Help with server

[Walt]

Hi everyone,

I just got an old Mac OS X server from a friend. When I was booting it for the first time it asked for a username and password (you can see it in the picture). Normally I restart the system and when it boots up i press command + S to get it in single-user mode. This way I can change the password and username. But I can't get in single-user mode, it won't let me.

If someone can help me that would be great!

Thanks!

 

[JakeNTech]

What OS? There is a way to reset the password in the terminal. 

Press command + s for single user mode

[Walt]

1 minute ago, fixitnow said:

What OS? There is a way to reset the password in the terminal. 

I know but I can't get to single-user mode (then you can go to the terminal)

I think the OS is old like Snow leopard or Tiger

[JakeNTech]

Just now, Walt said:

I know but I can't get to single-user mode (then you can go to the terminal)

I think the OS is old like Snow leopard or Tiger

Hold down command and S before powering up the system and keep holding them down. If it starts to boot to OS X then turn it off while still holding those keys down and then reboot. also could you re-upload that picture as It isn't working for me?

[Walt]

Just now, fixitnow said:

Hold down command and S before powering up the system and keep holding them down. If it starts to boot to OS X then turn it off while still holding those keys down and then reboot. also could you re-upload that picture as It isn't working for me?

[Walt]

3 minutes ago, fixitnow said:

Hold down command and S before powering up the system and keep holding them down. If it starts to boot to OS X then turn it off while still holding those keys down and then reboot. also could you re-upload that picture as It isn't working for me?

Doesn't work

 

[JakeNTech]

2 minutes ago, Walt said:

Thanks. Try just "user" and "password". If you can put the drive into another mac then you may be able to remove the user file and force OS X to create another on boot up, but I have never done that. Let me have a look around some of the junk I have on my PC to see if I can find anything to help, I am sure I have seen this before too. 

[JakeNTech]

When your computer turns on does the caps lock or num lock light light up on your keyboard?

[Walt]

Just now, fixitnow said:

When your computer turns on does the caps lock or num lock light light up on your keyboard?

If you're asking if my keyboard works the answer is yes

[JakeNTech]

Just now, Walt said:

If you're asking if my keyboard works the answer is yes

no, thats not what I meant. I have seen it before where a system will only work with a keyboard after the OS has started up. 

[Walt]

2 minutes ago, fixitnow said:

no, thats not what I meant. I have seen it before where a system will only work with a keyboard after the OS has started up. 

Ow sorry. It starts working (light up) when the Apple logo is visable on the monitor. I am using a normal Apple keyboard but I can try it with another. Shall I try that?

[dalekphalm]

22 minutes ago, Walt said:

Hi everyone,

I just got an old Mac OS X server from a friend. When I was booting it for the first time it asked for a username and password (you can see it in the picture). Normally I restart the system and when it boots up i press command + C to get it in single-user mode. This way I can change the password and username. But I can't get in single-user mode, it won't let me.

If someone can help me that would be great!

Thanks!

 

Why don't you just boot up into Recovery Mode and just wipe and reinstall?

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201314

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204904

[JakeNTech]

Just now, Walt said:

Ow sorry. It starts working (light up) when the Apple logo is visable on the monitor. I am using a normal Apple keyboard but I can try it with another. Shall I try that?

Yeah. It does sound like thats the issue here. Try moving the USB ports around, or use a PS2 port if that system has one. 

[Walt]

28 minutes ago, fixitnow said:

Yeah. It does sound like thats the issue here. Try moving the USB ports around, or use a PS2 port if that system has one. 

Thnx i got in the terminal but now there is another problem... 

 

I did this: (for 10.4 Tiger )

Power on or restart your Mac.

At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode.

Type sh /etc/rc and press Enter/Return.

Type passwd username and replace “username” with the short name of the user account for which you’d like to reset the password.

Type your desired password and press Enter. It won’t show itself on the screen, so be careful what you type. You will most likely have to enter it again to confirm.

Type reboot and press Enter.

 

It worked but I don't know the username... How do I know this? I tried 'Tijgerin' but it didn't work

[Walt]

30 minutes ago, fixitnow said:

Yeah. It does sound like thats the issue here. Try moving the USB ports around, or use a PS2 port if that system has one. 

Shall I try this?

 

Reset 10.5 Leopard & 10.6 Snow Leopard password

Power on or restart your Mac.

