Cursor Problem

[Buck]

QUOTE(Buck @ Feb 8 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boot from your install CD or DVD.

Craps. My optical drive isn't working.
The Gods don't like me any more.

I'm running 10.4.11 is that tiger or some other animal?

[Paddy]

Yes, that is Tiger. Leopard is 10.5 and up.

Think it might be time to invest in a new optical drive, as you're a bit stuck without it. Since eMacs are a bit of a pain to take apart, you might want to consider one of these external FW optical drives - they're bootable.

[Buck]

Ok this is going to be embarrassing to me. Seems I'm the cause of my problem for the reason my log-in password doesn't work.
I used to log-in under my first & last name. Do to my own stupidity, that name got changed to "anyuser". Sans the reason I can't get into my computer. Is there any method one can apply to remedy this w/out the use of the Optical Drive. Buck

[krissel]

There are a few ways to reset the password, bypass it or eliminate the file that has the original settings and then log on as if the system were a fresh install.
I've never used any of these methods myself and while some people say they work, they don't for everyone.

Easiest first:

QUOTE

The most sure way to reset a mac password is from the singe user prompt. Restart the mac, holding down cmd-s. This will take you to a single user prompt. type "/etc/rc" and hit return. A bunch of text will flash by. To reset a password, type "passwd " and press return. Enter a new password. The system will prompt you to enter it again. Type "exit" to leave single user mode and return to a graphical environment.

QUOTE

restart your computer, hold down Command-S and type in the following:

/sbin/fsck -y [Enter]
/sbin/mount -uaw [Enter]
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone [Enter]
reboot [Enter]

.... make sure you use space after /fsck then space again after /mount and finally space again after rm then just type reboot [enter]

....when you boot backup just change the other admins password to something new and reboot and login as that user.

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_do_i_rese...t_password.html

QUOTE

"Here's how to reset your OS X password without an OS X CD. You need to enter terminal and create a new admin account:

1. Reboot

2. Hold apple + s down after you hear the chime.

3. When you get text prompt enter in these terminal commands to create a brand new admin account (hitting return after each line):

* mount -uw /

* rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

* shutdown -h now

4. After rebooting you should have a brand new admin account.

5. Change the password on your old account while logged in as your new Admin account, then log back in as yourself and delete your new Admin account."

http://www.tidbits.com/webx?14@@.3cb3cd5e/2

QUOTE

1. First, you'll need to reboot into single-user mode. This boots your Mac into a text-only mode (you might be familiar with this experience if you've ever had to run fsck). You'll see instructions on how to run the file system check -- fsck -- and then a command prompt. Enter the command mount -uw / so that we can make changes to the disk.
   2. Next, you need to be able to make changes to the users' accounts on your Mac in order to reset your password, and we'll do that with NetInfo. Start NetInfo by typing Systemstarter. You'll see a pile of messages appearing, which might seem familiar to you if you've ever watched the startup progress bar. When you see the message System started. and a stationary cursor, hit Return. You'll see the shell prompt appear again.
   3. Now that NetInfo is running, we can change our lost password. If you don't know the short username for your account (for example, 'jane' instead of 'Jane Doe'), you'll need that - enter the command niutil -list . /users and hit Return, to see the names of the accounts on your Mac.
   4. Now that you know the name of the account you want to use, enter the command passwd user -- where user is the short name of the account you're changing. You'll be told that you're changing the password for user and asked to enter it twice. Do this, being careful with your typing: you won't see the characters you're typing, or stars. Watch that Caps Lock key, while you're at it.
   5. Now type reboot and press Return once more to reboot your Mac. You should now have no problem logging in.

OR, all you have to do after you done /sbin/SystemStarter is type "passwd root" to change the root password

[Jack W]

krissel (or anybody else),

Associated question: The iMac computer I have been working on for a friend:

http://www.techsurvivors.net/forums/index....t=0&start=0

This was a hand-me-down from her son. I was able to change the Admin password from the OS X 10.2 Install CD.

