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Firmware locked MacBook
- Thread starter terry.jackson
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No it cannot. There is a remote Find my Mac lockdown that can be applied remotely, but it looks and works differently.
The remote Find my Mac lockdown looks like this.
... and the firmware password looks like this. A firmware password is setup locally from the recovery partition.
I used a service on eBay to unlock the firmware password. I bought an iMac with a damaged display and housing. When I got the logic board from it installed in my iMac, it turned out to have a firmware password. I had bought it from a computer recycler and I was fairly sure that it wasn't stolen. This is who I used on eBay "guy_genius". He sent me a file that I used to create the USB drive to remove the lock. I was really relieved.
Not necessarily. I'd still guess it is stolen and the original owner put the firmware lock on it to make it useless if stolen just like we are seeing here. I apply the firmware lock on my Mac for just this reason.
Interesting... from reading his eBay listing I'm guessing this is a rogue Apple employee selling these USB keys. If you read his listing he mentions he needs your serial number and "other code" to make the custom USB key for you.
The "other code" he is referring to is a 33 character hash accessed by holding Control-Option-Command-Shift-S from that firmware screen. Then Apple sends that code off to the mother ship where a unique firmware boot ROM is created and sent back to the Appel technician. Then you boot to that ROM key and the firmware lock is removed. So this guy is either an Apple employee or knows an Apple employee who can send the code in and get a boot ROM made. Not good.
As I noted to you previously I think this method will not work on a rMB you can also email them and check out another service in newjersey to confirm
You are already quid's in just buy a new LB from apple IMO
Send the seller the message and ask - I bet you would get an answer. Heck, at $70, it's not much of a risk anyway. The seller has a good feedback score too, if it didn't work I bet he/she would refund you the cash to avoid negative feedback.
Well obviously the original owner understood how to setup the firmware password, so I'm not following your point.
As mentioned in the Original Post, the seller disappeared and the OP got his money back from paypal
No not that seller. The seller discussed above that claims to sell firmware unlocks.
As I also said email him and http://jerseycityrepair.com/
But I think the rMB won't be on the list as the chip has changed and there is more to it than one thinks
I still maintain getting a new LB from Apple is preferred
Turned out this totally worked !!! I was able to clear all the passwords, boot into recovery, clear the hard drive and reinstall a fresh OS. The service was very fast and the seller worked with me to get it done!!! I didn't plan on having to go thought all this, but if I ever deal with this kinda problem again I will be contacting them again for sure.
Great result, equally it`s concerning just how easily this was accomplished and that the passwords can be cleared. So much for Apple`s security protocols, if the vendor is working completely outside of Apple`s system, the security of Mac`s both hardware & software is basically worthless requiring little more than the ability to use a search engine...
Q-6
I understand what your saying, I was able to get the firmware password removed with the help of "guy_genius" but the HD was still protected my file vault from what I gather. I was never able to get into the HD or see any info about what was on the machine before I received it. Only way to get it working again was in recovery and formatting the HD then with a clean HD I was able to install OS X.
The problem is that sort of service only helps one group of people. Thieves, you see if people know that they can bypass this lock, it will make MacBooks that much more enticing. Now I'm not saying you're a thief, but rather someone who unknowingly purchased a laptop that is probably stolen.
Its like easily getting around Apple's activation lock on the iPhone. The iPhone would be a bigger target for thieves if people could get around that mechanism.
Afraid to say I very much agree, such services don't really serve the community as a whole.
Q-6
Exactly firm should mean firm
Surprisingly though the seller either did not want the rMB just the cash or could not use a browser, maybe as rMB was locked
I was certainly surprised that it was possible to unlock the newer MB's, but maybe as some suggested this is an Apple insider job.
Exactly firm should mean firm
Surprisingly though the seller either did not want the rMB just the cash or could not use a browser, maybe as rMB was locked
I was certainly surprised that it was possible to unlock the newer MB's, but maybe as some suggested this is an Apple insider job.
Quick money methinks...
Q-6