Mac OSX MASTER PASSWORD? Can I...

[mersyone]

Hey guyz;

just curious;!...my gf was tamperin' with the computer and she ended up Installing some kind of MASTER PASSWORD through 'FileVault' I think.

I tried to fix everything she screwed up (dumb broad), but NOW; for e.g.,
when I go to change my admin user PW, it's asking me for some MASTER PASSWORD instead (SEE ATTACHED PIC).

...
So now what???

I tried to do that thing where you put in your software restore disk but there is no option for the category "MASTER PASSWORD". It's an old software restore CD from an earlier verison of Mac OSX. I don't have the actual MacOSX Panther version install CD as I'm sure it was swiped (stolen) from my house.

Am I screwed??? is there a way around this?

 

[DeltaMac]

The graphic that you posted is not asking for your Master Password. That window that you showed is merely asking for your present administrator password (your Login password), which is the same one that you use when installing software on your account, and not asking for your Master Password, (which is not the same)
Some info : the Master Password does not apply specifically to your user account. It is used as a safety net to unlock a FileVault account on your computer if you have forgotten your own FileVault password. The Master Password serves no other purpose, AFAIK.

Here's some other info from your Apple Help:
If you forget your login password and your home folder is protected by FileVault, you must know the master password to get access to your account.
If you are the administrator of the computer, and you can't remember the master password, the information in your home folder is lost forever.

You must go through the Security pref pane to change your Master Password. If you don't know your present Master Password, there's no way to change it, or retrieve it, AFAIK. Hope your GF knows what Master Password she used..... Again, the Master password is only needed for access to the encrypted FileVault (if you use that)

 

[mersyone]

well said! but...

This PW is different from my normal admin PW. So although I use my regular admin password to login into MacOSX, install programs, change prefs, etc. FOR SOME REASON when I try to change MY OWN PW, thats when that screen pops up.

ONE THING THAT PUZZLES ME;
My normal password (os login, prefs, etc.) is 6 CHARACTERS lonmg (which works fine). ******
But,... notice IN THE PIC ABOVE that there are 7 characters in the PW field now. I can't change that one cuz that screen keeps popping up.

So I don't know if there are 2 different admin pws now but I can't change it.

 

[DeltaMac]

The number of asterisks (*) that you see in the password block DOES NOT indicate the number of characters in the password. Apple does this as an additional security measure (counting the spaces will not help you determine the password if you don't know it) The password that you will use (and will work) is your normal login password for that account. The Master Password is not used here, (and is not needed for other than the circumstances that I already listed.)
If you want to delete the asterisks, and re-enter the password as you know it. then do that...