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jetdude

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 31, 2010
3
0
Berlin, germany
Need help un-locking my brother's mac notebook, (he passed away) any ideas ???. Software, or hardware changes, or what to do ?.
Myself and family are curious to find out the information on it and really need help. As we turn it on, the password little window appears and we cannot go around that. Tried hundreds of passwords, so far, nothing. Check'd around, but no much use for Mac in the Berlin area, or at least where we are.
Most of us are familiar with the PC systems, not Mac.
Any help will be appreaciated. Thank you.
 

wrldwzrd89

macrumors G5
Jun 6, 2003
12,110
77
Solon, OH
If the Mac has a hardware password on it, then there's not really anything you can do. If it's the normal Mac OS X login box, then this can be bypassed with the Mac OS X install DVD. There's an option to reset the admin password, after you boot from that disc.
 

Hellhammer

Moderator emeritus
Dec 10, 2008
22,164
582
Finland
I'm sorry for your loss :(

Do you have the install disks? If you do, boot from it (hold down alt key while booting) and from the Menu Bar (the bar on the top), select reset admins password
 

patrick0brien

macrumors 68040
Oct 24, 2002
3,246
9
The West Loop
-jetdude

I'm terribly sorry about your brother!

I'm also sorry to report there is no way around the user authentication. Hackers have been trying to do this for a long time.

EDIT: Sorry, I should have clarified: If it is encrypted, you are out of luck. As for resetting password, wrldwzrd89 has the best idea to try.
 

jetdude

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 31, 2010
3
0
Berlin, germany
Thanx a lot guys

I will try all options, hopefully will work. If I find the discs, can I just introduce them into the CD drive and they will boot up, or work, even though have no password ?. Or will the computer will reconfigure itself and all date will be lost ?.
Thank you fellows, and good nite.
 

Gregg2

macrumors 604
May 22, 2008
7,171
1,162
Milwaukee, WI
... will the computer will reconfigure itself and all date will be lost ?

I'm not sure what you're asking there.

You shouldn't need any password or registration key to boot from the original disc(s) - or any Mac OS disc. It's not like Windows in that regard.
 

igucl

macrumors 6502a
Oct 11, 2003
569
17
Sorry. In hindsight, I realized that my post had no place in this thread. It was a post for another topic and forum. Sorry to hijack this thread; got carried away. :eek:
 

jetdude

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 31, 2010
3
0
Berlin, germany
Thank you very very much guys !!!

thank you for your assistance and support. Appreciate it a lot.
Good nite, good weekend and Happy Easter !
 

fullojellybeans

macrumors regular
Mar 31, 2010
135
0
If the Mac has a hardware password on it, then there's not really anything you can do.

Not 100% true. In every machine with removable RAM if you take out one chip to change the config of the system it will bypass the firmware logic. MBA and MacMini don't allow for this.


sorry about your brother.
 
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