Administrator's password

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I went to System Preferences --> Software Update to see if I needed to update anything. The computer told me that I did. However, I cannot download any updates without entering an administrators password. I cannot locate this password. How much trouble am i in?

Usually I am a packrat. I hate to throw anything away. I have my OS X install disks, all the booklets that came with the computer, all my passwords for my ISP and email accounts, etc. But not an admin password. I have tinkered with various distributions of Linux before and I know the importance of holding on to your root and user passwords, but somehow, this one got away from me. :(

Any advice? Thanks.
 
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it would have been a password that you setup when you first turned on the computer. If you don't have it I'm not sure you can recover it. I would suspect that you will have reload the OS unless somebody else has another solution.
 

vansmith

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By default, your user account has administrator privileges. Have you tried your own user password?
 
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The way to sort it is to power on your computer and insert the install disk that came with it hold down C key to force it to boot off the disk then start install procedure but check drop down menus before final install click - one of the menus allows u to change the password so u can set a new one. Don't do the root p/w just admin one
 
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By default, your user account has administrator privileges. Have you tried your own user password?

But some users may use a standard account for themselves and have the admin be for settings and the like. I've heard that some like to do this.
 

vansmith

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But some users may use a standard account for themselves and have the admin be for settings and the like. I've heard that some like to do this.
True, but the person still would have setup an administrator account. They would have had to setup the standard account afterwards.

More should do this to protect themselves from themselves ;).
 
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Yeah, that's true. You may just have to reset everything.
 
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True, but the person still would have setup an administrator account. They would have had to setup the standard account afterwards.

More should do this to protect themselves from themselves ;).
Ha..that's what I did, because I know myself very well..:Smirk:
 
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Thanks to all of you for your help. I got the password problem solved although I had to call the store that sold me the computer to walk me through resetting it. So now I can update my software. However, solving this problem leads me to another question. Before, I was logged in automatically. This is probably why I lost the password -- I didn't have to use it every time I booted up the computer. But now I have to log in when I boot up. How do I get back to the automatic log-in mode? Or is this even desirable? This is a home computer and I am the only one that has access to it. Thanks.
 

chscag

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Automatic login is not recommended even if you're the only user. However, if you wish to remove the login requirement for password, open System Preferences, select Security, remove check from box that states "Disable automatic login"

Regards.
 

vansmith

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System Preferences > Accounts > click your user name > click "Login Options" > click the lock at the bottom to make changes > change "Automatic Login" drop down list to your user name.

If you are the only who uses your computer and it stays in your home, you should be fine. Otherwise, you should have it set to require a password to login.
 
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That was easy enough. I'm going to have to remember to check System Preferences for answers to my questions. I have a tendency to look everywhere but there. I'm thinking it may be better to leave the automatic login disabled -- I have PCLinuxOS Gnome on an old spare computer and I am used to logging in with it. But I wanted to know how to do it, just in case. Again, thanks for your help and your patience.
 

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