Ticket Options

Question Profile

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> Xserve Cannot Access Administrator Accou

harlanlax - Mar 4, 2008 - 2:53 pm

A client of mine purchased a company that had a Xserver running Mac OS X 10.2.8 it is a G4 1Ghz

They do not seem to know the admin password. We have access through a non admin account but cannot seem to find a way to reset the password.

I have a copy of Mac OS X 10.4 server on DVD but the xserve only has a cd. So I hooked a usb dvd drive and tried to boot off the dvd, no luck. The system sees the dvd when I boot off the hard drive but without the admin password it will not let me boot off the dvd.

I do not need the info on the xserve I would be just as happy rebuilding the box.

Any thoughts on how to either reset the admin account or rebuild the box?

Thanks
Harlan

Serenak - Mar 4, 2008 - 3:58 pm

Hello Harlan

thanks for choosing macosx.com and I will try to advise/assist you.

First of all can you boot the Xserve from the CD that came with it?

If you can't then it has most likely had a Firmware password set... this is a low level password that prevents the use of booting from remote disks etc.

To clear the firmware password there is only one method. Open the case and remove or add some RAM, reboot the XServe and reset the PRAM by holding down Apple(aka Cmd) - Option(aka Alt) - P - R till it makes the startup chime a second time (you can wait for a 3rd if you like). Let it boot up completely then restart and his should remove the Firmware Password and allow you to boot from wherever you like...

Hope that helps

harlanlax - Mar 4, 2008 - 6:06 pm

I do not have the original software but I do have a copy of 10.4 OS X Server dvd.

The dvd drive I have is only conencted to the xserve by usb not firewire.

Is the firewire password on for firewire or usb also?

I had hoped to boot off of the dvd and try the admin password reset first prior to reformatting and relaoding.

Serenak - Mar 4, 2008 - 6:41 pm

Hello Harlan

Most Macs cannot be booted from USB anyway but a Firmware Password will stop you booting the Mac from anywhere except the internal HD... that is one of its main points.

Desktop Macs can be booted into "Target Disk" mode by holding down T on start up... connect to another Mac by Firewire and it should show up as a simple external HDD. (I am not overly experienced with the Xserve... but overall I believe it is basically the same as all other Macs.)

If there is not a Firmware password then you should be able to use any DVD and Firewire equipped Mac to install the 10.4 server onto the disk that way... if there is a Firmware password (and this is very popular with sever admins btw) you will probably not get target mode either...

Put it this way - there is little to lose and everything to gain by using the "remove Firmware Password" trick before exploring more!

If there is a Firmware Password little you do will be of use - including swapping out HDDs etc.

Let me know how you get on.

harlanlax - Mar 4, 2008 - 6:46 pm

Thanks I will do that.

I will not be at the client until thursday but I will get abck to you ocne I do as you recomended.

harlanlax - Mar 7, 2008 - 10:21 am

I did a PRAM reset adn tomorrow I am bring in a firewire dvd drive to see if I can relaod the os.

Serenak - Mar 7, 2008 - 6:23 pm

OK

Remember the PRAM reset is only useful in the case of the "Firmware Password" if you took out or added some RAM - this is the crucial factor...

harlanlax - Mar 8, 2008 - 9:21 am

Ok so this process won't work.

I was able to get rid of the firewire password and booted off the only xserve software I had but I didn't realize it was for an intel absed xserve so its no good.

Question:

Does Apple offer a way to get the OSX Media again?

If not is there another way to reset the admin password?

The xserve is workign ok we just don't have the ability to do much with it!

Thanks for all the help so far.

Harlan

Serenak - Mar 8, 2008 - 9:49 am

OK Harlan

Well if you have removed the Firmware Password you are on the right road... at least now you can boot the XServe from the FW DVD or a CD etc.

If your DVD is for an Intel XServe you are correct that it will be of no use - I cannot say for certain if the XServe /has/ to have the Server OS - you may be able to boot it from a retail Mac OS installer

However you only really need to reset the Admin account password and there are more ways than one to catch a rat

From Open Firmware
http://www.macusers.com.jm/articles/...open-firmware/ tells you how

From Single User Mode http://www.hackszine.com/blog/archiv...C-7G2N43923558 has instructions that should help do the trick

Or from any CD that will boot the Xserve - I suspect a non Server Disk will do too - you aren't installing it - just using the reset password tool

Alternatively you could consider getting an upgrade to the OS...

Hope that is of assistance...

harlanlax - Mar 8, 2008 - 10:34 am

Unfortunately non of those technigues worked. I think it relates to the Xserve but am not sure.

I have conatcted my Apple rep to see what my options are?

Thanks so much for the assistance

Serenak - Mar 9, 2008 - 8:16 am

OK

I am pretty much all out of answers now... if there is nothing on the XServe you want then contacting Apple for an upgrade to Mac Server 10.4 is probably the best bet if you can't locate the 10.2 original installer

Good Luck