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rdruner

macrumors newbie
Oct 7, 2012
1
0
Hope you guys can help me... i am using a usb - sata adapter to connect the removed pro hard drive to my macbook... my macbook opens and reads files on the macbook pro hard drive, however i cannot seem to find the icloud file? to navigate to the .lock file... any help would be grateful... my thought is the file is hidden... any way to unhide all files via my macbook?
 
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iDesigner2

macrumors newbie
Sep 13, 2012
7
1
@EW: Nah bro. It was a one time thing. My work sent me out there. And no, i have not got any further with the HDD man. Still trying though.
 

CalifLov

macrumors newbie
Oct 3, 2012
3
0
@Excitewalk

Can you tell me how I can get in contact with your friend? Also have can I contact you all to this board? Thank you for your help.
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@rdruner, try a search for "lock" and look for a file with a bunch of digits in the name.

@iDesigner2, let me know if you get anything worked out.

@CalifLov, I'm working on it.. But I don't understand your second question.
 

motobabe

macrumors newbie
Oct 10, 2012
2
0
help please

i also managed to get the numbers on the lock file but no combinations of them are working pls help
 

thatasachik

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2012
4
0
@ExciteWalk

Thank you for posting the information. Can you help me? I tried connecting my hard drive to another computer (PC, already downloaded MacDrive) and there were only 2 files when I opened up the hard drive:

.com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent

.OSInstallMessages

I could not open any of these files. I also did not see any iCloud files. Do you think maybe the hard drive has been wiped? Any advice would be appreciated.
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@motobabe, are you are entering the code into this screen?
lockscreen.jpg


And not this one:
4368739975_5be85cb46f.jpg



@thatasachik, if that is all I saw, then I would assume it was wiped (but there is still hope).
One question though; at boot, are you seeing a question mark or the PIN lock screen as pictured in the first image above?
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@thatasachik, that must mean that the firmware recognizes the drive. Either you aren't seeing all the files or the key is embedded in the files that you do have. Let's do this:
1. Send me the files you do have so I can check them out (use whatever you want to send them/dropbox/datafilehost/mediafire).
2. If you have another Mac, run Stellar Mac Data Recovery on that drive and see if it can recover any more system files. From there try to find that file I described in the original guide.
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@thatasachik

@thatasachik, those are tiny files. Only 1-2kb altogether. See if you can find what's taking up the rest of the space. Maybe some hidden files.
 

motobabe

macrumors newbie
Oct 10, 2012
2
0
thx

@ excitewalk
the first screen you posted is the screen im stuck on the four digit numeric pass code..... not the firmware password all help is appriecated
 

macattacked05

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2012
2
0
I have a thunderbolt mbp (2011), with a SuperDrive. I can't find a .lock file. in iCloud/accounts are 3 files, two with my username for iCloud and one with the following digits: 196318837 but no .lock...no combination of numbers has helped. I'm about ready to invest in the new logic board and call it a day...please save me!

----------

question, couldn't I just simply remove the iCloud folder and then recover the firmware password?
 

thatasachik

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2012
4
0
@excitewalk

I recovered the data from the hard drive and was able to see a lot more files but I didn't see an iCloud folder or any file that ended with .lock. Will hidden files show up in the recovery search? Any other ideas? I heard from somewhere that there is a way to do it by removing the logic board and doing something to it.
 

shehryar23

macrumors newbie
Oct 15, 2012
1
0
none of the combinations from my lock file work as the pin :(.

p.s: i had to work so hard to finally get the lock file. i have a mid2011 macbook air so first it was really hard to find the blade sata to usb adapter. and once i did, i couldnt find the lock file and i had to recover files to get it. and none of the combinations work :(.
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@motobabe, try it for the firmware password.

@macattacked05, I'm sorry it didn't work. You can try removing the iCloud, but be sure you back it up first.

@thatasachik, as far as I know, Stellar recovery should show you hidden files.
I'm running out of ideas, so if you try the logic board replacement method be sure to let us know how it works out for you.

@shehryar23, I'm sorry that it was so much trouble. If you correctly followed my guide and it didn't work then I don't know how to help you at this point.


I haven't received any confirmations that this method works. The only confirmation I have is my own. Maybe I was lucky, maybe Apple patched the system to prevent this circumvention. I don't think I can do much more here until I can get my hands on a Mac, and there's no ETA for that.
I feel like a lot of people got let down here, I'm sorry.
 

macattacked05

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2012
2
0
excitewalk; you offered the biggest glimpse of hope so far. you're not the one letting anyone down. instead it's apple, because this is a security feature that's flawed. people should be responsible for their own possessions, and it shouldn't be up to a security feature that's 'owned' by apple...I'm just frustrated. I never should have been playing with 'find my Mac' in the first place. I'm the idiot here...lol! thanks for trying. if I get it running I'll let you know.
 

Mike3456

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2012
2
0
I've been trying to find those lock numbers for quite some time now... I have lots of info I'd like to recover, but would reformatting the HDD via PC (Macdrive) also be a solution?
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@macattacked05, Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement :)

@Mike3456, to recover any files you can just use MacDrive to copy them over. Formating would do the opposite, it'll wipe everything out.

@Heyitsramon, that would cause more issues. The locked firmware would not allow you to boot.
 

Heyitsramon

macrumors newbie
Oct 18, 2012
4
0
Thanks for the quick response excite, I'm asking because my retina model did in fact get stolen, once unlocked would the person still be trackable or does it eliminate the ability to track it via 'find my Mac'. Awesome work finding this loophole, It greatly benefits the owners and the people that find the units at the same time, I applaud your work.
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@Heyitsramon, I'm sorry for the loss :( The FMM feature is supposed to work before a Mac gets locked, so it should continue working after it is unlocked and you should be able to re-lock it again if it gets unlocked.
 

Mike3456

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2012
2
0
Thanks for the response, I went ahead and reformatted it... but now a folder with a question mark shows up. I tried to reboot using the cd disk that came with the Imac, press "c" etc. I thought I didn't have the right files on the HDD so I used a buddies macbook and used DU to "erase" whatever is on there and let DU do what it does best. I reinstalled it and now it still has the same folder with question mark. Help please :( I'm slowly giving up
By the way its a mid 2011 Imac 27 if that matters. I upgraded to Mountain Lion and during the middle of "find my mac" set up my mac restarted and ask me for a pin.:mad:
 

Heyitsramon

macrumors newbie
Oct 18, 2012
4
0
One last questions for the thread. Has anyone other than Excite been able to accomplish what he did? I'm sure everyone is wondering if this process has been duplicated?
 

ExciteWalk

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2012
46
7
@Mike3456, the locked firmware looks for the lock file on the hard drive. So if you formatted it, it will not find it, and therefore show you the question mark symbol. If you've tried my method before formatting and it did not work, then you should probably take it to Apple or look into another solution.

As Heyitsramon said, I would also like to know if this worked for anyone else.
 
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