Reset MacBook without CD or Password?
- Started
- Last post
- 12 Responses
- freedom
Is there a way to reset a MacBook without a CD or Password?
I bought one off eBay and I can't even log in.
- freedom0
Not Pro either.
- prophetone0
pull the drive, put in external case, mount on other mac, wipe it, install fresh os, re-install hd in macbook
- prophetone0
i have to ask... did you attempt to contact the seller for the pw?
- freedom0
^ Yup. He said he was selling for a friend and didn't have. Kind of weird. Thought there might be a easy solution
- well unless i stand corrected, you're boned without the pw and have to re-install the os 100% freshprophetone
- prophetone0
maybe this?
"Reset an OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard User’s Password Without a CD"
If you have lost a password to an OS X user account on your Apple Macintosh, this will help you reset it.
Start by having your computer shut off.
Power it on, and hold Command (Apple Button) + S at the same time.Soon you’ll see the computer booting up with lots of lines of code scrolling by. When it comes to a rest, type the following.
/sbin/fsck -y/sbin/mount -uaw
Now we’ll get a list of the users on the computer based on their home directory. Type:
cd /Users/
lsWhen you see the folder name (99% of the time this will usually match the user on the system, unless you’ve renamed the account afterwords) of the user you want to reset, type the passwd command. Assuming that my account name was john, I’d type the following:
passwd john
Substitute john for the username you wish to reset.You’ll now be prompted to enter a new password for john twice. Once to enter it, the second time to confirm.
After this is done, type:
reboot
You can now login to that user account with the new password.- and you prob want to reset the admin account obviously which is prob the only account on there i betprophetone
- prophetone0
i have bigger macbook problems. i have a white one that is in great shape and i've had it working but all of the sudden died. i hot-wired the keyboard power jumpers and it force boots it but after a few attempts it stayed dead. prob a logic board issue... sucks because it's seems like such a waste of a decent machine - I'd love to make it my music production rig... it's a sad story.
- this was right after i bought a brand new hd for it and spent the time installing a fresh os on it, etc.prophetone
- You should be able to buy one with a smashed screen cheap, just make sure it's the same model.shaft
- the thing is they aren't really. ebay and local cl listings they want $400 and up usuallyprophetone
- i'd be better off doubling that and buying a used macbook pro or a new air...prophetone
- comicsans0
Wipe and reinstall, the thing is probably stolen and you have no idea what malware may be on it (or theft tracking software).
- malware on a Mac?monospaced
- Malware doesn't just mean windows style viruses, e.g. surveilance s/wcomicsans
- freedom0
But how?
- i explained it above. you will have to get an os install disc...prophetone
- meffid0
Plug the new one (firewire) into your imac or whatever.
Boot the new one holding T.
Download an iso.
Install iso via firewire.
- iheartfun0
@prophetone Just had the same thing happen to my 2008 MBP. Just all of a sudden died. Took it into apple last night and they said you have good luck it was a known defect with the logic board so they are replacing for free! Might wanna try and see.
- hmmm... this one was given to me (no receipt, first world prob) and it's the late 2006 model i believe...prophetone
- an it's just the macbook, not the proprophetone
- Hmmm indeed. Worth a shot at least. They never even asked me for receipt or anythingiheartfun
- Oh boo well maybe not theniheartfun
- also i hot-wired the jumper that the keyboard plugs into and installed a new micro on/off switchprophetone
- the apple warranty guys would laugh themselves unconscious if they saw what i had done and asked for a fix...prophetone
