Ester, Thanks so much. Since you said I can use VO throughout I will try and get a copy of the disks somehow.
On Apr 22, 2012, at 6:33 PM, Esther wrote: > 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. > 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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