At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode.

This step is optional, but it’s a good idea because it checks the consistency of the hard disk before moving on. At the prompt, type fsck -fy and press Enter/Return. Wait for the checks to complete before going to the next step.

Type mount -uw / and press Enter.

Type launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist and press Enter.

Type ls /Users and press Enter. This lists all of the usernames on the computer – helpful if you don’t know or remember what these are.

Type dscl . -passwd /Users/username password and replace “username” with one of the users displayed in the previous step. Replace “password” with a new password of your choice. Press Enter.

Type reboot and press Enter.

[JakeNTech]

Just now, Walt said:

Shall I try this?

 

Reset 10.5 Leopard & 10.6 Snow Leopard password

Power on or restart your Mac.

At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode.

This step is optional, but it’s a good idea because it checks the consistency of the hard disk before moving on. At the prompt, type fsck -fy and press Enter/Return. Wait for the checks to complete before going to the next step.

Type mount -uw / and press Enter.

Type launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServices.plist and press Enter.

Type ls /Users and press Enter. This lists all of the usernames on the computer – helpful if you don’t know or remember what these are.

Type dscl . -passwd /Users/username password and replace “username” with one of the users displayed in the previous step. Replace “password” with a new password of your choice. Press Enter.

Type reboot and press Enter.

If it's not working at the moment there is no halm in trying. 

[JakeNTech]

By the looks of it it has apples actual survey system on but I belive it's based on tiger or Leppard. If it doesn't work you will need to reinstall anyay.  Sorry. 

[Walt]

1 minute ago, fixitnow said:

By the looks of it it has apples actual survey system on but I belive it's based on tiger or Leppard. If it doesn't work you will need to reinstall anyay.  Sorry. 

How do I reinstall or reset?

[JakeNTech]

5 minutes ago, Walt said:

How do I reinstall or reset?

 

[dalekphalm]

7 minutes ago, Walt said:

How do I reinstall or reset?

 

42 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

Why don't you just boot up into Recovery Mode and just wipe and reinstall?

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201314

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204904

 

[Walt]

@dalekphalm and @fixitnow

 

I can't get into the recovery mode... I tried it with another keyboard in everyon USB port. What am I doing wrong?

[JakeNTech]

16 minutes ago, Walt said:

@dalekphalm and @fixitnow

 

I can't get into the recovery mode... I tried it with another keyboard in everyon USB port. What am I doing wrong?

Its not what you are doing wrong, like i said its probably that the OS won't work with external keyboard before it as started booting. As proper apple machines have no bios to speak of. 

[dalekphalm]

19 minutes ago, Walt said:

@dalekphalm and @fixitnow

 

I can't get into the recovery mode... I tried it with another keyboard in everyon USB port. What am I doing wrong?

You have a few alternative options.

 

First, I would double check that you're trying all the possible commands when the computer is booting.

 

Next, I'd try Internet Recovery Mode - note, you need half decent internet for this.

 

Third, if you have another macOS computer, I'd create a recovery drive on a USB Stick.

 

See this link for info on most of these:

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3006221/apple-mac/what-to-do-when-os-x-recovery-mode-lets-you-down.html

 

Lastly, if there's an Apple Store nearby, bring a USB Stick into the store and ask them to create a recovery drive for you.

[Walt]

@dalekphalm and @fixitnow

The frustrating thing is that I can't even get into recovery mode... When I hold command + r or command + shift + r or even only the option key it won't work...

On the appel forum its says that: 'These combinations work with Intel-based Mac computers.' Maybe this computer isn't Intel based?

 

And if I would make a recovery drive which version of OSX because I don't know how old the server is?

[JakeNTech]

41 minutes ago, Walt said:

@dalekphalm and @fixitnow

The frustrating thing is that I can't even get into recovery mode... When I hold command + r or command + shift + r or even only the option key it won't work...

On the appel forum its says that: 'These combinations work with Intel-based Mac computers.' Maybe this computer isn't Intel based?

 

And if I would make a recovery drive which version of OSX because I don't know how old the server is?

I assume it's an Intel machine.  Applad an OS called OSX surver based on Leppard.  You want wither the surver os or snowlepard. Neither of them have recovery mode as it's was added on lion. As for not getting into single user mode its probably the keyboard thing.