Hi Lew, Scott, Stacey, and Others, Yes, it's possible to reset the master password from the command line without a set of the install CDs or DVDs for your operating system. Scott is correct that if you do this from the Terminal command line while you're logged in, you normally have to put in your admin password. However, another way to accomplish this is to boot into single user mode and perform these actions. This is a special startup mode that allows you to do trouble-shooting and doesn't bring up the full system. The issue is that this means you also can't bring up VoiceOver, so you should do this with sighted assistance. What you will be doing is typing in a command that removes the database entry telling your Mac that the initial account setup was done. Then, when you reboot normally, you can enter the information about master password, etc. as though you were booting for the first time. I'll let Lew handle the explanation about how to go through that stage to preserve current account information in the reboot.
Here's a link to a MacOS X Daily article that describes the process: http://osxdaily.com/2010/08/10/forgot-mac-password-how-to-reset-mac-password/ Although there are only three commands to be typed after you boot up in single user mode, by holding down the command key and the "s" key just after hearing the power up self test sound after pressing the power button, you have to type them exactly. And you either need to wait for a while to make sure your machine has completed the boot up, or have someone who is sighted tell you that you've gotten the prompt that shows you can start typing. Then you need to type the commands with all the special symbols like slash and the hyphen switches, and press return (also known as "enter" by Windows users) after each line, so you should read the entries character by character. Specifically, the command to run the filesystem check should have the option characters "f" and "y" after the hyphen; the mount command should have the option characters "u" and "w" after the hyphen, and then there should be a space after these switches and a slash character. The slash indicates the top level directory. The ".AppleSetupDone" file that you remove has a period at the start of the name to indicate that it is normally a "hidden" file that does not show up in Finder. You may not have to capitalize the "A", "S", and "D" in the name for the file, but I've typed this exactly the way the file is named on a Snow Leopard system when viewed in Terminal. Then, after you've typed the three commands, you type "reboot" (without quotation marks) and press return to reboot your machine normally. When you reboot you go through a new setup, but you take care not to create the same user account that would overwrite your present account. Then, in the third stage, you can either use the Admin privileges of the new account with Admin password to give your existing account Admin privileges and reset the password, or you can leave your account without a password and use the new Admin account and its password when you need to perform system installations. Here's the pasted in section from the article: Stage 1) Boot into Single User Mode and remove a setup file • Restart the Mac holding down the Command+S keys, this will take you into Single User Mode and it’s Terminal interface • You’ll need to check the filesystem first: fsck -fy • Next, you must mount the root drive as writeable so that changes will save: mount -uw / • Now, type the following command exactly, followed by the enter key: rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone • After removing the .AppleSetupDone file, you need to reboot, type ‘reboot’ and hit enter Stage 2) Create a New User Account upon System Boot You aren’t finished, but the hard part is now over – no more command lines, you’ll now be in the familiar Mac OS X GUI to finish the password reset process. In this step we just create a new user account as if you just got a new Mac: • Upon reboot, you will be presented with the traditional “Welcome Wizard” startup screen just like when you first get a Mac • Follow the welcome wizard and create a new user account – making the account name different from the account whose password you want to recover • Continue on and boot into Mac OS X with this newly created user account, this new user account is an Administrator and has administrative access Stage 3) Reset the Forgot Password via System Preferences You are almost done, now you just need to reset the forgotten user account password using the Accounts control panel: • Once you are booted into Mac OS X, click on the Apple logo and then navigate down to “System Preferences” • Click on the “Accounts” icon in System Preferences • Click on the Lock icon in the lower left corner of the “Accounts” preference window and enter the newly created user credentials, this enables you to change other user accounts and reset other users passwords • On the left side user panel, select the user account containing the forgotten password • With the user of the forgotten password account selected, click on the “Reset Password” button • Enter a new password for that user, be sure to include a meaningful hint so you don’t forget it again! • Close System Preferences and reboot the Mac • You can now login to the previously inaccessible user account using the newly reset password! All user files and settings are maintained as before the password was forgotten Optional: If you’d like, you can delete the temporary account you created to reset the users password. This is wise for security purposes. Here’s how this works: by deleting the .AppleSetupDone file, you are telling Mac OS X to re-run the setup wizard, which by default creates a new user account with Administrative abilities, which can then reset the forgotten password of any other user on the Mac. This is a great trick and excellent troubleshooting technique if you don’t have a Mac OS X installer CD/DVD laying around, which is pretty much the norm as many people tend to lose or misplace the installer disks that come with their computers. I have used this exact method multiple times to restore various Macs with forgotten/lost passwords. HTH. Lew can restate the third section for you in VoiceOver specific terms, if you need it. Cheers, Esther On Apr 22, 2012, at 6:56 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote: > not necessarily. > > I've dealt with this problem before. the trick is to be able to use command > line to reset the master password, like you would in linux, as OS X is a UNIX > shell, this is possible, > > Stacey, I'll email you very shortly this evening with some details of what to > do. There's some last resorts and I'm able to help on this. > > Don't worry. Just got in from a day on site doing a building job for family. > > lew > > On 22 Apr 2012, at 17:03, Scott Howell wrote: > >> Neil, >> >> If she has admin rights I still think you have to put in the old password to >> change it. Funny how you forget these things. :) If that is not the case >> then she may not have admin rights and then she is pretty much in a jam. >> >> On Apr 22, 2012, at 9:40 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav wrote: >> >>> Ricardo, >>> >>> I don't think that this option came into being until Lion, this person has >>> Snow Leopard, which didn't offer that feature. >>> >>> I'm not actually ssure what to do if you have forgoten your password. >>> >>> but, I imagine the only place to look would be System Preferences and Users >>> accounts etc. >>> >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> Neil Barnfather >>> >>> Talks List Administrator >>> Twitter @neilbarnfather >>> www.neilbarnfather.com >>> >>> TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, for all your >>> accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com >>> >>> URL: - www.talknav.com >>> e-mail: - [email protected] >>> Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 22 Apr 2012, at 14:35, Stacey Robinson wrote: >>> >>> I don't remember getting that There's got to be a way to fix this. >>> option. >>> On Apr 22, 2012, at 8:27 AM, Ricardo Walker wrote: >>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> when you set up your machine, did you check the option for your password >>>> to be reset with your Apple ID? >>>> >>>> Ricardo Walker >>>> [email protected] >>>> Twitter:@apple2thecore >>>> www.appletothecore.info >>>> >>>> On Apr 22, 2012, at 9:08 AM, Stacey Robinson <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> I have run into a huge issue. >>>>> I'm unable to remember my password, and when I go to put something in the >>>>> trash such as an application it wants a password. >>>>> How can I reset my macbook so that nothing needs passwords? >>>>> I'm running snowleopard. >>>>> Help says I need to run the install disk, but I didn't get an install >>>>> disk with this machine as it was a refurbished machine. >>>>> Is there some way I can get the media I need and then make a disk and >>>>> then run it? >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> Stacey and GEB dog Chesley. >>>>> >>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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