password does not work :(

[space-time]

I tried to log in to my mother in law's macbook to change some things. I was there last summer and installed an SSD and a fresh copy of 10.7.x, whatever the last version was back in July 2012. I wrote down the password in her notebook, and also in my 1Password file. I used LogMeIn about 10x since then to log in remotely to help her with stuff.

Now I tried again, password does not work After about 5 tries LogMeIn blocked me from further attempts for some time. Then I asked her to check the password in her notebook, it matches what I have in my 1P file. She tried to enter the password manually and it still does not work.

It appears now that the password has been changed. Now sure how that happened, since she would never enter the password without instructions from me (or at least I hope so). I don't know what to do next, they have a 10.7 recovery USB stick but I don't even dream of asking them to boot form it and restore the password.

So my question is: is there any reason why the password would not work? or maybe indeed she changed the password without realizing what she is doing?

[DRR]

CAPS LOCK?

Also zap the PRAM, I've had bad PRAM affect keyboard character mapping before. You may be typing the correct pw but the machine is not interpreting it correctly. Long shot but possible.

[DRR]

You should be able to talk them through booting from USB stick and resetting password. It's not difficult at all.

[bwicklander]

Hook up a usb keyboard instead of original keyboard?

[space-time]

DRR wrote:
You should be able to talk them through booting from USB stick and resetting password. It's not difficult at all.

God, no, they do not speak English and I would have to spell out every single word and make sure they click on the right things... if all else fails, I may try that.

[space-time]

bwicklander wrote:
Hook up a usb keyboard instead of original keyboard?

you think the keyboard is defective? I tried to log in remotely from my end, password also didn't work, I even copied from 1P file and pasted into the password field. I am 100% sure the keyboard is not the issue.

[GGD]

space-time wrote:
[quote=DRR]
You should be able to talk them through booting from USB stick and resetting password. It's not difficult at all.

God, no, they do not speak English and I would have to spell out every single word and make sure they click on the right things... if all else fails, I may try that.
I think it's even worse than that, in the Lion recovery partition, they don't have a Reset Password utility under the Utility menu like there was in Snow Leopard. Instead you need to run Terminal, and type the "resetpassword" command, then it will launch the app to reset the admin password.

http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/24/reset-mac...-password/

[Ken Sp.]

If it can boot to any user--you could install TeamViewer.com.

Otherwise, maybe this password reset article can help?
http://www.cultofmac.com/209613/how-to-r...os-x-tips/

[space-time]

Ken Sp. wrote:
If it can boot to any user--you could install TeamViewer.com.

Otherwise, maybe this password reset article can help?
http://www.cultofmac.com/209613/how-to-r...os-x-tips/

yes, the MacBook boots just fine and it log on automatically to her account. We can still do Skype. I used to log in remotely via LogMeIn to help her (she is in Romania). I think I will try next iChat to see if Screen Sharing works, maybe I can see her screen and do stuff that way. But installing TeamViwer is out of the question. It is too much to ask her at this point. Older Lady, barely speaking any English at all.

[space-time]

SOLVED!

will post an update later, right now I have control of the machine