On May 20, 2010, at 1:55 PM, Linda wrote: > > On May 19, 2010, at 8:33 PM, Jim Scott wrote: > >> On May 19, 2010, at 5:27 PM, Linda wrote: >> >>> G4 MDD Leopard >>> >>> my husband changed his password on his user and now can't remember it. He's >>> set up as admin. My user is also set as admin but my password won't let me >>> in anymore. >>> >>> How to we find out his password? He thinks he typed in something in >>> incorrectly but no matter what we try it won't come up. This also means I >>> can do any software updates even from my admin user. >> >> Boot from your Leopard install DVD and use the change password utility to >> change both passwords, then exit the DVD and reboot normally. >> >> It's as easy as that. > > > Well, now I'm really stuck. My Leopard install DVD won't boot up in my CD/DVD > reader. I have an external DVD reader that will show the Leopard disk but I > can't seem to get the disk to be the boot disk. > > I just tried my original OSX Panther disk too. It will show up in my tower > drive but I can't seem to get it to act as the boot up disk. I hate these > stupid passwords. > > Linda in Ohio
Don't panic. Are you holding down the C key immediately after you push the power button and hear the startup chime? Hold it down until you hear the DVD start twirling around in the drive, which means your Mac is getting ready to boot from the Leopard disk. Alternatively, put the Leopard DVD in the drive, then hold down the Option key after you press the power button and hear the startup chime. Wait a bit until all bootable volumes have shown up on the grey screen. Then select the Leopard DVD as the boot disk (you might have to wait a while before the system will let you select it), then hit the Enter/Return key. Your Mac should begin booting from the Leopard DVD. Once booted, you'll have to click through a few screens until a menu bar appears at the top. Go up there and find the reset password utility. Once you've changed either or both passwords (Do not give Root a password!), close the utility, navigate to the Apple icon and choose to quit the installer. Then reboot normally, use your new password(s) to get to the desktop and you're done. If you wish, you can go to System Preferences>Accounts and set the Mac to boot automatically to the account of the user who uses the Mac the most. That avoids having to put in that user's password all the time. It then is a simple matter of going to the Apple icon in the upper left corner and choosing to log out that user and log in the other user instead of restarting the Mac. FYI: You don't have to enter an actual password. I have a number of clients, including some schools, that leave the two password fields blank (they hit Enter/Return after each line). But they do have to hit Enter/Return when the blank password line comes up during boot and during anything that requires the user to approve of something. If the two of you are the only people to have access to your Mac and you don't mind having no password protection on each other's accounts, then this method probably would be the best. Passwords are like locks on doors: they keep honest people honest. Jim in California -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
