EFI (firmware password)

[chortytke]

made huge mistake. Tried selling my 2012 iMac but erased hard drive of all data, than locked iCloud account through find my phone app thinking I needed to delete the iMac from there too! Question: any way around the firmware password with Apple assistance? I get that lock icon with a bar to enter password. I saw some sort of usb drive to buy to bypass that locked screen!! Help please!!

 

[Fishrrman]

Apple [absolutely] requires "proof-of-purchase" before they will remove a firmware password. That means you have to present the original invoice. No invoice = no deal.

I've seen the ebay ads from individuals offering help in removing firmware passwords (for a price). Their tricks work on some Macs, but not on others.

If you have the original sales invoice, take it an Apple Store.
If you don't, well... you might try an "eBay solution". Might work, might not.
If that doesn't work, well... just put the iMac into the closet.

Oh... and next time...
Think long and hard before you put firmware password protection on your Mac...

 

[globol]

My friend bought an iMac with an EFI password lock. He took it to an Apple store without proof of purchase. They just typed in the serial. Saw it was still under warranty and unlocked it for him. I believe they it took them about 2-3 days to unlock it. This was back in 2013.

 

[OS X Dude]

My friend bought an iMac with an EFI password lock. He took it to an Apple store without proof of purchase. They just typed in the serial. Saw it was still under warranty and unlocked it for him. I believe they it took them about 2-3 days to unlock it. This was back in 2013.

As a Genius, that should NOT have happened - otherwise we’d be unlocking personal data for every Mac thief in town, potentially. We can do it without proof-of-purchase, but it’s a chargeable logic board exchange and the drive must be formatted prior to returning the Mac to the customer.