Imac won't accept passwords

[nottechy]

Hi,

I'm new and this is my first post.

We have an intel core duo bought in 2006. OS X Version 10.4.11. We've had a problem for ages, so it's been unused for best part of two years...but we want our mac fixed! It would be so cool if we could fix it ourselves. Can't tell you how many times I've come close to chucking it out the window when trying to get it going! We are not very techy and fear we may have scrambled the poor thing's 'brains'. Do macs get viruses? I am always told no. Before it went funny, my daughter used to play games off the internet on it. We have loads of piccies on it, which we don't want to lose.

When we power up, it chimes, then the apple and spinning wheel thing come up on a grey screen, then a box comes up saying Starting mac and then it goes to the user window (blue screen behind/surrounding it) so I click on my name and it brings up a box to put password in. It won't accept any passwords, even for administrator me! Just shakes. I've tried to boot in safe mode, but it just goes straight to this user screen and not the black screen. I've tried putting in the install disk 1 that came with the mac but it ejects it and goes back to the user screen. Network Accounts Unavailable is redded on the user box at the top. The password I'm putting in is definitely right. I even bought a new keyboard as I thought the old one was pooped and might be contributing to the problem. Interestingly, even unused for two years, it's kept the time and date right.

Are we doomed or is there anything else we can do to get it back up and running? Hope somebody can help us. Please.

Thank you

Mum and daughter

 

[eric/]

The password you are using is definitely not right.

 

[AdrianK]

Googling "reset mac password" found this:
Apparently works on Tiger.

• Power on or restart your Mac.
• At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode.
• Type sh /etc/rc and press Enter/Return.
• Type passwd username and replace “username” with the short name of the user account for which you’d like to reset the password.
• Type your desired password and press Enter. It won’t show itself on the screen, so be careful what you type. You will most likely have to enter it again to confirm.
• Type reboot and press Enter.

 

[nottechy]

Hi,

thank you for replying.

The password is definitely right. I have never changed it. The Command S procedure, we have tried before ..and tried just now three times..and it does not work. We just keep getting the os x screen with the list of user names on. Won't let me past this. We've tried to sign in with the other user names and it won't let us on these, either. These passwords are def right, too.

We've googled all sorts to try and get sorted but can't find anything to help. How do I get Network Accounts back? Sorry if this is all very layman. Don't know the computer jargon.

My daughter has just got a box up with name and password on (she can't remember what she pressed) but when we type in the box, the characters are all weird...non-alphabetic. Keyboard is brand new.

Thank you

Mum and Daughter

 

[bmcgonag]

What system is it? iMac, Macbook Pro, MacPro?

What keyboard are you using? is it a Mac keyboard?

When you enter the password it should just show the placeholder character. either a * or a dot of some sort...no characters at all.

To reset your password, try this link. I've done this in the past and it worked with no issues.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1274

Hope it helps

 

[chown33]

My daughter has just got a box up with name and password on (she can't remember what she pressed) but when we type in the box, the characters are all weird...non-alphabetic. Keyboard is brand new.

Maybe the keyboard language has been set to non-English. There are language settings for that, and if someone accidentally changed it for the overall system, then any keyboard plugged in would not produce English letters.

The link provided by bmcgonag has a section for resetting the admin password. It requires starting up from the original install DVD. When starting from the DVD, the default keyboard language is English.

I'm not sure how to change the keyboard language for an installed OS from the install DVD. Choosing the language while running from the DVD might change it persistently, or it might only change it for the time it's running from the DVD.

I don't know of an option on the login screen for setting or choosing the keyboard language.

 

[Macman45]

On Bootup

Hi,

I'm new and this is my first post.

We have an intel core duo bought in 2006. OS X Version 10.4.11. We've had a problem for ages, so it's been unused for best part of two years...but we want our mac fixed! It would be so cool if we could fix it ourselves. Can't tell you how many times I've come close to chucking it out the window when trying to get it going! We are not very techy and fear we may have scrambled the poor thing's 'brains'. Do macs get viruses? I am always told no. Before it went funny, my daughter used to play games off the internet on it. We have loads of piccies on it, which we don't want to lose.

