11-14-2010, 04:57 PM

I am unable to install snow leopard as it appears the admin password i enter is incorrect. I tried to rest it with startup disk but still wont work. The computer is two years old and given to me by my daughter yesterday so I could reinstall as nothing on it but I cant do this without admin pasword. any suggestios.
thank you
Acoxie

11-14-2010, 04:58 PM

If your daughter gave it you, ask her for the admin password...

If there's nothing on there, then in the installation Disk Utility erase the disk and have it reformat and install Snow Leopard as a fresh installation and it won't ask for any previous installation passwords..

Regards

11-14-2010, 05:01 PM

She had erased it so startup was as a new computer. Why it wont accept my reset password I find odd. I cant re istall without passwor
Acoxie

11-14-2010, 05:06 PM

start up in single user mode (cmd +S at start up)

fsck -fy
mount -uw /
lauchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist
dscl . -passwd /Users/username password

Obviously replace the username with the account's user name, and password with what you want it to be. Try that way.

11-14-2010, 05:25 PM

Started with cmd and s but still just went to home screen not install page. The only way I can re install appears to be with admin password. Earlier holdin down c worked but not now.
Thanks

11-14-2010, 05:41 PM

Pop in the SL DVD, hit reboot and hold down Option key. This should give you the option of starting from the drive or the SL disc. Select that, go into Utilities > Disk Utility > Erase Disk > Format and back to Installer.

And you are using the Command key, one with the apple icon on it?

11-14-2010, 06:26 PM

Tried all options. Still opens on home screen and need admin password to proceed which I have not got. If I erase HD in utilities will this help

11-14-2010, 07:40 PM

What computer. Desktop or laptop. Is the hard drive encrypted? Get a Linux bootable flash drive and hold option at start up.

11-16-2010, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by acoxie

Tried all options. Still opens on home screen and need admin password to proceed which I have not got. If I erase HD in utilities will this help

Booting off the DVD is the easiest way to do it. Try this instead:
- Boot your Mac normally
- Insert the DVD
- Open System Preferences > Startup Disk and see if you can select the DVD there
- Then press Restart…

If that doesn't work, try restarting your Mac again and keep holding the option key for as long as it takes until you see the options to choose between your internal drive or a DVD.

If that doesn't work, make a genius bar appointment at your local Apple store and ask them to take a quick look for you.

11-16-2010, 04:22 PM

Yes. Formatting the HD will help. It will erase all data, though. Anyway, I'm not sure why you can't boot into single user mode, you must have done it incorrectly. Not trying to sound like a jerk, just trying to help. I'm not sure your level of familiarity with Apple hardware, so you might be trying to do something like tapping on the keys. It's not like starting up into an option on a windows box, you can't tap the keys. You have to press and hold them both immediately after hitting the power button and DO NOT let go until a different screen comes up. Command and S should yield the command line. If you do not know her user name, then once in the command line, type: cd /Users
then hit return
and then type: ls
and hit return again

The output of that command should yield the directory "Shared" and then whatever the user account names are. then you want to do what i told you to do above...

mount -uw /
lauchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist
dscl . -passwd /Users/username password

replacing "username" with the user account (if there is more than one, just write your new password to every account with that last command for every different user) and password with the password you want it to be. you have to put something in it, it can't just be blank. Make it "dogpoop" or whatever you want.

Then type "exit" and the machine will reboot into the regular mac OS. log in with the new admin password when you get prompted for it.