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Saurabh Barjatiya
Asked: 2009-07-09 00:55:10 +0800 CST

How to reset password on Mac OS X?

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How can be reset password on Mac OS X? Is there something like single mode that Linux provides. I have installer CDs and DVDs of Mac with me.

I have a utility called rEFIt installed on that Mac. It allows to boot by default into other OS like Linux. As soon as I boot I get rEFIt options of booting into Mac OS X, Linux and some efi shell.

I tried alt +S but either I am not able to press it soon enough after selecting to boot from Mac or the shortcut is not working at all. Any other methods other then alt+s?

Luckily I could edit the file /efi/refit.conf without being root and rEFIt has accepted the changes. So there is no emergency now to change / reset password. Still is there some sure way for future reference?

mac-osx mac password-recovery

2 Answers

  1. Yes there is you have to hold down the command and s key while booting to enter single user mode: then you can do the following (checking filesystem, mounting it, starting services and changing root password):

    # /sbin/fsck -y"
# /sbin/mount -wu /
# /sbin/SystemStarter
# passwd root

    Reboot and you're done.

    EDIT: there's some additional informations here for OSX 10.3 10.4

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  2. Best Answer

    Apple has a knowledge base article on Changing or resetting an account password.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274

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