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stanw

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 29, 2007
842
5
I f@#$ed up and have access to too many Macs at work and assigned a password to a new Mac and now I am trying to install software and I can not.

1. Where do I get my password reminder?
2. What other options do I have?

Thanks in advance.
 
2. What other options do I have?

Reset your password with the following:

Restart your Mac, hold down Command-R when you hear the bong.
When you get the Utilities screen, go to the menu and choose Utilities/Terminal.
In the Terminal window type: resetpassword and hit Return.
Use the Reset Password tool to select your disk, userid, and new password.

Notes:

This will not work if you have FileVault turned on.
You will lose access to your keychain, OS X will create a new one.

For pictures, see:

http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/24/reset-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-password/

A.
 
This sounds like it will take care of my problem.

However, what stops someone with nefarious intentions from using this to get into someone's Mac? This seems entirely too easy.
 
This sounds like it will take care of my problem.

However, what stops someone with nefarious intentions from using this to get into someone's Mac? This seems entirely too easy.

You can set a firmware password to lock access to the recovery system. Don't forget that one! If you do, there's no way to reset it.
 
However, what stops someone with nefarious intentions from using this to get into someone's Mac? This seems entirely too easy.

If you have physical access to a computer, whether it be Mac or Windows, then you are in control of that computer. If you want to make it less easy you use encryption.

A.
 
This sounds like it will take care of my problem.

However, what stops someone with nefarious intentions from using this to get into someone's Mac? This seems entirely too easy.

You can do the firmware password but if you use Firevalult your hard drive is totally encrypted so it cannot be accessed without the password--or the recovery key that was generated when Firevault was turned on.
 
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