Skip to content

Mac OS X: Reset Administrator Password

I recently ran into a small problem with installing OS X updates when I realized that without the Administrator password I could not install the available .

The work around from a Google Group posting was to reset the Administrator password. Below are the steps I followed:

1. Boot your computer using the Mac OS X Installer CD. (Note: You can force a CD ROM boot by holding down the C key during restart.)

2. At the Installer screen, select Reset Password from the Installer menu

3. Select the Mac OS X volume which contains the password you wish to change.

4. After selecting the Mac OS X volume, click on the popup menu for the user that you want to reset the password to.

5. Once you have selected the user type in the new password and click on the Save button.

7. After clicking on the Save button quit the Reset Password application which will bring you back to the Installer screen.

8. Select Quit Installer for the Installer menu.

3 thoughts on “Mac OS X: Reset Administrator Password”

  1. I have a problem with mu administrator password too.
    Installing from the disk is not possible: it keeps asking for the password.
    Restarting holding down the “C” button also doesn’t help.
    It still doesn’t start up from the install-disk.
    I tried evrything.
    Can you help?

  2. I also am trying to reset the administrator password because it is not accepting the one I changed it to, but my computer will NOT reboot from the install CD when I hold down ctrl C and since I cannot log on as an administrator I cannot select the cd under system preferences- startup disk as some sites have suggested…anyone? Help!

Comments are closed.