Can't update the OS nor change the admin password - Loosing my mind!

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ephlox Author

Level 1

4 points

Can't update the OS nor change the admin password - Loosing my mind!

Hello,

on macOS Monterey 12.6.1 on a Macbook Air M1 i am getting crazy...

First it started trying to update the macOS. This should not be a problem, Ventura 13.4 is offered to me to install.

But when trying to update, then it prompts "Enter the password for the user "[admin-user-here]" to allow this"

This user is the only user on this Mac and I am using it right now but it's not accepting my password which I use regularly to login without any problem!!!

So i tried this:

---- Step 1: Trying to change the admin password ---

Doing this returns this error:

The password for the account “[user name here]” was not changed.

Your system administrator may not allow you to change your password or there was some other problem with your password. Contact your system administrator for help.

This is madness, since I am using this user account right now, which is the only admin account on this mac!!!

--- Step 2: Trying to create another admin account ---

The creation of another admin account works fine. BUT i cannot login with the password i provided while creating this account.

Even when i try to change the password of the second admin account this plain error message without any explanation pops up:

"Reset password failed."

I am using simple passwords and make sure not to have any misspellings.

The Mac is and was never in an Active Directory and is not managed by a company IT.

What else could i try?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on May 30, 2023 1:52 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tesserax

Level 10

157,878 points

May 30, 2023 2:25 PM in response to ephlox

It seems like you've already attempted some troubleshooting steps, but let's go through a few more options to help resolve this.

First, let's try resetting the password using the macOS Recovery Mode. Here's how you can do it:

1. Restart your Mac and immediately hold down the Command (⌘) and R keys until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe.

2. Once you're in the macOS Utilities window, select "Utilities" from the menu bar, then choose "Terminal."

3. In the Terminal window, type "resetpassword" (without quotes) and press Enter.

4. A Reset Password window will appear. Select your startup disk and the admin user account you're having trouble with.

5. Enter a new password and confirm it. You can also add a password hint if desired.

6. Click "Next" and then "Restart" to reboot your Mac.

After restarting, try logging in with the new password and see if it allows you to proceed with the macOS update.

If the above steps don't work, it might be worth checking the health of your Mac's file system. Follow these instructions:

1. Restart your Mac and hold down the Command (⌘) and S keys to boot into Single User Mode. You'll see a black screen with white text.

2. Once you're in Single User Mode, type "/sbin/fsck -fy" (without quotes) and press Enter. This command will check and repair your Mac's file system.

3. Wait for the process to complete. If any issues are found and repaired, you'll see a "File system was modified" message.

4. Type "reboot" and press Enter to restart your Mac.

Once your Mac restarts, try the macOS update again and see if the issue is resolved.

If you're still facing problems, it may be necessary to contact Apple Support for further assistance. They can provide more specific guidance based on your exact situation. To contact them directly, simply select the "Support" link on the lower left-hand side of this forum's web page.

Here are some useful links for you:

1. Apple Support: How to reset the password for your Apple ID

2. Apple Support: How to reinstall macOS

3. Apple Support Communities: macOS Monterey User Discussions

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Can't update the OS nor change the admin password - Loosing my mind!

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