somehow my password changed...now what?

[carboncow]

OK, for starters I'm a IT administrator of our small business (40 PCs and 4 macs), been doing it for 12 years.

I was on vacation last week and just came back to my desktop and cannot use my admin credentials to make system changes although I'm currently logged in. I've tried everything under the sun and the system will not take my credentials!

Of course I cannot reset my password as I don't know the current one and it's not on a server system to reset...and I'm the only local admin. How screwed am I?

It's set to autologin so I'm working fine but can make no administrative changes! Reinstall time?

EDIT: Latest build of ML

 

[Weaselboy]

If you are on Lion or Mountain Lion, just follow this process to reset the PW. If on Snow Leopard or earlier the process is similar but you need to boot from the installer DVD.

 

[carboncow]

If you are on Lion or Mountain Lion, just follow this process to reset the PW. If on Snow Leopard or earlier the process is similar but you need to boot from the installer DVD.

Thank...no install DVD on these new macs, so I'll assume this will still work work with the internal options.

Since I can terminal currently logged in as a local admin, will it work w/o going through command R?

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank...no install DVD on these new macs, so I'll assume this will still work work with the internal options.

Since I can terminal currently logged in as a local admin, will it work w/o going through command R?

If it is a new machine with no DVD, then you can use the command-r boot to get to the recovery screen, then use Terminal from there.

No, it won't work from a logged in Terminal command.

 

[carboncow]

If it is a new machine with no DVD, then you can use the command-r boot to get to the recovery screen, then use Terminal from there.

No, it won't work from a logged in Terminal command.

Thanks, worked like a charm!