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Mac OS X is based on BSD Unix, so one way to crack Mac passwords is with Unix password-cracking tools. In particular, John the Ripper has a good reputation for being successful in cracking Mac OS X passwords. While this can be useful to systems administrators, it points out that password security can be broken fairly easily.
Even easier than downloading and installing password-cracking software is using a Mac OS installation disk to reset the administrator password. If this is an Xserve server, be sure to unlock the drive lock so you can mount the installation disk. Insert the install disk and click on the "Install Mac OS" icon.
Click the Reset button on the installation screen, and it will begin the installation process. Click through screens until you see the normal menu bar menus on your screen.
Click on the Utilities menu and choose "Reset Password." Follow the prompts to change the admin password. After resetting the password, choose Quit from the Installer menu. Remove the installation disk from the drive and restart. You should be able to log on as administrator using the new password you just set.
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Comments (10)
how to get mac replacement disksBy Anon on April 18, 2009, 9:54 amI got my G3 second hand as well it is the same model you have the best way to take care of getting the disks is to click in the address book icon and it will come...
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I changed the passwd root thingy when holding cmd+s on start up.By Anonymous on January 23, 2009, 2:03 pmI changed the passwd root thingy when holding cmd+s on start up. Can you change the admin password using code too. Please tell as I can't install any programs :(
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cracking admin. passwordBy Elgin on October 17, 2008, 10:51 pmHi, my friend forgot his admin password and i have no idea how to get into the computer without going to extra... meaning like anybody can go in to the extra because...
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Same ProblemBy Michellie on April 3, 2008, 2:38 pmI have the same problem w/my Powermac G4. Did you have any luck? If so, please advise> Thanks, Michellie
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ressetting passwordBy strudel on October 9, 2007, 2:06 pmhi , i got a imac g3 red , i did a job to a client and he told me , he s gonna trow the pc to the garbage ,i told him i can check the probleme for him and he told...
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