[BlackFC3s]

I just bought a Powerbook 867 and the operating system is 10.4.8 tiger, The problem is that I DONT have the password to the administrator account so I can install any files and such.

MY two part question is whether I will notice a difference with 10.2.5? and Is there a way to reset the password without the admins password?

Thanks

[Philip J. Fry]

Originally Posted by BlackFC3s 

I just bought a Powerbook 867 and the operating system is 10.4.8 tiger, The problem is that I DONT have the password to the administrator account so I can install any files and such.

MY two part question is whether I will notice a difference with 10.2.5? and Is there a way to reset the password without the admins password?

Thanks

Are you going to be downgrading to 10.2.5? If so, yes, you will notice a difference between 10.4.8 and 10.2.5.

[Tsilou B.]

You can reset the password:

If you have the 10.4 DVD, simply boot from it by holding down the "C" key while booting the Mac. Then select the "reset password" menu item.

If you do not have the 10.4 DVD (why should you want to install 10.2 otherwise), it's a bit more difficult:

First find out the short name of the administrator account. It's the name of the administrator's folder in the /Users folder.

Hold down Command-S while starting the Mac until the screen becomes black with white characters on it (like DOS) and then wait until you get a command prompt.

Enter these commands (press Return after every command)

/sbin/mount -uw /
sh /etc/rc
password shortname (shortname is the administrator's short name from step 1, of course)

Now you can enter a new password twice, and then enter another command:

reboot


The Mac will reboot and go to the login screen. Now you can log in with your new password. You won't be able to fully use the administrator's account, because you this method will not have reset the keychain password. Therefore, go to the System Preferences, unlock the lock, select your usual user name and select "Allow user to administrate this computer" (or create a new user and check the same checkbox for that user). Log out, log back in with your own user account and delete the old administrators account in System Preferences.

That's it. No need to install 10.2.5.

[Tuoder]

Originally Posted by Tsilou B. 

You can reset the password:

If you have the 10.4 DVD, simply boot from it by holding down the "C" key while booting the Mac. Then select the "reset password" menu item.

If you do not have the 10.4 DVD (why should you want to install 10.2 otherwise), it's a bit more difficult:

First find out the short name of the administrator account. It's the name of the administrator's folder in the /Users folder.

Hold down Command-S while starting the Mac until the screen becomes black with white characters on it (like DOS) and then wait until you get a command prompt.

Enter these commands (press Return after every command)

/sbin/mount -uw /
sh /etc/rc
password shortname (shortname is the administrator's short name from step 1, of course)

Now you can enter a new password twice, and then enter another command:

reboot


The Mac will reboot and go to the login screen. Now you can log in with your new password. You won't be able to fully use the administrator's account, because you this method will not have reset the keychain password. Therefore, go to the System Preferences, unlock the lock, select your usual user name and select "Allow user to administrate this computer" (or create a new user and check the same checkbox for that user). Log out, log back in with your own user account and delete the old administrators account in System Preferences.

That's it. No need to install 10.2.5.

That is a fun way to locally hack a Mac. Use this knowledge with restraint.

[Tsilou B.]

By the way, if you're now shocked that anyone can simply reset the password on your Mac if you let him/her have the Mac for a few minutes: There is a way to block both methods:

Setting up firmware password protection in Mac OS X 10.1 or later

However, if you don't have the 10.4 DVD, you cannot perform this on your Powerbook, because you would need the "OpenFirmware Password" application from the 10.4 DVD.