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Imac from PCWorld UK-has password before set-up!?!? can't access it - need help!

RunnyCustard

RunnyCustard

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 27, 2008
49
0
London
Hi

A friend brought an iMac from pc world a year ago (it's been in storage) and I'm setting it up for her.
it's all plugged in and when I turned it on it came up with a vista page asking for a password that uses the store number - we entered the appropriate store number but it didn't work - we tried several other options... ie the usual types ie: password, customer number, order number etc but nothing.
the reset password option asks for a password reset disc but we don't have this - I'm assuming that PC world tech guys have that (?)

The imac came with no discs or paperwork at all so we don't even have the restore CDs.

I would like to know if there is a way to bypass this screen? I tried safe mode but still got the password screen.

we might have to go to pcworld to ask them to sort it but as they can be a right pain I'm trying to see if anyone else has had this problem and what did they do to solve it.

I've never seen this sort of thing from PC world and I have brought PC's and macs from them before and so have friends - this is a first for seeing a password just to get into the computer/set-up!

Thanks for any advice you can give.
:eek:
 
It sounds like they've installed Vista in Boot Camp and that's set as the start-up disc. Try pressing alt while booting and it should let you select the Mac OS hopefully that won't have a password on it too (very unlikely though!).
 
WhiteNoiseMaker said:
It sounds like they've installed Vista in Boot Camp and that's set as the start-up disc. Try pressing alt while booting and it should let you select the Mac OS hopefully that won't have a password on it too (very unlikely though!).
Click to expand...

I'll pass this on to get her to try pressing alt - I'm not with her now as I had to go back to work.

I have a feeling that she didn't ask for windows/bootcamp to be added when she brought it... I was thinking that it's just pc worlds own security/password software which is why it says vista rather than having a dual os system!

I have to check with her to confirm that though.
thanks for your help - fingers crossed this works
 
arkitect said:
It came with no disks or manual? :confused:

Very curious…

Is this legit? or… ;)

And if it is legit then get on to PC World…

Something isn't right.
Click to expand...

it is legit yes... brought new and delivered by PC world to her house!!

we were hoping to avoid going to the actual store as they can be a pain and I've had trouble with the tech guys there... I think it might depend on the store who works there but I'm assuming it would be best to go to the one that it was brought from originally.

it just weird to have this password on there - just never seen that before - what a pain!!!
:confused:
 
If it has vista on it then its not brand new . .
Its either pre-owned or a store display model.

I've never seen mac come with windows pre-installed!!!
 
It's either an ex-demo machine or one that's been nicked.

I bought an ex-demo PC from them in the Xmas sale which still had the store password. I just took it back and they restored the PC to factory settings and burned me a copy of the restore disk while I waited.

They also gave the salesman a bollocking for letting it leave the store without it being wiped clean. :D
 
I work for the Techguys call centre (please no torrent of abuse my way lol), usually the stores sent the branch code as the password, but sounds like you tried that (4 digit number starting with 4 or 07?), it's very weird it has Vista on there though, usually for display models they will use the normal O/S and not add to it.

Did she buy it from the business section of PCW? They sometimes do dual boot machines.

If it's over it's guarantee period then you may be out of luck as stores don't tend to be too helpful to OOW customers.

Also curious as to whether they've installed a RTM version or OEM, you mentioned about Safe Mode, when you did F8 for Advanced Boot Options did you get Repair Your Computer as an option?
 
runebinder said:
I work for the Techguys call centre (please no torrent of abuse my way lol), usually the stores sent the branch code as the password, but sounds like you tried that (4 digit number starting with 4 or 07?), it's very weird it has Vista on there though, usually for display models they will use the normal O/S and not add to it.

Did she buy it from the business section of PCW? They sometimes do dual boot machines.

If it's over it's guarantee period then you may be out of luck as stores don't tend to be too helpful to OOW customers.

Also curious as to whether they've installed a RTM version or OEM, you mentioned about Safe Mode, when you did F8 for Advanced Boot Options did you get Repair Your Computer as an option?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have admitted who I worked for on here ;)
 
runebinder said:
I work for the Techguys call centre (please no torrent of abuse my way lol), usually the stores sent the branch code as the password, but sounds like you tried that (4 digit number starting with 4 or 07?), it's very weird it has Vista on there though, usually for display models they will use the normal O/S and not add to it.

Did she buy it from the business section of PCW? They sometimes do dual boot machines.

If it's over it's guarantee period then you may be out of luck as stores don't tend to be too helpful to OOW customers.

Also curious as to whether they've installed a RTM version or OEM, you mentioned about Safe Mode, when you did F8 for Advanced Boot Options did you get Repair Your Computer as an option?
Click to expand...

lol, brave to admit that :D
(I did a temp job for the poll tax office once and we had to tell people we worked for Marks & spencers just to avoid all the abuse we would get! wouldn't mind but we only did some filing and sorting!!)

she finally made it through the password segment. it did have the PCW letters then the numbers BUT the numbers weren't the store number that the help line quoted or the ones found on the receipt!!!! my friend just got annoyed and entered random numbers... and it worked... how weird!

it doesn't actually have windows on there... think it's just some kind of security wrapper that was created in vista perhaps????? I've never seen this before so I have no idea.

so thankful that we manage to get past that bit - at least we can sort out her settings etc now without having to visit pc world!

Thanks for your help guys :)

I just hope PC world don't do this to all new computers - what a pain!
 
RunnyCustard said:
lol, brave to admit that :D
(I did a temp job for the poll tax office once and we had to tell people we worked for Marks & spencers just to avoid all the abuse we would get! wouldn't mind but we only did some filing and sorting!!)

she finally made it through the password segment. it did have the PCW letters then the numbers BUT the numbers weren't the store number that the help line quoted or the ones found on the receipt!!!! my friend just got annoyed and entered random numbers... and it worked... how weird!

it doesn't actually have windows on there... think it's just some kind of security wrapper that was created in vista perhaps????? I've never seen this before so I have no idea.

so thankful that we manage to get past that bit - at least we can sort out her settings etc now without having to visit pc world!

Thanks for your help guys :)

I just hope PC world don't do this to all new computers - what a pain!
Click to expand...

That's really weird how they did that with the wrapper, not heard of that. Glad you got it sorted though :D
 
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