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HELP! OS 9 start-up

Z

zspeed

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 25, 2003
4
0
Hello,

I just got my G4 desktop back after letting my sister borrow it for a year or so.

The computer was running in OS 9. When I changed the startup disc to OS X, the password screen came up and I forgot my old OS X password. I can't get past the log in screen after start up, and restarting just brings me back to the start up screen.

Here is the catch. I don't have any of my original discs on me, and I don't even know where they are at the moment.

If I can get back to OS 9 my computer will at least be functional.


What to do?

Thanks for the help.
 
tried

Tried it.

When I hold down option, I get to the startup disc screen.

There is a pictuere of a hard drive with an OS X symbol. There are two arrow buttons on either side of the picture. The arrow button on the left is shaped in a circle, and when I push it, the osx hard drive dissapears for a second, but then returns. The arrow button on the right points to the right, and when I push that, I boot up in OS X.

Any clues?

Thanks
 
i've never been able to get the option-key trick to work.

if you can get ahold of an osx install CD, there's a way to reset root password w/ that (hold down 'c' key on startup, obviously).

or if you've got a CD w/ os9 on it (install CD, repair CD), boot from it and reset the startup disk to os9.
 
First of all... The Option trick only works if the OSes are on different volumes.

2nd, try holding down "9" It works for me when I start-up or restart and don't want to perminately change start-up disks.

3rd, if those don't work, find a friend with OS9 or check out your local school and talk with the Network Administrator. They may require you to bring in the machine, but they will usually let you use a start-up CD when you are in dire need.

TEG
 
Still no luck

The "9" trick didn't work.

Here's the other kick in the ass.

I can't get my cd drive to open either. So even if I could get my hands on a start up disc, I don't know if I could get it in my computer.

Another question.

I do have a startup disc set, os9 and osx, for an ibook. Will those do me any good.

Thanks.
 
Re: Still no luck

Originally posted by zspeed
The "9" trick didn't work.

Here's the other kick in the ass.

I can't get my cd drive to open either. So even if I could get my hands on a start up disc, I don't know if I could get it in my computer.

Another question.

I do have a startup disc set, os9 and osx, for an ibook. Will those do me any good.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It's the same system install disks for all Macs. The only difference is the additional software install disks that come with consumer Macs as opposed to professional Macs.

Try holding down the mouse button as the computer starts up. It should force the computer to eject the cd tray.
 
Thanks

Thanks, it finally worked. Got the cd tray open and used the Ibook os9 cd to get it going.

Now another question. I tried to just reinstall OSX using the ibook cd thinking that osX would start anew and erase the old password. It didn't. The same user name popped up after the whole reinstillation.

Is there any way to get rid of the old osX and get a new password?

Thanks
 
Re: Thanks

Originally posted by zspeed
Thanks, it finally worked. Got the cd tray open and used the Ibook os9 cd to get it going.

Now another question. I tried to just reinstall OSX using the ibook cd thinking that osX would start anew and erase the old password. It didn't. The same user name popped up after the whole reinstillation.

Is there any way to get rid of the old osX and get a new password?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes do a true reinstall. When you chose reinstall you chose the option to copy over old settings. If you hadn't then you would have had to set up a new user account on startup. Just do the install again and this time make sure that anything that says copy settings over is not selected. You will still have all your data on the drive but a new system folder will be installed and the old system folder will be renamed.
 
woah woah woah hold your horses, you don't need ot reinstall again.


You can just reset your password by going to password utility in the menu while started up on the OS X CD
 
Originally posted by amnesiac1984
woah woah woah hold your horses, you don't need ot reinstall again.


You can just reset your password by going to password utility in the menu while started up on the OS X CD
Click to expand...

Ah, you caught me. In a moment of weakness I forgot that option. I was originally thinking about that option when he first posted but at that time he didn't have the install CD. After he did get the install CD my mind had progressed on to other ways of doing it.

Good catch.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit
Ah, you caught me. In a moment of weakness I forgot that option. I was originally thinking about that option when he first posted but at that time he didn't have the install CD. After he did get the install CD my mind had progressed on to other ways of doing it.

Good catch.
Click to expand...

Never mind, although he's probably too late, I bet he's erased all his data and reinstalled, he he :D

:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by amnesiac1984
Never mind, although he's probably too late, I bet he's erased all his data and reinstalled, he he :D

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Well that is one thing I was trying to point out in my post that he didn't have to erase all his data. Reinstalling with either the copy or no copy prefs option will not lose any data.
 
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