Changing admin password on laptop. password was forgotten.

[weapon]

One of our work laptops, which had gone missing, showed up in a drawer yesterday. No one can remember the password. How do I circumvent this, with out having to wipe the drive and start over?

I kind of remeber it had to do with using the startup disc and then making anew account but I don't now the steps.

TIA

[Speedy]

Use your Mac OS DVD, click on the Install Mac OS and your machine will reboot from the DVD. From one of the menus, choose Change Password.

[weapon]

Really? That is it?

Well that is not very secure. lol

[Speedy]

Nope, not very secure. Lock your Mac behind closed doors.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?...11627.html

[GGD]

Speedy wrote:
Use your Mac OS DVD, click on the Install Mac OS and your machine will reboot from the DVD. From one of the menus, choose Change Password.

Or just boot with the DVD in the drive and hold down the "C" key.

After you select the language and it gets to the installer screen, don't install, click on the Utilities menu and select Reset Password.

[Ken Sp.]

If you want more security use Firmware password and file vault---I DO NOT recommend either....Imagine right now if you didn't remember your password.

I think we will get Mac remote lock and wipe like the iOS at some point with iCloud

[weapon]

Got it. crisis averted. Thanks.

Just thought it took more steps than that.

[OWC Jamie]

First time I tried it my CD was no good. ( A CD is supposed to last forever, right ? )
Figuring out the resulting cryptic error was 10 times harder.

Those Apple manuals are just so wonderfully informative. :-)

[NewtonMP2100]

....boot from the disc.....

[GGD]

weapon wrote:
Really? That is it?

Well that is not very secure. lol

If they have physical access to the computer, unless the data is encrypted, passwords are meaningless. Even with a firmware password, someone could remove the hard drive, put it in an external enclosure, and access all files with permissions disabled.