Password Problem/Time Machine BackUp

SD-B · Nov 29th, 2009, 09:47 PM

A friend of mine has just brought her Macbook she no longer uses to me to have me install a Snow Leopard install disk I wasnt using that she wanted put on this one so it would make her life easier using her MacBook Pro, apparently.

In any event, she cant recall her password so i cant get in.
She was here earlier and she did something, but i wasnt watching and she bypassed her password, which suprises me for she isnt any good with computers.
But i havent been able to do it myself

In any event, I installed the Snow Leopard CD .....this is from late /97 so it would be Intel based.....but it wont bott into the CD but brings me back up to the screen again with the password.....should it NOT automatically on a reboot start the disc?

Anyhow, she has also given me her external drive that contains all sorts of backups.

IS there anything i can do using those backups, bearing in mind, I never have backed up my own MAC as it is still new, so i havent yet personally have used Time Machine and am completely unfamiliar with it.

Any other suggestions?
As well i am curious as to why this wouldnt boot directly into the CD with Snow Leopard?
Ive done this a few times for friends and I havent ever not been able to before....?

TIA

Its Intel Core 2 Duo so it is Intel based.........

monokitty · Nov 29th, 2009, 10:25 PM

First, you need a retail disc of Snow Leopard -- a disc that came from another Mac won't work on her Mac unless the two Macs are identical. (In every way -- not just processor way.)

Secondly, unless you're holding down the "C" key on restart with the SL disc inserted, it won't automatically boot from the disc. You need to hold down the "C" key on restart.

Thirdly, you don't need to deal with backups to install SL; installing SL isn't going to erase her data.

SD-B · Nov 29th, 2009, 10:35 PM

Thank you LARS.

Admittedly, I just got in, doing the same thing i was doig before and although there wasnt anything in your post I hadnt already tried, something just made me try it one more time and it worked

This is a retail version

i have a Mac Box Set with 5 licenses and I have only used one myself so I am giving her one....( I think legally I am allowed to do that? )

Anyhow, I was pressing C and nothing was happening but this time i just decided to try it one more time but instead of giving up after 30 seconds of it not doing much I held it for about 3 minutes and it FINALLY kicked into that MAC OSX page where it says Use English for the main language where i am now

thanks but you just gave me that incentive to try again
I owe you LOL

hopefully it will be fine from here on in

monokitty · Nov 29th, 2009, 10:41 PM

For future reference, you need hold down the "C" until the Apple logo appears -- if you let go before the Apple logo appears, it will boot from the hard drive instead.

SD-B · Nov 29th, 2009, 10:44 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Lars
	For future reference, you need hold down the "C" until the Apple logo appears -- if you let go before the Apple logo appears, it will boot from the hard drive instead.

that is obviously what I was doing wrong---something u said in ur post, not sure what it was but something to do with the timing just had me try one more time

erased and now installing Snow Leopard

thank you again.......

jamesB · Nov 29th, 2009, 11:29 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by SD-B
	i have a Mac Box Set with 5 licenses and I have only used one myself so I am giving her one....( I think legally I am allowed to do that? )

It is legal as long as all the users reside in the same house.

chas_m · Nov 30th, 2009, 02:02 AM

Just to add to what Lars said: just because your machine is new doesn't mean you don't need backups. Everyone using a computer to store data that's valuable to them needs backups.

Hook up and external drive and let Time Machine do its thing. You'll be glad you did.

SD-B · Dec 3rd, 2009, 12:20 AM

u r right, will do, thanks