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Reformat

C

CaseClosed

macrumors newbie
Original poster
ugh....I don't have any install disks and stuff like that that comes with Mac. I have a PowerBook G4 and I want to Re-install because some guy sold it to me cheap, and well, I don't know any admin passwords. So...I want to re-install. Anyone know if I can get the proper disks to reformat?

Thank You,
CaseClosed
 
Maybe check out eBay for a retail version of OSX. Make sure it's not an OEM copy 'cause then it won't necessarily work.
 
Buy it for full price from Apple. You admit the computer was cheap, surely you don't mind spending a little bit of money to get a legal and legitimate copy of OSX running on it.
 
Talk to the person that sold it to you. The licence "ties" the disks to the computer so the seller has no right to keep them.
 
I wouldn't say they have no right to keep 'em, so much as that they have no need or use for them.
 
Yeah, that wasn't quite right. They can keep them, but the licence doesn't allow them to use them.
 
some help plz

i just bought a MAC book pro and it has a password on it wen i start it. i wasnt given the password and i cant get a hold of the guy now he went overseas.. so im kind of stuck what can i do.. can i reformat and thats another problem he didnt give me any software for it.

any help would be greatly appreciated

regards
creativeq6
 
Pretty much the same answer as above. You need the install discs. You can use them to either reset the password or reformat and reinstall.
 
CaseClosed said:
Any other options?
Click to expand...

eBay

creativeq6 i just bought a MAC book pro and it has a password on it wen i start it. i wasnt given the password and i cant get a hold of the guy now he went overseas.. so im kind of stuck what can i do.. can i reformat and thats another problem he didnt give me any software for it.

any help would be greatly appreciated

regards
creativeq6
Click to expand...


Call AC or visit a retail store
 
Remember that if you go the eBay route, you'll have to get the discs from an identical machine in order for them to work. Also, once you get the discs I recommend doing a clean install (reformat) to get rid of any traces of the old user. The usual risks of a clean install such as data loss, aren't really relevant here since he machine is 'new'. 🙂
 
thanks guys.. in terms of reformating the laptop how does it go, since its ma first mac.. or is it like a window operating system were u put da cd in and go to bios and work from der..
also is there any other way den buyin it retail.. i downloaded mac os x 10.4 tiger as a torrent its like 1.74gb its 4 disc all extension of .dmg does that sound right..😕


thanks
 
kool and can u guys help me wif how to reformat ill probabl buy it one from an apple dealer i guess dats da best way to go.. just some help on the reformat steps im jsut so use to window style not familiar wif mac reformating dem
 
I found this on another thread that I used when I bought my eMac, thought it might be handy for you.

hh83917 said:
Post from http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/07/11458/
-------------------------------------------------------------------

When starting the Mac, after the chime, hold the Apple and S keys - This will enter the OS into single user mode.

To crack a the machines password you will need to know the username of main account. If you don’t know the username, while in single user mode, type:

niutil -list . /users

After the username is obtained then type in:

#sh /etc/rc
#passwd username
#reboot

Be sure to replace username with the username of the machine. Even though this hack will grant you entry to the Mac, all the keychain passwords on the compromised machine will be erased.
Click to expand...

Worked for me.
This doesn't get you around reformatting but at least you have the admin password.

Cfour.
 
i tried the command u told me however it asks for a new password and i type in something and retyppe it and commands says SORRY i tried heaps of times didnt seem to work.. and while typing it nothing seems to show up as in not even da amount of charaters typed and once i reboot it i type the new password but it doesnt work, which is not a suprise.

any ideas wat im doing wrong 😕
 
is it possible to use a friends mac osx tiger 10.4 to reformat my laptop would serial numbers clash and be a problem
 
If your friend has exactly the same type of Mac, then it may be possible. However, their DVD is licensed to use with their machine. Using the DVD on your machine would legally mean you'd have to remove OSX from theirs. I really think eBay is your best bet, unless you can get the original discs back.
 
Nothing. However you'll have the discs and therefore the licence so you'll be the rightful owner. Since you have a PPC machine, you can buy a regular retail version of OSX if you please.
 
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