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Joseph · Jan 11, 2007, 02:06 AM

Ok, I encountered a big problem. On Monday I let a small group of my students work on my old powerbook g4 during class (yes, I know, big mistake) on tuesday. The admin account is the only account on that computer (another mistake). Long story short, my password got changed. How they figured out my password I do not know. I asked each of them the following day about it and they all denied it. I searched this forum and found an old thread giving details on how to reset the password by using the osx install disc, however, I tried that and it confirmed my password had been reset, but when I restarted the new password did not work, nor did my old password. Any suggestions? I am very frustrated.

Big Mac · Jan 11, 2007, 03:04 AM

You can reset your password while in single user mode, but I have never tried it. These instructions were written for an older version of OS X, so there's a small chance they won't work:

Step 1) Restart the computer while holding down the command and s keys at the same time.

Step 1.5) Type "/sbin/fsck -yf"

Step 2) Type "/sbin/mount -wu /"

Step 3) Type "/sbin/SystemStarter"

Step 4) Type "passwd <shortusername>" (replacing <shortusername> with the short version of your admin's username

Step 5) Type a new password and press return (you won't see the cursor move, but it's taking the input)

Step 6) Type the same password again and press return to confirm it

Step 7) Type "exit" and press return to go the GUI and then login with the new password.

Joseph · Jan 11, 2007, 03:38 AM

Thank you for you help. Unfortunately I was unable to make any progress and actually now have another problem. Now my account doesn't even show up on the login screen. My account is gone and is replaced by one that says "other", which was not previously there, and as my luck would have it my username and password are "incorrect" when I try to login as "other". It appears I will have to make a trip to the apple store when I can find some free time.

Big Mac · Jan 11, 2007, 04:30 PM

Getting support from the genius bar isn't very convenient. If you want faster service, I'd go to Di-no.

Tenacious Dyl · Jan 11, 2007, 06:42 PM

EDIT: I was suggesting the CD-password reset utility on the install disk. I used it, and it DID work. You said it didn't.

Next suggestion I have would be to boot it up into firewire target disk mode, get another mac to connect it to (a buddies, a colleague, etc) Take everything you need to keep (back up) and dump it on the computer you are using, then clean install OS X from there, and reload the stuff back on.

Sorry about your situation