My mini comes up with a lock symbol at start up

[George Dawes]

any idea how to fix it ?

I googled it and it’s something to do with firmware password .. I think. Don’t recall having set one up !

This whole thing is pushing me more and more into going all iOS and ditching the Mac

My last mini packed up after 4 years too

My iPads and iPhones have been amazingly solid in that tine .. never crash ever !

 

[Weaselboy]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204455

Does it look like the screenshot in this Apple support article? If so, that is a firmware password, and if you do not remember it, you will need to take your Mac to Apple along with proof of ownership and they can remove it for you.

You must have set the password somewhere along the way yourself. It would not get activated on its own.

 

[George Dawes]

Thx

I got in , sadly the hd is seriously messed up , if i ever buy another mac ( for legacy stuff only ) it will be an iMac no more minis for me

The lesson i have learned from the last week is that iOS is the future and instead of ignoring it i should embrace it

I bought an 8 plus and its quite literally life altering , ipad pro here i come !