However, he has set up keychain with a password, which I don't have the foggiest idea how to change.
This did not reset when I changed the master password.
Is there any way to change that? Or defeat keychain altogether?

 She is purchasing Panther from my favorite local Mac shop.
They are burning Tiger CDs for her along with the Panther DVDs. (Her iMac only supports CDs).

The keychain password has given fits while trying to set up Ethernet, etc.

And a related question: I have an external Pioneer 109 DVD. Could I install Tiger on her iMac from that drive?

Thanks!

[krissel]

The following assumes you are going to keep the files and applications that are presently on the iMac and not do an erase and install. If you plan on the latter, you will start fresh anyway and no troubleshooting is necessary.

The keychain password is the same as the login password when the OS is originally installed. If the login password is changed in the Accounts pref pane, the keychain password will also change with it unless it has been manually changed to something else.

However, in your case you changed the login password from the CD so the keychain password remains the old one. There is no way short of getting the son to divulge the password to regain the use of that keychain. So the best thing to do is to delete it.

• Navigate to /Applications/Utilities/Keychian Access and open it
• Go to Edit menu at the top of your screen and from the pull-down menu select Keychain List.
• In the resulting window, locate and click to select the keychains you are currently unable to access.
• Go to File and delete keychain (note that you will be given the option of deleting the files and references: if you delete only the references you can later get the use of the keychain back if you recover the password)
• Go to File and create new keychain OR restart your machine and login. A new login keychain should be created which will respond to your login password

As to the external drive it should be OK, note that you can either select the external DVD from the Startup Disk pane or use the Option key on startup to choose the external. I also see that you have a PB and if it has a DVD drive you can connect the iMac to your PB and install via Firewire Target mode from the PB.

In any case if you run into trouble, another choice would be to create a disc image of the install DVD on the iMac and use that to boot to but it may only allow you to upgrade via Archive and Install rather than doing an erase and install since you would be booted from the drive to which you want install the OS. If you aren't planning that anyway it wouldn't matter.

But if they are burning Tiger CD's (lucky you) there shouldn't be any problem just booting to those to install from the iMac. BTW, those Tiger CD's are like gold these days. They are selling for $150- $200.  

Question: Why is she getting both Panther and Tiger?

[Jack W]

QUOTE(krissel @ Feb 11 2008, 01:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But if they are burning Tiger CD's (lucky you) there shouldn't be any problem just booting to those to install from the iMac. BTW, those Tiger CD's are like gold these days. They are selling for $150- $200.  

She is getting the OSs for $119.
Quadstar is an Apple authorized repair and sales facility, altho their main forte is maintenance and repair.
They have a lot of on-the-road business in installing computers and software.
They also do work on PeeCees, but their main business is Apple products, which they much prefer.
BTW, Tiger is still available from Apple at the normal price, but takes up to four weeks for delivery.
I'm not sure about the CD version.
I checked that out before we called Quadstar.

Question: Why is she getting both Panther and Tiger?
Answer: She has to purchase Panther so she has a valid license for Tiger.
Maybe Quadstar can't sell Tiger anymore? But they can do it legally this way?

Thanks for the thorough explanation of keychain. I couldn't change the password from the Accounts prefpane because I didn't know what his account password was. He had set the iMac to boot directly into his account.

BTW, as I mentioned on the other thread, the disk had some severe problems.
These were not correctable from DU on her computer.
I had to take my external firewire drive over there (10.4., reboot from it and run DU on the internal drive.
It took a while, but I confirmed that it worked by re-running Repair. A-OK

We're on a roll now. Things are definitely lining up!

With your help, and Quadstar, and the other good people here at TeeEss!

Thanks again,
- Jack

[krissel]

QUOTE(Jack W @ Feb 11 2008, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

She is getting the OSs for $119.


Question: Why is she getting both Panther and Tiger?
Answer: She has to purchase Panther so she has a valid license for Tiger.

I've never heard of having to buy one OS to get the other. They are separate entities and not related. However the price you are paying is certainly not bad considering all you are getting.