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Sheena84 · Aug 9, 2007, 09:33 PM

I just bought an iBook G4...my first mac! and i dont know the system yet...im used to windows! i know i hav MAC OS X 10.4.4 but i bought it used and do not have the previous user's password. im sure u know theres limits to what i can do because of this. is there anyway i can change the password and user name to fit my own (without having the previous users password)?

C.A.T.S. CEO · Aug 9, 2007, 09:47 PM

Do you have the restore disks? You could restore it and set it up for yourself.

Welcome to Mac!

(and its Mac not MAC)

besson3c · Aug 9, 2007, 10:51 PM

How do we know that you are actually a woman? Please authenticate yourself by posting a picture of your driver's license and passport.

Thanks!

AC Rempt · Aug 9, 2007, 11:39 PM

A g-g-g-g-g-girl! Oh mommy . . .

amazing · Aug 10, 2007, 12:36 AM

First thing to know, and I suppose you know this already: Ignore the buffoons.

To answer your question: If you have the install disks, you can change the admin password very easily. You can also change the user name, by downloading software called ChangeShortName from versiontracker.com

You can't delete the original admin user without mucking up a whole bunch of stuff. If you've got the original install disks, you could erase the HD and start fresh, but you'd also be erasing whatever software you don't have the install disks for.

If you don't have the install disks, you might have a friend that does, or you could go to a user group meeting and they'd surely help you out. Also, you're gonna need install disks in the future, so you could find them cheap somewhere.

AC Rempt · Aug 10, 2007, 12:41 AM

B-b-b-b-b-buffoons?

CharlesS · Aug 10, 2007, 12:56 AM

If you bought the machine used, the first thing I'd do would be to erase the hard disk and reinstall from scratch. This will reset the password, along with everything else.

besson3c · Aug 10, 2007, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by AC Rempt

B-b-b-b-b-buffoons?

Sounds like a pretty good rap song!

New girl: I'm the funny one around here, just in case you haven't noticed.

ghporter · Aug 10, 2007, 09:46 AM

I agree with CharlesS, as long as you got the discs that go with the computer. If not, you should bug the person you bought it from to get those discs.

And besson3c is just one of our funny members. But remember that while some of our members are "funny" in one way, others are funny in "other ways."

You'll figure it out.

besson3c · Aug 10, 2007, 09:54 AM

ghporter: would now be a good time to push the sale of my stool samples to the new person?

ghporter · Aug 10, 2007, 10:49 AM

No. You need to set up the benefits your "product" would provide. The old "informative" advertising campaign thing, ya know?

Sheena, please do let us know how things go with this. We cut up and act silly sometimes, but we are also a pretty reliable source of real help. And we want to know if we've actually been helpful.

besson3c · Aug 10, 2007, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

No. You need to set up the benefits your "product" would provide. The old "informative" advertising campaign thing, ya know?

May I start another thread extolling the virtues of my product? I don't want to derail the subject at hand here, since technically my stool samples don't have much to do with admin passwords...

ghporter · Aug 10, 2007, 10:58 AM

The Lounge is probably the best place for such a thread...Oh wait, didn't you already have a thread like that in the Lounge?

besson3c · Aug 10, 2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

The Lounge is probably the best place for such a thread...Oh wait, didn't you already have a thread like that in the Lounge?

Yeah, but some rapscallion mod inappropriately locked it after one reply.

Now that you are an admin, you can override such actions though, right?

besson3c · Aug 10, 2007, 03:13 PM

Right? I'm happy to use the Marketplace section...

Sheena84 · Aug 10, 2007, 10:57 PM

I do NOT have the install discs...unfortunately. altho i may hav someone i can barrow them from. i also heard that if u turn over the laptop and take out the battery, harddrive and back up battery wait 15 secs. and put them back in, that this will reset settings for a new user. is this true? or will i just royally screw things up if i do this?

C.A.T.S. CEO · Aug 10, 2007, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by Sheena84

(1)I do NOT have the install discs...unfortunately. altho i may hav someone i can barrow them from. (2)i also heard that if u turn over the laptop and take out the battery, harddrive and back up battery wait 15 secs. and put them back in, that this will reset settings for a new user. is this true? or will i just royally screw things up if i do this?

1. I don't think somebody elses restore disks will work
2. Where the heck did you here that?! That won't work on any computer.

gooser · Aug 10, 2007, 11:53 PM

i was able to reset the password on my ibook g3 with some software restore discs from an emac. definately worth a try. start up from a disc, click on the word installer in the upper left hand corner and choose reset password. remember to hold down the "c" ket while booting. on another g3 ibook i have i was able to assign another user (me) and give myself administrative capabilities and a password without having to authenticate. (accounts wasn't locked) good luck and welcome to life here with the boys!

AC Rempt · Aug 11, 2007, 12:18 AM

Wow, that thing with the battery is not even close to true, but interesting story. As far as I've been able to determine, Apple's System disks aren't tied to any one computer, so borrowing disks should solve the problem.

