Hi Stacey, I just reread your first post. Let me first ask whether you can currently log into your account without a password. If so, when you put something into the trash, or perform other actions that prompt you for a password, can you simply press the return key (also known as the enter key among Windows users) in response to the prompt? You said, "I'm unable to remember my password", which implies that you did set up a password at one time, or that somebody else set one up for you. If you set up a password, then continue reading for a VoiceOver-specific explanation of how to perform the steps in stage 3.
As Lew stated in a later post, and as Scott stated previously, the best solution is to get a copy of the installation media. It may be that this was not included in the cost of the refurbished machine, although I thought that refurbished machines purchased directly from Apple do include the installation CDs and DVDs. If this was a machine that the authorized reseller refurbished, they might not include the installation media, especially if they refurbished a machine that was sold to them or traded in by a user who had lost the installation media, or had upgraded the system. In that case they might offer to sell you the Snow Leopard upgrade discs for $29.95 as an alternative. That Mac OS X Daily article I linked has a later section explaining how to reset the password if you have installation media, and I think several list members can walk your through the process. With the installation media you can use VoiceOver throughout the process. You can also probably go to the Genius Bar of your local Apple store and have them perform the password reset for you, if you have evidence that you purchased the machine. I can detail the exact instructions for the third section using VoiceOver, but as Lew said, you should really have sighted assistance when you do part 1. I'd feel happier if you had access to the install media -- maybe by borrowing a copy of the Snow Leopard upgrade discs from a friend or acquaintance OK, here's how you would do the third section with VoiceOver. After creating a new account with Admin privileges in section 2, boot up your Mac and log in with the new Admin account that you created. You'll use your Admin privileges in this new account to reset the password on your original account. These instructions assume that you have started up your Mac, and selected the newly created Admin account, and logged in with its password. 1. Press VO-M or Control-F2 to navigate to the Apple menu on the menu bar 2. Arrow down and quickly type "s y" to navigate to "System Preferences…" and press return 3. In "System Preferences" navigate to the "Accounts" button and select this with VO-Space or by simultaneously pressing the up and down arrow keys if you are using Quick Nav mode. You can probably use your tab key to move through all the controls to the "Accounts" button. Otherwise, use either VO-Right arrow (or just Right arrow in Quick Nav mode) to navigate. You may have to interact with the preference panes scroll area before continuing to navigate to the "Accounts" button. If you are using TrackPad Commander, you can flick right to the navigate, and interact with a two finger flick right on the trackpad. Stop interacting with a two finger flick left, and select with a double tap on the trackpad. 4. On the "Accounts" pane navigate to the "Click the lock to make changes" button and select this with VO-Space. You'll be prompted in a dialog window for your password. Type in the password for your newly created Admin account and press return to unlock the button. This will change your button label to "Click the lock to prevent further change". Your Accounts pane is now unlocked, and settings can be changed. 5. Navigate to "Accounts, groups and login options" and interact. (If your focus is on the "Click the lock, etc. button, you can VO-Up arrow or Up arrow twice) to reach "Accounts, groups, and login options", then interact. 6. Navigate to the account whose password you want to reset and highlight this. For example, if I want to use this method to reset the password on one of the "Test" accounts I've created, I'll navigate with VO-Right arrow or Right arrow to "Test", route my mouse cursor to my VoiceOver cursor with VO-Command-F5, and click with VO-Shift-Space to highlight "Test". 7. Stop interacting with "Accounts, groups, and login options" 8. Navigate with VO-Right arrow or Right arrow to the "Reset Password…" button and press it. 9. In the dialog window, type in a new password in the text field for new password, then retype the same password in the text field for verify. Also supply a Password hint to help remember the password (not necessary, but recommended.) Then navigate to and press (VO-Space) the "Reset Password" button to have this take effect. 10. On the "Accounts" pane, navigate to the "Click the lock to prevent further changes button" and press it with VO-Space. 11. Close the window with Command-W. You should now be able to log into your account with the new password. I think that if you don't enter a password you can log in without one, but I don't set up my computer accounts that way. Lew and others may be able to help you with that setting. HTH. Cheers, Esther On Apr 22, 2012, at 9:04 AM, Stacey Robinson wrote: > 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. 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