13th 2008 please help? p.s i am not very good on computers
I have the same experience as alex. So this reccomendation does not seem to work im our case. What to DO??
My school purchased several Macbooks last year and upon graduation they allowed the students to purchase it for reduced fees, it came with an instruction sheet on how to unblock all the programs they disabled, but i’ve lost the sheet and cant find it, i try’ed the command-s method but nothing happens they’ve blocked that as well, i cant download anything, cant afford to buy any cd’s for the thing, and i don’t know what to do, i’d thank you greatly for some advice on this matter.