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I'm locked out of my macbook completely... Can Anyone help?

JRob65a6

JRob65a6

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 5, 2009
107
0
I bought a macbook 3yrs ago and I let my brother use it and he locked it and I dont know what to do.
I tried to put the osx cd in and press c or option on startup and all I get is a lock asking for a password. On normal logon it asks for user name and password. He remembers the user but not the password. Is there any way to reset it completely?
He deleted my user and saved my files on his side.

I want my pictures and things but I dont have to have them
 
If you can't boot from CD is sounds like he put a firmware password. Thats not good. You can try to get your data off by starting the mac up in Target disc mode so that you can access the drive, but you need a mac for that and I'm not even sure that will work.
 
How would he have put a firmware password? I'd just like to be able to use my computer again. Is there anything I can do? Anything???
 
Firmware password blocks target disk mode. To clear a firmware password, you must change the RAM configuration of the system and reset the PRAM. After that you can then boot to the disc to reset the computer's login password. From the password reset utility, also take notice of the login shortname or username so you'll be able to login after you change the password. Your brother set the login window to display name and password instead of list of users, you can fix that in Accounts preferences->Login Options after you have finished resetting the login password. And you will probably want to reset the login keychain in Keychain Access unless you like getting persistent messages asking you for that password neither you or your brother recall...

For more information regarding firmware passwords, look here.
 
JediMeister said:
Firmware password blocks target disk mode. To clear a firmware password, you must change the RAM configuration of the system and reset the PRAM. After that you can then boot to the disc to reset the computer's login password. From the password reset utility, also take notice of the login shortname or username so you'll be able to login after you change the password. Your brother set the login window to display name and password instead of list of users, you can fix that in Accounts preferences->Login Options after you have finished resetting the login password. And you will probably want to reset the login keychain in Keychain Access unless you like getting persistent messages asking you for that password neither you or your brother recall...

For more information regarding firmware passwords, look here.
Click to expand...



That is exactly what he did..... Now how can I fix it? How do I reconfigure RAM and aslo reset the PRAM?
 
I know that now. I'm not even sure he knows what he did.
Thank you guys
 
1. Why did you give someone else admin? Always create non-admin accounts.

2. Create another account. Move the files over.

3. Do you actually own such a thing? Or did you got it via questionable means? Let's see, you own it for 3 years, but your sig says:

"Early 2009 Mac Book Pro 17in 2.66 500gb@7200RPM 9600 GT
1tb Time Capsule
16GB iPhone 3G"

Quite suspicious. In 3 years you did not back up any of your files?
 
pdjudd said:
If you can't boot from CD is sounds like he put a firmware password. Thats not good. You can try to get your data off by starting the mac up in Target disc mode so that you can access the drive, but you need a mac for that and I'm not even sure that will work.
Click to expand...

Isn't setting up a Firmware password pretty difficult or at least obscure? I mean it isn't like you open a System Preference and change it is it?

Doesn't seem like something a casual user would do - especially the kind of user who would change the password and then forget it?
 
Consultant said:
1. Why did you give someone else admin? Always create non-admin accounts.

2. Create another account. Move the files over.

3. Do you actually own such a thing? Or did you got it via questionable means? Let's see, you own it for 3 years, but your sig says:

"Early 2009 Mac Book Pro 17in 2.66 500gb@7200RPM 9600 GT
1tb Time Capsule
16GB iPhone 3G"

Quite suspicious. In 3 years you did not back up any of your files?
Click to expand...





He had it because I let him use it for college. I bought a new one but I wanted my wife to be able to use it when she leaves town. The 17 in is too big for her. He likes to toy with computers. He always messes something up in the process. I have no idea how or why he did it. Hes weird about protecting it when it came to him having it in the dorms. He was worried someone would steal it. Then he quit college so I took it back.
 
aross99 said:
Isn't setting up a Firmware password pretty difficult or at least obscure? I mean it isn't like you open a System Preference and change it is it?

Doesn't seem like something a casual user would do - especially the kind of user who would change the password and then forget it?
Click to expand...



He said he knows it but for some reason it wasnt working. like his ex changed it on him. Shes crazy and thats why he quit college. Girls......... Hes an idiot.
 
It is still asking for name and password when I try to start it. I reset the system administrator password but It doesnt have the option to login as the admin. Any Suggestions???
 
JRob65a6, when you reset the password you need to take note of the shortname of the admin user. You can put the shortname or the proper name into the field for the username and then the password you changed it to at the login window. After that's done you can go in and change the login option in Accounts preferences to display the login window as a list of users rather than name and password.
 
JRob65a6 said:
I bought a macbook 3yrs ago and I let my brother use it and he locked it and I dont know what to do.
I tried to put the osx cd in and press c or option on startup and all I get is a lock asking for a password. On normal logon it asks for user name and password. He remembers the user but not the password. Is there any way to reset it completely?
He deleted my user and saved my files on his side.

I want my pictures and things but I dont have to have them
Click to expand...

Your best bet, take the computer, and throw it in the trash, then, go out and buy a real computer.

Windows > Mac
 
JRob65a6 said:
It is still asking for name and password when I try to start it. I reset the system administrator password but It doesnt have the option to login as the admin. Any Suggestions???
Click to expand...

Assuming this is for the MacOS X login screen, you could try:

Hold down cmd-s key while you power on the MBP and keep it held down; see if it boots you into a single user command line mode that won't prompt for a password.

If it doesn't ask for a password, then you can do these commands:

Code: 
dscl . read groups/admin GroupMembership
dscl . passwd /Users/<admin user> newpassword

The first dscl read command gives you a list of admin users. Look at that list and ignore 'root'. Whatever username is left is the admin user account you want to provide for <admin user> in the dscl passwd step.

Then reboot and login as that user and password. From there, create your own admin user account, copy your files back into the account, etc... And disable the account your brother used and take away its admin status.
 
Hey, OP, just realized something. You said you bought it 3 years ago. Is it still running Tiger?

The reason why I ask is because in older OS X versions, it's nicl... and dscl in newer ones.
 
Nope not stolen mac. LMAO That does sound like it now that I read what I wrote. But its fixed and all is well. Oh and I do have a real computer. Its called MBP 17 maxed out. LOL Im about to buy a Mac Pro. I cant wait to see this beast in my office.
 
Glad it's fixed, so now I get to apply my wise guy humor to your thread title.

Locked out?
It has a keyboard, doesn't it?
Find the right key!
;)
 
similar problem

I have also managed to get locked out of my macbook. When I try to use the master password it gives me a prompt to enter a new password but will not accept anything I type. I can get access using command s but haven't been able to find whats wrong. Any help?
 
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