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monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,141
61
United States
Does anyone happen to have any first-hand experience with getting the password cleared from firmware on a 2013 MacBook Pro? From what I understand Apple can do it but does anyone know how long it generally takes? I live over an hour away from an Apple Store and can't really leave it overnight. Can Authorized Repair Centers clear it as well?
 

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,462
4,408
Delaware
Yes, an AASP can take care of clearing your EFI firmware password, if you have one that's more convenient to you.
The task itself is not much more than a phone call to service provider support.
They run a service app, which will output a code unique to your system. They send that code to Apple, who returns with a response code that the AASP enters in your system, clearing the EFI password. It's actually a bit more involved, but that's the basic steps that happen.
For obvious reasons, you should be ready to provide some proof of who you are, and proof that you own that Mac.

Wherever you choose to go for service, you should call ahead of time to ask your questions.
Some busy shops may not be able to help while you wait - but your task would not take more than 10 minutes, and you should ask about that before you go… Most shops will suggest that you make an appointment.
 

yjchua95

macrumors 604
Apr 23, 2011
6,725
233
GVA, KUL, MEL (current), ZQN
Thank you very much. Do they need to disassemble to unit, or will it seek a special bootable USB drive on boot?

Boot with Option key held to display the boot menu's firmware password prompt.

Press Control-Option-Command-Shift-S to reveal a 33-digit hash (mixed letters and numbers) that contains an identifier for your specific motherboard and the Atmel chip used for your system. In this hash, the first 17 digits are an identifier for the system's motherboard, and the last 16 digits are a hash for the password.

Submit the hash to Apple, where someone will put it through a special utility to create a keyfile that is specific for your machine.

Place the file on a special USB boot drive and hold Option to load the boot menu and select this drive.

The system will read the file and properly reset the firmware password stored in the Atmel chip on the logic board, which contains the firmware password.

This process may seem easy enough, except that the utility for creating the keyfile is kept at Apple so you have to go through an authorized service center, which will contact technicians at Apple for this service. Secondly, the Apple technicians will not give you the keyfile for unlocking your system, so you must get your system serviced to perform this step.
 

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,141
61
United States
Boot with Option key held to display the boot menu's firmware password prompt.

Press Control-Option-Command-Shift-S to reveal a 33-digit hash (mixed letters and numbers) that contains an identifier for your specific motherboard and the Atmel chip used for your system. In this hash, the first 17 digits are an identifier for the system's motherboard, and the last 16 digits are a hash for the password.

Submit the hash to Apple, where someone will put it through a special utility to create a keyfile that is specific for your machine.

Place the file on a special USB boot drive and hold Option to load the boot menu and select this drive.

The system will read the file and properly reset the firmware password stored in the Atmel chip on the logic board, which contains the firmware password.

This process may seem easy enough, except that the utility for creating the keyfile is kept at Apple so you have to go through an authorized service center, which will contact technicians at Apple for this service. Secondly, the Apple technicians will not give you the keyfile for unlocking your system, so you must get your system serviced to perform this step.

Thank you for the reply. I am very glad they are that secure with it - otherwise it would be pointless to put on one. Glad it does not have to be disassembled.

I actually need to remove it on two machines I own. Advice to anyone - never set a firmware password between taking Ambien and the time you go to bed. That is honestly what happened!
 

natere2ster

macrumors newbie
Apr 28, 2012
5
0
EFI brute force

Anyone have an Teensy with the code already on it I can buy? I have the EFI locked out screen not the iCloud 4 box one.
 

nickandre21

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2012
548
5
There was a customer whu had come into the AASP where i was submitting my laptop he to forgot the efi password, they asked him to provide a bill and photo identity. He provided it to them and they told him it will take a day since they need to run a software and talk to apple.
 

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,141
61
United States
There was a customer whu had come into the AASP where i was submitting my laptop he to forgot the efi password, they asked him to provide a bill and photo identity. He provided it to them and they told him it will take a day since they need to run a software and talk to apple.

That is the feedback I am getting from the local provider. Even though it shouldn't take that long, they are still saying about a day.

I was hoping I could wait on it as I didn't want to do a complete backup and reinstall OS X before I took it in (I don't want to leave sensitive data on it, even though it is using FileVault) but I do need the password reset.
 

MarvinHC

macrumors 6502a
Jan 9, 2014
834
293
Belgium
That is the feedback I am getting from the local provider. Even though it shouldn't take that long, they are still saying about a day.

I was hoping I could wait on it as I didn't want to do a complete backup and reinstall OS X before I took it in (I don't want to leave sensitive data on it, even though it is using FileVault) but I do need the password reset.

Put another clean/empty hard drive in.
 

nickandre21

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2012
548
5
Normally they do not touch your data or go into it. Do you have an osx password? Is it different from the efi? If yes do not provide the password, what i do is when i give for services i do not provide the password, they simply use a guest account unless they need to do some settings in admin account then i go there and ask them to do the last minute settings while im around.
 

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 24, 2011
1,141
61
United States
Normally they do not touch your data or go into it. Do you have an osx password? Is it different from the efi? If yes do not provide the password, what i do is when i give for services i do not provide the password, they simply use a guest account unless they need to do some settings in admin account then i go there and ask them to do the last minute settings while im around.

The login password is different than the EFI password, which I have forgotten. It does have FileVault 2 on it so it is probably safe. I am making a backup just in case.

Thank you for the reply.
 
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