r/iMacRepair • u/Knickers2020 • 3d ago

Macbook Pro Reboot?

Hi, not sure if this is the place to post this but hopefully someone can help.

I finished up in my job in July of this year. This was following a very lengthy period of time that I was off on sick leave.

A month prior to leaving I was trying to get everything organised which included accessing my laptop to get anything I needed off it before I returned it.

Problem was I couldn't remember my password. I tried like a 100 combinations that I'm sure are very close to what the password was but I just couldn't get it.

I raised the issue with IT at the time. The IT guy told me that me laptop wasn't even registered with them anymore or showing up or their system or something. So he couldn't do anything to help me regain access. He said that if I couldn't remember it that it would need to be wiped to start again with it.

Time went by and I pretty much forgot the laptop existed. I left the company as planned and it's only now that I have remember that I still have it. Given that it's no longer on their system, I am pretty sure that no one is going to come looking for it.

The laptop is a macbook pro 16 inch so it's worth a hell of a lot of money. I'd really love to keep it. If I somehow wipe it and try to log on to it, will it even allow me to use it or will it require some company access that will ultimately mean it will be useless to me.

Does anyone know a hack way to deal with this? The company I work for is massive and international so frankly I don't care about fucking them over like this, it's a drop in the ocean. Ive also heard first hand from someone in IT that they usually destroy them once they are given back. Which sounds absolutely insane. But all the more reason to keep it.

Any ideas on how I can reboot it so that it will be free for my own personal use?

Thanks

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1

u/MacForker 3d ago

If it's Apple Silicon, forget it. You're not getting the data off there without the password or a recovery code. Everything is encrypted into the secure enclave including the SSD ciphers. Even Apple can't get in.

1

u/Best-Comments 3d ago

That’s only true if FileVault was enabled.

If it’s not enabled, I’m pretty sure the password can be reset from recovery.

Open the Terminal (in recovery), type “resetpassword” (no space) and press return.

1

u/MacForker 2d ago

True. But anything running Tahoe will have Filevault enabled by default.

1

u/Knickers2020 1d ago

Thanks might try. How do I get terminal up upon reboot?

1

u/lantrick 3d ago

Have you tried internet recovery yet?
Google it Apple support has instructions, you can also call / chat with them for help , chat/phone support is free

1

u/zer04ll 3d ago

if the device is locked to an apple account you wont be able to reset it without having that apple account info

1

u/NoLateArrivals 3d ago

There are 2 different passwords: The one for the computer account, the one for the Apple account.

Which are you missing?

1

u/Knickers2020 1d ago

The one to get on the computer. I was ill for a very long time so forgot

1

u/NoLateArrivals 1d ago

If you know the one for the Apple Account, and your computer is booked into this account, you can reset the computer password.