clarification on OSX recovery

[velvetlounger]

My friends father bought a 13 Mbp a few months ago. He has not used it since then and has forgotten his OS X password. There is a hidden Recovery drive on the machine but when I try to restart the machine and reload OS X it does not use the recovery partition, it starts downloading the OS instead. Is this normal? I ask because the internet is very slow here and it is requiring about 30 hours to download the recovery installation. Obviously I would like the maching to use the recovery partition but I'm not clear on how this normally works.

Is there any way I can force it to recover from the partition or is the download required?

Thanks very much.

 

[prisstratton]

The Recovery Partition only contains a limited set of tools to help you try and recover your system. If you need to re-install the operating system itself, then yes, a download is required.

 

[DeltaMac]

Just to clarify - the Recovery system partition does not have the system files. It will download all of the system files each time you want to reinstall using that partition.
Your father's MBPro is portable, so you could take it anywhere.
Do you possibly have access to a faster connection? An Apple Store, for example, will often allow you to download what you need, from their fast connection.

Just a suggestion - once you get the system installed and updated - go to the App Store, and download the installer app, again. Don't let it run when it completes. Save it on an external drive. Use it to create a bootable USB installer. That will give you something to keep, in the event that you need to install again, without having to download the entire system files again. You can search for the method to create the bootable flash drive, or use the good app DiskmakerX, which makes that process simple.

 

[Weaselboy]

He has not used it since then and has forgotten his OS X password.

You can just follow this to reset his password for him.

 

[sharon22]

DeltaMac, GREAT suggestion! For the OP to go to a place that has a fast connection, like some Starbucks or whatever that has fast wi-fi, or better yet, a good hardwired ethernet connection. I would NOT do the "30-hour" thing. During those 30 hours, there are too many things that can go wrong...

Hopefully you can use Weaselboy's suggestion to reset the lost password. That's the best answer of all.