SOLVED Forgotten Firmware password MacBook Pro Late 2011

[mlcomputers]

Hello Everyone.

I have a late 13 inch 2011 MacBook Pro running OSX Lion that has had a password set on the firmware. The customer purchased the unit from her ex boyfriend and the standard user admin account is password protected, although the password is not requested after booting only when you want to make changes to the computer.

She has used it like this for a few years, however the ex has now moved to another part of France and can not longer be contacted!

I cannot boot from anything and we have tried all the passwords she thinks her ex may have used with no luck

Is there anything I can do or is this an Apple only fix that can be done at an Apple Store?

Thanks

Jason

 

[nlinecomputers]

If she didn't transfer ownership then I doubt Apple will be any help. It will still be in the BF's name and is stolen as far as Apple is concerned.

 

[mlcomputers]

If she didn't transfer ownership then I doubt Apple will be any help. It will still be in the BF's name and is stolen as far as Apple is concerned.

After further discussion she does have some info re purchasing the unit, so all may not be lost. I have not had a Mac in before with a firmware password lock activated so have suggested she visit the Apple Store in her city.

 

[Markverhyden]

If she can prove ownership then Apple might clear it. But they have become very careful about this stuff so it needs to be very clear and up front.

 

[mlcomputers]

If she can prove ownership then Apple might clear it. But they have become very careful about this stuff so it needs to be very clear and up front.

Well your not going to believe this but I managed to crack this by pure chance. I searched this a bit more and found this out.

"if you set a firmware password bear in mind that os x lets you set it using whatever keyboard layout is used by you but the firmware password lock itself uses the u.s. extended keyboard layout.

that’s especially tricky if you used any symbols like #@€ etc. but also for regular letters that might be situated somewhere else on the keyboard."

Bearing in mind this is a French owned laptop with an Azerty keyboard I plugged in a Mac Qwerty keyboard that I have and started going through the password guesses that the lady gave me. Low and behold one of them worked and I was able to access the recovery utility!!!!! I have now disabled the firmware password request and am now wiping the unit completely and upgrading the OS. What a fluke but I am pleased for the customer

 

[mraikes]

Well your not going to believe this but I managed to crack this by pure chance. I searched this a bit more and found this out..... Snipped...

WOW, what a catch! Great job!

 

[Markverhyden]

Great thinking there.

 

[mlcomputers]

Thanks for the positive remarks everyone, I was pretty sure this was not a stolen item as she had the box and all accessories. Quite impressed that it upgraded to Sierra OK and runs well.