help

[johnny]

im sorry i come to this place for help with my mac sometimes but this is the only place that has consistently given me answers...

so i tried to install an update...it asked for an administrator's password, so i entered it in, and it didn't work. i tried afew more times, and still nothing. So i went to preferences, and lo and behold all the users that used to be admin are now standard. the preference is locked, so i can't change anything; im don't have any administrator accounts. WHAT DO I DO?

[monkeypete]

It is possible to reset the administrator password using the OSX install CD. But I'd imagine this would be a last resort as I think it requires a full re-install.

More info here [docs.info.apple.com].

[microcars]

try repairing permissions since thats what it sounds like the issue is

can you get to Disk Utility on the drive?

Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility

click the NAME of the volume you want and then hit Repair Permissions

If you can't get to Disk Utility on the Drive you will have to use Disk Utility on the original Install Disk to repair permissions. Its under the File Menu after you insert the Install Disk.

also- resetting the password does NOT require a re-install, it just requires booting from the Original Install CD and choosing that option from the FILE menu.

[johnny]

would i be able to make a new user account with admin priveleges from the bootcd, or can i only just change the password?; which in that case i would't be able to do because there are no admin accounts now?

[johnny]

well i tried the install cd, i noticed i can change the rrot password. I know that the root has the highest privelges, so would it be okay to change the root password? The root user was never enable from netinfo, and i can't use netinfo because there are no admin accounts.

Also, if changeing the root password is okay, would it accept "root" and the password i choose in the authentication fields?