From the top.
I'm on the poor list, so I'm using my old G4 DP ( using OS 10.3.9 ), I just upgraded to OS 10.4, and in the process I managed to lock myself out of my own computer.
At some point, it asked if I wanted to use the same password in keychain, I'm not sure what I did, but my compter no longer recogninses my old password, so I'm locked out, when I restarted my computer, a window appeared and ask that a user log in, I can't even get past that point, I tried going into the system preference and user, even there my old pasword is not recognised, so I have absolutelly no idea what to do, I'm..., well ! you know.
Like this wasn't enough,
I'm going to have to go to my GF house when I finish typing this message, and read the repplies to this question on her PC, how low is low, now I look really stupid since I have been mouthing off for years that she's always having problems with her PC, and I never have any issues with my MAC.
I hate being on the poor list, I hate it even more being locked out of my MAC.
Go ahead and laugh, but please Help me get access to my own Mac,
Ok
Pretty please.
Not to worry. And no one is laughing at you. To reset the master password on your computer all you have to do is boot off the OS disk that came with your computer, and rather than re-installing the OS, instead you'll find reset password from under the Utilities menu. If you no longer have the OS disk that came with your computer, the OS disk in the retail OS update boxes (e.g. Leopard, Snow Leopard) will also work.
Mac OS X: Changing or resetting an account password http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1274
Once you reset the master password on your computer, you can then reset the passwords on any other accounts on your computer.
BTW it's a bit unclear from your description if you are actually locked out of a your computer account. If you are locked out of the password prompt at boot, how are you able to try "going into the system preference and user"? In other words, are you really locked out of your userid/password prompt at boot time? Many people don't even have a password prompt at boot time, as it is an optional setting under the Account preferences to be prompted at boot time. Or are you merely locked out of your keychain file?
Quote from: ben schmidt on May 08, 2010, 05:12:37 PMTo reset the master password on your computer all you have to do is boot off the OS disk that came with your computer, and rather than re-installing the OS, instead you'll find reset password from under the Utilities menu. If you no longer have the OS disk that came with your computer, the OS disk in the retail OS update boxes (e.g. Leopard, Snow Leopard) will also work.
Thanks,
I followed your instruction and booted from the OS disk, then reset the password using utilities, it did the trick.
Had an awkward moment, I'm back on track.