What would cause a MBP to randomly activate a firmware password. Went to open the MBP like normal and it was asking for firmware password. It’s a 2017 MBP
Last edited:
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Firmware password activated
- Thread starter Staindsoul
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
What did you see that makes you think "firmware password"? Maybe it was something else, such as, yes, booting from an encrypted external drive.
Your MBPro won't activate a firmware password without some help.
Which then leads to the possibility that you have been locked out by a bad actor, through ransomware, and you get the opportunity to pay $ to have your drive unlocked.
But, if that is the case, you would normally get a screen almost immediately, telling to you call some phone number for support. Do you get THAT, in addition to a password screen>
Your MBPro won't activate a firmware password without some help.
Which then leads to the possibility that you have been locked out by a bad actor, through ransomware, and you get the opportunity to pay $ to have your drive unlocked.
But, if that is the case, you would normally get a screen almost immediately, telling to you call some phone number for support. Do you get THAT, in addition to a password screen>
No ransom ware. Fortunately we remember what the firmware password is after numerous wrong passwords. Just never seen a firmware lock just randomly appear. All I did was open my laptop screen like normal.
Is this a sign of a failing MBP?
Could have someone tried entering my MacBook password unsuccessfully multiple times and it automatically activated firmware password?
hmmm.... I'm pretty sure that if you have enabled a firmware password, then turn the firmware password off, that password is lost. You have to enter the password that you want to use, each time you enable the firmware password. In other words, the password is not stored, until you turn firmware password on (enable it).
The firmware password does not automatically activate - it has to be enabled, and a new password supplied for that.
there are no circumstances where the firmware password would activate, when no activation process has taken place.
What happened to you, sounds more like filevault (to unlock the boot drive), not a firmware password. Entering your admin login password wrong, will not enable the firmware password, no matter how many wrong guesses you make.
The login window for a firmware password is fairly disctinctive, where you get a blank box, with a padlock icon next to it. No title or other wording, just the blank box with a padlock. Is that the box that you saw? or did it have some text on that screen as well (again, the firmware password screen has no text at all, just the box and a padlock)
The firmware password does not automatically activate - it has to be enabled, and a new password supplied for that.
there are no circumstances where the firmware password would activate, when no activation process has taken place.
What happened to you, sounds more like filevault (to unlock the boot drive), not a firmware password. Entering your admin login password wrong, will not enable the firmware password, no matter how many wrong guesses you make.
The login window for a firmware password is fairly disctinctive, where you get a blank box, with a padlock icon next to it. No title or other wording, just the blank box with a padlock. Is that the box that you saw? or did it have some text on that screen as well (again, the firmware password screen has no text at all, just the box and a padlock)
I agree with DeltaMac. If you were prompted for a firmware password, and the machine unlocked when you entered the correct password, someone set it. Maybe you forgot one was set. Maybe it wasn't you. Or maybe the person who did it doesn't want to admit it. But it can't just self-activate.
OP wrote in reply 8 above:
"I don’t have a picture but it looked exactly like this."
If you remembered the password, then I would advise you to DiSABLE the firmware password so it won't bother you any more.
Might be a good idea to back up the MBP.
Then... boot to internet recovery
Then... erase the internal drive
Install a new copy of the OS,
Then... restore your data.
"I don’t have a picture but it looked exactly like this."
If you remembered the password, then I would advise you to DiSABLE the firmware password so it won't bother you any more.
Might be a good idea to back up the MBP.
Then... boot to internet recovery
Then... erase the internal drive
Install a new copy of the OS,
Then... restore your data.