Firmware padlock screen won't accept password.

[loveslap]

Mac Pro 5,1
Missing internal serial number.
I really want to be able to boot into recovery.
For the longest time I couldn't remember the password. Then I used the calculator bit flipping technique
and what do you know!! I remember that password!

However!
When I try to boot into recovery (holding command-R), the padlock comes up, but neither the mouse
nor the keyboard are active/functining.. Regardless of which port I use.

I really want to upgrade this machine to a fast 12-core rig but I'm quite worried there is a firmware virus or something
on the motherboard. Please help!

I have a SOIC adapter and raspberry PI and would love to get cracking on reflashing but I would need decent
instructions, most of the online stuff refers to macbook issues.....





p.s. nice to be posting here after a decade of lurking!

 

[w1z]

Mac Pro 5,1
Missing internal serial number.
I really want to be able to boot into recovery.
For the longest time I couldn't remember the password. Then I used the calculator bit flipping technique
and what do you know!! I remember that password!

However!
When I try to boot into recovery (holding command-R), the padlock comes up, but neither the mouse
nor the keyboard are active/functining.. Regardless of which port I use.

I really want to upgrade this machine to a fast 12-core rig but I'm quite worried there is a firmware virus or something
on the motherboard. Please help!

I have a SOIC adapter and raspberry PI and would love to get cracking on reflashing but I would need decent
instructions, most of the online stuff refers to macbook issues.....





p.s. nice to be posting here after a decade of lurking!

Shutdown your Mac, remove one of the memory sticks and power it back on while pressing command + R

 

[loveslap]

I can't even turn caps lock on and off when in the padlock screen.
[doublepost=1538417287][/doublepost]

Shutdown your Mac, remove one of the memory sticks and power it back on while pressing command + R

Tried many times but will try again. Weird this time I got a universal "no" symbol in the middle of the screen. Well hey at least thats different!
[doublepost=1538417636][/doublepost]Ok I'm in recovery mode. Aweseme! But it claims there is no firmware password set??? Is there a way I can definitively blow it out and get things in a pristine firmwarewise before rebooting. Is it worth having a firmware password to protect against virii?
[doublepost=1538417731][/doublepost]Also machine wont let me run disk first aid on my only volume whilst in recovery?? I'm on a mint high-sierra installation that has never touched the internet.
[doublepost=1538418660][/doublepost]WOW IT WORKED I CAN BOOT INTO RECOVERY NORMALLY NOW WITHOUT DRAMA.

thanks!!!!

 

[w1z]

I can't even turn caps lock on and off when in the padlock screen.
[doublepost=1538417287][/doublepost]
Tried many times but will try again. Weird this time I got a universal "no" symbol in the middle of the screen. Well hey at least thats different!
[doublepost=1538417636][/doublepost]Ok I'm in recovery mode. Aweseme! But it claims there is no firmware password set??? Is there a way I can definitively blow it out and get things in a pristine firmwarewise before rebooting. Is it worth having a firmware password to protect against virii?
[doublepost=1538417731][/doublepost]Also machine wont let me run disk first aid on my only volume whilst in recovery?? I'm on a mint high-sierra installation that has never touched the internet.

Firmware passwords are useless on macs predating 2012 which as you have just seen can be circumvented by just changing the hardware configuration but they still add a level of protection. Just keep SIP enabled and install apps from verifiable sources if you are worried about viruses.

Edited: misread the remainder of your post. Just upgrade to 10.13.6 and check the forums for feedback on Mojave before installing it.

 

[loveslap]

This is an audio production machine that will never be upgraded nor placed on the internet. But it used to be so I'm worried about residual microcode/firmware/blahblahidon'treallyknow type issues. SIP is the csr protection thingy? I'm going to make a new thread about this cause I'm getting lots ofs "certificate not yet generated" messages in console I think it has to do with my motherboard not having a serial number in its firmware....
[doublepost=1538419758][/doublepost]hmm I just ran

/usr/libexec/firmwarecheckers/eficheck/eficheck --integrity-check

and the response:

readbinaryfromkernel : no matching services found. Either this system is not supported by efi check, or you need to re-load th kext
integritycheck: couldn't get EFI contents from kext.


is that bad?

 

[chrfr]

This is an audio production machine that will never be upgraded nor placed on the internet. But it used to be so I'm worried about residual microcode/firmware/blahblahidon'treallyknow type issues. SIP is the csr protection thingy? I'm going to make a new thread about this cause I'm getting lots ofs "certificate not yet generated" messages in console I think it has to do with my motherboard not having a serial number in its firmware....
[doublepost=1538419758][/doublepost]hmm I just ran

/usr/libexec/firmwarecheckers/eficheck/eficheck --integrity-check

and the response:

readbinaryfromkernel : no matching services found. Either this system is not supported by efi check, or you need to re-load th kext
integritycheck: couldn't get EFI contents from kext.


is that bad?

There’s no such thing as a residual password. If you changed the memory configuration and the password is shown as disabled you’re all set.

 

[Suveer83]

Shutdown your Mac, remove one of the memory sticks and power it back on while pressing command + R

Could you please let me know if this method works on 2017 MacBook Pro 13 Touch Bar model.
Thanks in advance.

 

[crjackson2134]

Could you please let me know if this method works on 2017 MacBook Pro 13 Touch Bar model.
Thanks in advance.

You’re question MAY be better addressed in the MacBook Pro forum, rather than the Mac Pro forum.

 

[chrfr]

Could you please let me know if this method works on 2017 MacBook Pro 13 Touch Bar model.
Thanks in advance.

That hasn't worked on any Mac since about 2011.