ibook 300 lost password, os install HELP!!

[Gravity]

I'm a mac new and a PC techy so I'm a bit frustrated with my Ibook acquisition. I got this neat little book for my wife who has become a mac lover. Not that she's great at computing in any way but she loves them.

So, the ibook I acquired has 64mb of ram and is currently running os 9. However, there is a primary user account for which I have no password and a guest account with few priveleges. So, I can't change the tcp/ip settings or anything else from the guest account.

I had planned to install os X but only have that on DVD and the ibook can't read it and apparently won't boot to a usb DVD and I don't have os 9 anywhere.

What are my options? Should I purchase os 9 from ebay or is there a way to take what I need from OS X dvd and put it on a bootable mac cd?

Can I recover the password from the primary account or am I basically stuck?

Many thanks,

Gravity

 

[Aptmunich]

I would try to wipe the harddrive clean using another computer hooked up via firewire (hold apple+F to force the disk to firewire disk mode) and then install via an external harddrive or dvd drive...

 

[Macman]

so this ibook has just a cd rom drive or something that wont read the install disk for os x?
if you could boot from os x install disc 1, you could wipe the drive clean, but thats obviously not possible. who was the previous owner? can you possibly ask them for the password?

 

[Gravity]

This is an ibook with a single usb port and NO firewire so the firewire opton is not available. MACMAN, I dont' have os X cds, just an os X DVD. I have a friend that is scaring up OS 9 for me today so I'll try the boot from CD prompt (hold down C while powering on?) and see if I can reinstall 9 therby giving me access create accounts with privledges. Then I can put it on the network and eventually upgrade to 10.

This is a gift for my wife and if she likes it, I'll get her more ram, a new batter and the wireless card that will put her on the home network at 54mbs.

Assuming I get the disk today, is there anything in particular that I should watch for or make sure to do with the 9 reinstall? I've done hundreds of PC installs but this will be my first MAC.

Thanks again,

Gravity

 

[Macman]

make sure you do an erase and install, and yes, you hold down 'C' while starting up to boot from the install disc.

 

[Aptmunich]

Good luck!

If she doesn't like it, pm me and maybe I'll get it for my girlfriend - she's always using mine!

 

[Gravity]

So, I got OS X on cd, Panther version but it won't install. When I try to do the setup from os 9 it tells me I don't have sufficient priveledges. That's cause I'm on the guest account, no main user account password.

2ndly, I try to boot with the C key depressed and the cd spins but it launches right into the HD.

I tried booting with the alt key held and I get the drive option to select from but selecting the cd only produces a some random spinning without going into the cd.

Any ideas?

 

[Gravity]

So, I got OS X on cd, Panther version but it won't install. When I try to do the setup from os 9 it tells me I don't have sufficient priveledges. That's cause I'm on the guest account, no main user account password.

2ndly, I try to boot with the C key depressed and the cd spins but it launches right into the HD.

I tried booting with the alt key held and I get the drive option to select from but selecting the cd only produces a some random spinning without going into the cd.

Any ideas?

I think i have a bad copy of X. I have acquired an authentic os 9 cd and will try to reinstall the OS.

 

[technologist]

http://helpdesk.doit.wisc.edu/page.php?cat=1301&id=1014

 

[Gravity]

I have os 9 now. Pressing the "c" key doesn't work. Holding "alt" gets me to the disk option but when selecting the CD, it still boots to the hd os without any options.

I still need help skinning this cat. Why can't I format the drive and start over?

 

[Gravity]

So, tried to boot with extensions off, successful. However, it asks me to input password at startup screen, which I don't have. No worky from there. Can't get the machine to boot from os9 cd by holding down C or Shift or by getting into the boot options from holding down alt during power on.

Next option? Should I remove HD and format from G5 server? Perhaps try a network install via cat5 direct connect to G5 server?

other ideas?

 

[rosx]

When you hold down the alt key and it brings up the menu to select which boot device. You already have the cdrom in the drive. Dose it show it as a bootable disk?

Second is this a clamshell ibook?

Third are you tring to install os x for another computers dvd restore set?

Let me know I can help, I done things like this before.

 

[Gravity]

Yes, the cd is already in the drive and yes, it shows as os9. I'm not sure what you mean by "shows as a bootable disc" but it says os9.

Yes, this is the g3 clamshell with one usb port. Third, I'm trying os9 or osX, whichever will work. OsX wouldn't work at all.

I appreciate your assistance!!!

 

[Gravity]

Yes, the cd is already in the drive and yes, it shows as os9. I'm not sure what you mean by "shows as a bootable disc" but it says os9.

Yes, this is the g3 clamshell with one usb port. Third, I'm trying os9 or osX, whichever will work. OsX wouldn't work at all.

I appreciate your assistance!!!

Update on what I've done and the progress or lack of progress on my original clamshell ibook:

Reformated the hard drive by totally taking it apart, removing the drive and putting the drive on a G5 server. Reinstalled the hard drive, thinking that now I can select a boot cd that I have and got the same result, the flashing question mark.

I called a mac software company and the guy told me that I need an original install CD that is pre 9.2. I have since purchased one and am waiting for it to arrive. Apparently, once 9.1 is installed I then must update to 9.2 and then I can go to X if I choose.

I've been very frustrated with the clamshell. I figured once the drive was clean it surely would allow me to reinstall the new operating system. I had 9.2.

So, that's an update on this Xmas present I gave to my wife, which she was initially smitten with but has since been casting dispersions upon since she hasn't been able to use it ONE time.

Gravity

 

[stephen.sharpe]

Sounds like a good present and worth the wait, though.

However, it is for this very reason I never purchase a laptop without the install disks.

 

[Gravity]

Sounds like a good present and worth the wait, though.

However, it is for this very reason I never purchase a laptop without the install disks.

Lesson learned for me.

I installed 9.1 without a hitch. I then installed 9.22 and all the apple updates on their website. All seems well as it can be.

I'm debating whether or not to install X on it without the ram upgrade...afraid it will crawl.

Also, it looks like I need a battery and maybe a usb wireless nic. Any suggestions?

Thanks for all your help,

Tom