Trouble booting off a OS DVD

[brainwave89]

I have a white MacBook from a friend who cannot remember her password. She is running 10.6.4. When I boot off of four different OS DVD's ranging from Leopard to Snow Leopard the final result is a screen whose message is:
You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button until it turs off, then press the Power button again.

I can boot to the desktop without any problem and use the computer. It is running great. The computer recognizes the DVD's as OS discs. It would be nice to change her password.

Any suggestions on why I keep on getting the above message would be appreciated.

 

[heisenberg123]

I have a white MacBook from a friend who cannot remember her password. She is running 10.6.4. When I boot off of four different OS DVD's ranging from Leopard to Snow Leopard the final result is a screen whose message is:
You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button until it turs off, then press the Power button again.

I can boot to the desktop without any problem and use the computer. It is running great. The computer recognizes the DVD's as OS discs. It would be nice to change her password.

Any suggestions on why I keep on getting the above message would be appreciated.

are you trying to format and do a clean install??

if you are put the dvd in, restart and when you hear the chime, hold option and you will see the dvd on this screen to boot off

 

[brainwave89]

Thank you iisforiphone.

I would be happy to do a format and clean install or just change the password of the user.

When I hold down the option key I do see the DVD as an option. I have tried this numerous times with the same result.

 

[JediMeister]

A few questions: 1) did her Mac ship with 10.6? 2) were any of the discs you tried starting up with the ones her Mac shipped with? Or were the discs the gray labeled ones with are coded to work with a different model of Mac? If I had to guess, the reason for the kernel panics is that none of the discs you have tried are appropriate for her model of Mac. You should also know that the password can also be reset via command line using single-user mode, and instructions to do so can be found online.