'Open firmware wont reset

P

punisher

Registered
My open firmware password wont reset.

I tried the method of removing some ram and yes i did it correctly plenty of times and got nothing.

then i also opened the whole intire computer and disconnected the battery and also got nothing.

also right now the system has no O/S so i am not sure what to do from here. I cant use any boot commands or anything.
 
You didn't say what you did 'plenty of times', but here's the procedure that works, after changing your original RAM configuration.
Turn on the computer and immediately reset PRAM by holding the Command-Option-P-R key combination. Press the keys until you've heard two successive startup sounds.
When you have done that, Open Firmware password protection is then disabled. Shut down the computer and return it to its original RAM configuration.

Removing the battery, or doing something else, won't help you at all. The only way to do this is changing the memory configuration, and then resetting the PRAM (holding the keys for at least 2 successive chimes is probably the most important part). There's also a Reset Open Firmware password, included on the Leopard installer disk. Without that, there's no other way.

As you can see, the Open Firmware password is not very secure.
 
well see thats what i did and got nothing back. Also there is no O/S on the computer, thats what I am trying to accomplish by getting past this password cause i cant use the C key on start up.

The pram method is not working.
 
So, now that you you have disabled the firmware password...
If you try to boot to a CD (holding the letter C after starting your Mac), then you still see the padlock window, with the space requiring a password?
Or, nothing happens, doesn't boot to your CD, and you just get something like a blinking question mark?
If you do NOT get the padlock window, then you have successfully disabled the firmware password, and you have another problem.
If you STILL get the padlock window, then you need to try again.
Do you wait for at least 3 boot chimes when you try to reset PRAM? If you don't get more than 2 chimes, then the reset still doesn't happen. If you do get 3 chimes, and you don't see the padlock screen, and still won't boot to a CD - Then, are you sure that you have a good bootable disk, and one that is capable of booting your Mac? The best choice here, is the original installer boot disk that came with your Mac originally. If it's not the original disk, where did you get it, and what color is the disk?
 
ya, i cant boot from the cd, and what it does is just come up and show a blinking folder do to no files on the hard drive, what do i do now? cause when i put a install cd and hold C i get nothing.


also this is a MacBook with a Intel processor.

and the disc is a iMac Software Install disc, its all i have. I got the laptop from a friend that had nothing for it. the disc saids Mac OS version 10.0.4 CD Version 1.0
 
AFAIK, you need an Intel MacBook disc to proceed ... either the proper set that was sold with the MacBook originally, or a Full Retail Version of the software .... not an upgrade version either. Then you'll need to format/partition the drive in order for the upcoming OS installation, AFAIK
 
ya its the grey top to it, but ya i dont have the original disc and cant aford a new one right now, got any other ideas?
 
There is no open firmware on an Intel based Mac. So alt-shift-o-f will never work on a Macbook.
 
Giaguara said:
There is no open firmware on an Intel based Mac. So alt-shift-o-f will never work on a Macbook.
Click to expand...

The firmware password is called "Open Firmware password", but does not imply that Macs require Open Firmware for its use. The Intel Macs can have the Open Firmware password set - even though there is no Open Firmware, per se. More accurately, it's simply a firmware password. The process to disable it can be the same on both.

However, that's no longer the OP's situation.
punisher - you need an OS X install disk, or the original disk that came with the MacBook. If the seller is not available or helpful, then you can contact Apple for a replacement set (for a nominal fee)
Other than that, you will need an installer disk that can boot your MacBook, which means that you need to purchase an OS X 10.5 (Leopard) installer set. There is no commercial installer set that will install the previous version (10.4 Tiger)
 
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