You might want to invest in some System disks, too. Leopard, Mac OS X.5, will be out in October.

amazing · Aug 11, 2007, 03:34 PM

Just saw this--had absolutely no idea you could reset the admin password from a single-user startup in 10.4 (sheena84 will have to verify what system OS the iBook is using).

Reset a Lost OS X Account Password | General, System Prefs., Terminal | Mac OS X Tips

"If you have lost the Mac OS X install Disc
If you have lost the install disc, don't try and use one from an earlier version as this might permanently block you out of your account. You really have two options: Firstly, you could buy a new copy of Mac OS X (try eBay). Secondly, there is a way of resetting an administrator password without the disc if you are running Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Note: Do NOT do this with a FileVault protected account, or your data will be lost forever.

First, note the short name of the account. This is the same as the name of its home folder, but not necessarily the name that appears in the login window. Restart your computer, and while it is starting up, hold Command-S. This will start up your Mac in Single User Mode. Once it has started up, you will need to enter three lines of code. Enter sh /etc/rc and press return. Then enter passwd yourusername and hit return. Now you will have to enter a new password twice. What you type won't appear on screen, but it is working. Once you have done this, type reboot and hit return."

"This is the same as the Install Disc method in that it doesn't reset your Keychain password. You will have to do this separately."

Sheena84 · Aug 12, 2007, 09:02 AM

This may be a dumb question... but how do i know if this is a FileVault Protected account? if i can find out if its not, then id think that may be worth giving a try. i am in the mean time looking into gettin the Mac discs tho.
Thanks...

ghporter · Aug 12, 2007, 10:54 AM

In System Preferences, go to Security. If File Vault is on, it should have a button that says "Turn File Vault Off."

amazing · Aug 12, 2007, 05:33 PM

This will work for you, even if the previous owner had File Vault enabled. Just copy any of your own docs out of onto the HD itself, not onto the desktop or anywhere within the user account. Then, when the password is changed and the user account's password-protected File Vault is no longer accessible (you can't bread the encryption) you just throw that account into the trash (force-empty.)

Then, you use the single-user method to change the password, and you use ChangeShortName to change the user name of the user account.

Frankly, I'm still astonished that you can change the admin password that easily--seems to leave an admin user open to a lot of mischief by coworkers. Or to any non-admin users who want to escalate their privileges.

besson3c · Aug 12, 2007, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by amazing

This will work for you, even if the previous owner had File Vault enabled. Just copy any of your own docs out of onto the HD itself, not onto the desktop or anywhere within the user account. Then, when the password is changed and the user account's password-protected File Vault is no longer accessible (you can't bread the encryption) you just throw that account into the trash (force-empty.)

Then, you use the single-user method to change the password, and you use ChangeShortName to change the user name of the user account.

Frankly, I'm still astonished that you can change the admin password that easily--seems to leave an admin user open to a lot of mischief by coworkers. Or to any non-admin users who want to escalate their privileges.

Unix machines have offered single user mode for years, a mode in which the user is granted root privileges.

When you have physical access to any machine, all bets are off.

bluedog · Aug 13, 2007, 07:11 AM

If you have a question and gender isn't a part of the question, just do some diligence and search for an answer before asking something that has been asked many times before:
http://forums.macnn.com/69/macbook-p...ath-of-friend/
http://forums.macnn.com/66/macbook-a...gift-now-what/
http://forums.macnn.com/66/macbook-a...assword-reset/
http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/...er-reload-osx/

Somewhat related topic:
http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/...ft-protection/
http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/...dmin-password/

People posting above are not being buffoons for making a point of the original poster's gender. The original poster is making the point of STATING their gender, to what effect other than to ask for some pity assistance? Saying 'help a girl out' is like a Mattel Barbie saying "Math is hard!"

I suggest simply asking your question next time and leaving gender out of the equation, or you'll get similar responses. Sure it would be great if a community would all response in kindness and 'let it slide' that the original question was asked. But asking in the subject, its as if being a girl was going to somehow get you better/faster assistance.

Hopefully the links I posted above can get you beyond third base in resetting your password. On a tangent that may help you in the future, it might be better to not ask Apple for any assistance with your laptop.

A lot of stolen goods are bought/sold on ebay and other second-hand means all the time. You may have unknowingly purchased it, but it won't be pretty if Apple has the serial number for your laptop listed as a stolen. Buying any used item it is best to try and find out if the seller is the original owner.

Once you are back and running with your own password on the laptop, I wish you well in learning the fun and cool things that your Mac can do.

besson3c · Aug 13, 2007, 07:58 AM

Good point about the mention of gender... Not a good tactic.

amazing · Aug 13, 2007, 11:05 AM

Bottom line on any forum: You're not obliged to answer any question if the question offends you or if you think the question has already been answered. Doesn't matter if the title offends you, doesn't matter if the question has been answered a zillion times. You are quite free to just ignore the post. People will get the idea when their post gets ignored.

Once you start searching for threads where you can post offensive and insulting comments, then you get a reputation for bullying behavior--and if you didn't like being bullied yourself, why are you doing to others? Not to mention that people start ignoring anything you post.