Esther, Please explain the third section again. Thanks, On Apr 22, 2012, at 1:07 PM, Esther wrote:
> 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. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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