Recovering root password...

[sebii]

I recently inherited a mac with Mac OS X but I can't use it because I don't know the deceaseds password. I used a tutorial to change the root password but I hit a hitch because at the login screen the root user isn't available.Is there a way I can get to a log in screen where I could type in the username and the password or something? The tutorial I used to change the password was:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20001217230925152

[dspeidel]

I do not know if this works for the MAC but with Unix if you reinstall the OS you have the oppurtunity to reset the root password -same for m$ 2k (administrator user).

Hope that helps.
Cheers,
-D

[sebii]

I don't have the os disc though...is there a way to do it without it?

[sebii]

So no-one can help?

[the_JinX]

I don't know about macOsX, but most unixes allow you to pass commands to the kernel with the bootloader..

thn you should add something like init=/sbin/passwd and you can change the root password..

I don't know about macOsX since I don't own a mac at the moment..

[drew]

format =)

[sebii]

Yeah see like I said I already changed the root password but I can't access the root user....as in there is no login item for root because root hasnt been set up....

[thehorse13]

Hmmm, I know that in RH you can boot to single user mode and simply use the passwd command to change the password of the root account. Since OS X is really just BSD with a pretty gui, I wonder if something like this would work. I'd search the net for single user mode booting in OS X.

Again, this is just a shot in the dark since you don't have the installation media.

[sebii]

Ok for the third time I've already gone to single-user mode and changed the root password but now I'm stuck as you can't login because there is no root account set up...

[the_JinX]

I just have one question.. sebii

how can you change a password for a non existant account ?

[sebii]

The root account is always there you just have to setup the login screen to allow you to login....at least that is my limited understanding of how it works....

look at the link on the first post...thats the instructions i followed...

[Dhej]

all right... so in order to be able to login as root you have to setup the ability to login as root through NetInfo Manager... the easiest way of doing this is from an administrative account...
However, it is possible to go through the commands in the command line...

a hint is read the man page for program niutil.

I at one point new how to add users through niutil..., but then I got lazy and switched from Darwin to Mac OS X...

The EASIEST method of fixing that Mac would be buying Jaguar for it... Or you could just go crazy and wipe off X and install some flavor of PPC Linux...

I'm not going to give step by step instructions to anybody..., mainly because everytime I run niutil I am told that I misused it. But, then..., I am not the one trying ot bust into a Mac...

Though this does exemplify the reason that physical security is so important. One you allow a machine to boot into Single User mode, you never know what some inventive luser is going to do to your workstation...

Peace,
Dhej

[mr.z]

boot into single user mode. from there go into the directory var/db. You should see a fille called .AppleSetupDone remove this file and reboot. now when you start the computer setup assistant will run and you can set up an admin account. hope this helps
z

[wally4u]

The most simple way to reset the user password is to pop in the Install CD/DVD and go to the install menu. There is an option to reset the passwords.

Another option is to remotely mount the drive useing firewire target disk mode. ("T" at boot)

You should learn NetInfo Manager, it does everything that /etc does.

finally use ssh you can remotely log into the machine and reset any password.

ssh root@yourhostiphere
the root password

cd /Users
select a user name
su username
passwd
and change the password.
That should do the trick

[j3r]

You shouldn't log in as root under MacOSX. Make an admin user for yourself instead. Admin users are allowed to issue commands as root using sudo, and GUI programs have a special API for doing stuff as root (with an admin user's permission). This is a totally excellent security feature, since it lets you know when any application is trying to do something as root. So, no 3v1l trojan is going to replace /bin/ls or put your ethernet card in promiscuous mode without giving you some warning. (Compare to MS Windows, where toy pretty much have to be an Administrator all the time, or other unix-like systems, which are great on the command line, but break down whenever you start X.)

My advice is to try the .AppleSetupDone hack, or boot from the CD if that doesn't work. Do not enable root login, it's just another account that you keep track of, and you'll be happier without it.

BTW, to start in single user mode, hold down command (it's the one with the apple on it) and s while the system boots.