When we power up, it chimes, then the apple and spinning wheel thing come up on a grey screen, then a box comes up saying Starting mac and then it goes to the user window (blue screen behind/surrounding it) so I click on my name and it brings up a box to put password in. It won't accept any passwords, even for administrator me! Just shakes. I've tried to boot in safe mode, but it just goes straight to this user screen and not the black screen. I've tried putting in the install disk 1 that came with the mac but it ejects it and goes back to the user screen. Network Accounts Unavailable is redded on the user box at the top. The password I'm putting in is definitely right. I even bought a new keyboard as I thought the old one was pooped and might be contributing to the problem. Interestingly, even unused for two years, it's kept the time and date right.

Are we doomed or is there anything else we can do to get it back up and running? Hope somebody can help us. Please.

Thank you

Mum and daughter

Do you have a guest account option? I'm guessing not, And a system repair (If you have the original installation disks) can be done without losing data, but it's a little tough to describe here.


http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25718?viewlocale=en_US

This may well be your best bet, read through carefully and you should be able to restore your machine. If you don't have the media available contact Apple, they will provide them (even though you're machine is a little elderly) for a fee.

Sometimes just a nudge is required.

Post back and let us know how you get on.

 

[nottechy]

Thank you for replying)

Nope. Tried everything you have suggested. Nothing happening. It always goes back to the osx user/sign on window. Arghhhh! This thing has got attitude! It chucks out the install disc like it's an Olympic sport.

We have an iMac Intel Core Duo. The Keyboard is a brand, spanking new. Forty quid job..little aluminium slim thing, white keys. We have a wireless wacom mouse and a wacom tablet attached too (the pen got munched by the cat!) iMac is /was used as a home computer...not linked to work or any other computer. I'm the administrator (ha ha) and there are three other user accounts. When you hover at the side, they all say 'local account'.

What does Network Accounts Unavailable mean?....in English! Does it mean that it can't recognise the list of users? NAU became redded out after a few times of my trying to log in...like it's panicked. Does it react if you forget your password and try to sign in too many times?

Only 5 years old. Can't believe that my poor mac is deemed as elderly. You should see the pc we are forced to use! The monitor is the size of one of those big, old-fashioned tv sets..huge! lol

We have visited the local apple dealer again who has suggested a few things but is not too forthcoming with any further insider info/tips. It'll 'only' be £70 to get it sorted, unless anything else is pooped.

Thank you

Mum and Daughter

 

[bmcgonag]

Do you have access to an external DVD drive. You could see if you can boot from that if so.

Also, another option might be to connect the imac to another mac as an external drive in target mode.

Connect the two macs with firewire, then start the other mac. After it's booted start the iMac holding down the T button. This should make ist boot on with the firewire symbol on the screen.

You can now access that drive from the other mac. You could get any important info from the iMac, then try to reinstall the OS. If the disc won't stay in the iMac, it may be a hardware issue causing your problems. Don't know for sure, but it just sounds odd.

 

[nottechy]

Hi

Thanks for replying. We really appreciate your time) Can't tell you the number of mac sites we've been on and been totally ignored. So thanks)

An external dvd drive, you say. Do we need to get a specific make..like are some for mac or pc use? Sorry for ignorance. Not techy at all! I say this because when we got the mac we also bought an Epsom Stylus DX4850 printer..supposedly mac compatible..and it was a complete nightmare to install. Cost a fortune. Would've been better off getting a cheaper printer. lol Bro in law may have an external dvd drive, but he has a pc laptop.

There is a Youtube vid about this external dvd drive stuff. Kid called Jake and some numbers, I think. Voice is just about to break and he is so sweet and full on that he has sorted his machine out with the help of an external dvd drive when his password pooped. I suppose that we are the last to see this. lol

I do not know anybody nearby who has a mac. Nearest one is 200 miles away. I did think of this. Folk round here are clearly...... pc brainwashed!

Many thanks again

Mum and Daughter

 

[bmcgonag]

I don't think there is anything mac specific, I use an HP DVD external drive with my macs on various versions of the OS with no problems.

Worst that can happen is you hook it up and it won't work. If you bought it, return it, if you borrowed it give it back.

We can keep trying after that if necessary.