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I have a Macbook Pro with a bootcamp running both Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Windows 7.

From Mac OS, I did a restart under Windows 7 but since I had not been using Windows for a long time, I completely forgot the user password.

Since it's not possible to log in, it's also impossible for me to boot back to Mac OS X.

I already tried :

  • to press alt/option key at startup : a padlock appears asking for a password (which I had never set) whereas it should propose the different boot options.

  • to press C key at startup : it launches Grub with a Bash-like command line (whereas it's supposed to be starting from CD !)

What else can I do ? Isn't there any boot.ini-like file which I could edit to have the correct boot order ?

Thanks for your help !

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  • Why are you running GRUB on a Macbook? Are you sure that isn't just the EFI bootloader?
    – Blender
    Commented Aug 20, 2012 at 8:54
  • I really don't know how pressing C at startup ends up launching Grub. I would like to find the explanation for that but I really don't see one.
    – persam
    Commented Aug 22, 2012 at 9:07

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Remove a ram chip. Turn computer on holding apple+option+p+r let it chime twice while holding those keys This is a pram reset. this will remove the firmware password.

Luke forgot that part.

You can then put ram back in.

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  • Ok, this time, it worked. Thanks to you and @Luke ! To summarize : - you remove a ram chip - you do a PRAM Reset holding Cmd+Option+P+R with 2 successive startup. - you press alt key at startup : you can choose the OS to boot to. - you can then put back your RAM chip.
    – persam
    Commented Aug 24, 2012 at 12:49
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The padlock means there is an EFI Password set. To disable it without CD ROM access, remove a memory module, turn on the Mac, then turn off the Mac and put your original memory configuration back. Once you do this, pressing Alt when booting will bring up the proper boot menu

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  • I'm gonna try your solution right after work. Thanks for your answer Luke.
    – persam
    Commented Aug 21, 2012 at 13:30
  • I tried your solution, it worked so I decided to run a new setup of bootcamp deleting the old partition and installing Windows 7. The problem still comes back : the padlock shows up when I press Alt key. And this time, removing a RAM doesn't solve the problem. :/
    – persam
    Commented Aug 22, 2012 at 9:01
  • Then something else is causing it... Other thenosx and windows, what else is installed
    – Canadian Luke
    Commented Aug 22, 2012 at 10:07
  • Well, there is no other operating installed but OS X Snow Leopard and Windows 7. Isn't it possible to set this padlock password in any way ?
    – persam
    Commented Aug 22, 2012 at 12:31
  • Using the efi password utility
    – Canadian Luke
    Commented Aug 22, 2012 at 16:35

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