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monkeny · Feb 5, 2009, 04:34 PM

I was given an imac awhile back and it has 9.1 on it. But the idiot who gave it to me didnt tell me any of his accounts were locked and needed passwords. I dont have a re-install disk (well I do but for some reason it spits it out after a few sec, maybe because its on a dvd-r?) So is there any other ways to get around the stupid log in?

I cant ask the guy because its been awhile and I have no idea where to get in touch with him.

im more then ok with changing OS except I dont have one nor do I have the means to buy one

holding shift while I reboot needs the password as well. is there a disk burning utility that I can use on windows to burn a new OS disk?

every OS I find has to be burn with disk utilities from..a mac. something about the way it makes the sectors or some ****. So I need to find a 8gig flash drive or someone with a mac to burn me a OS I guess.

Can anyone suggest something I havent tried already? I even tried holding down apple and S when booting (someone said this would bring up a terminal but it didnt)

ibook_steve · Feb 5, 2009, 05:28 PM

Welcome to our forums!

What iMac is this? If it has 9.1, it must be quite old. When you say it still needs a password when you hold down shift, when does this occur? Mac OS 9 was not really account based, so holding down shift would disable all extension and should get you to the desktop.

It it can run OS X, you should simply wipe the hard drive and install it. Or replace the hard drive with a new one. More details on exactly which iMac it is would help.

Steve

P · Feb 6, 2009, 07:12 AM

OS 9 actually had support multiple users, intended for families - it integrated At Ease. The way to reset the password is simple: boot from something else, open the System Folder->Preferences and delete the file called Multiple Users preferences or something similar. The issue is managing to boot from something else.

You seem to have an iMac without a DVD, so you need a CD. You can burn a bootable CD on a PC with some applications if it is in .iso format. Few are, obviously, although some googling finds links to them on the darker side of the 'net. Copying OS 9 is certainly piracy, but then finding it for sale today will not be easy, and if someone sold you a Mac they should have transferred the install discs as well. Consult your conscience on whether you want to do that.

dowNNshift · Feb 7, 2009, 08:24 AM

You can still fly right and order a retail Panther 10.3 or Tiger 10.4 CD media set and license from Apple, but you have to call the 1-800 number. Just make sure you have the minimum required memory installed in the iMac to run either of those OS's.

Seriously do not pirate software, software engineers have to feed their families.

P · Feb 8, 2009, 02:17 PM

Tiger came on a DVD, so that's not an option. Did Panther come on a DVD or on CDs?

dowNNshift · Feb 8, 2009, 04:30 PM

Tiger is available in CD form for PPC Macs, but it has to be ordered by calling Apple phone sales.

Panther came in dual media, both 3 CD set and 1 DVD in the same retail box.