What's my admin password???

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Hello all,
Sorry for this basic question.
I just switched to Mac from PC. This is my first iMac with Lion.
I am trying to install Microsoft Office for Mac and the Installer is asking for a password.
I don't have an admin password - none is required to boot up.
I have tried clicking with no password, "password", "admin", "administrator", my iTunes password.

I though Macs were supposed to be hassle free?
 

pigoo3

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I though Macs were supposed to be hassle free?

No one (as far as I know) said ANY computer is "hassle free"!!!

Many times it's the users that make things complicated as well...as in "user error"!;) Admin passwords just don't make themselves up out of thin air!;)

Is this a brand new computer...or one that is "new" to you? If it's a "new to you" computer...the previous owner may have set up an admin password.

Have you tried entering no password (leave it blank)?

HTH, :)

- Nick
 
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No one (as far as I know) said ANY computer is "hassle free"!!!

Many times it's the users that make things complicated as well...as in "user error"!;) Admin passwords just don't make themselves up out of thin air!;)

Is this a brand new computer...or one that is "new" to you? If it's a "new to you" computer...the previous owner may have set up an admin password.

Have you tried entering no password (leave it blank)?

HTH, :)

- Nick

Brand new.
I tried no password.
I know it will never be hassle free - just frustrated that the first thing I try to do out of the box is a stopper.
Thanks for looking at my post. And trying to respond
 

vansmith

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If this is the default account (the one setup during your first boot), it's your user password.
 

BrianLachoreVPI


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I though Macs were supposed to be hassle free?

There's a certain amount of 'know-how' required for any tool you want to use - that is as true for a hammer as it is for a computer. In this case - it's fundamental - you need to know and remember your admin password. Once you get it sorted - make sure it's something you cannot forget.
 

pigoo3

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To add to what "Vansmith" mentioned.

When you initially setup you computer (the very first time you booted it)...you had to enter a bunch of into. During that process you setup your "default/admin" account (like Vansmith mentioned)...and if you setup a password during this process...then that is the password that you need to use when installing software.

- Nick
 
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I keep this on hand in a doc, this will allow you to reset the admin password:

Boot into single user mode (press Command-S at power on) at the command prompt type in the following press enter after each line:

Code:
Username$ fsck -fy
Username$ mount -uw /
Username$ launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist
Username$ dscl . -passwd /Users/username password
Replacing username with the targeted user and password with the desired password.

Reboot the machine.
 

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