Admin password not working / How to set up as Admin

Question

Level 1

8 points

Admin password not working / How to set up as Admin

I have a MacBook Pro 15" purchased in 2018, running macOS High Sierra. I can log in with my user name and password but when I go to Users and Groups, that account is listed as a standard user and not assigned as an ADMIN. I click the lock to make a change and it asks for Admin User Name and Password. I enter the same info I did when I open up the machine and it will not take it - because it is a standard login, not an Admin login.

I've tried to goto Single Mode with command S on start up but the black screen appears then goes back to login screen and is not allowing me to stay in the black screen.

How can I 1) make my account an admin account or 2) remove ALL users and then add myself as an admin? Why is there no admin account set up?

Posted on Feb 6, 2021 3:04 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

PATRICKMELE

Level 4

1,015 points

Feb 6, 2021 3:41 AM in response to DduckyAus

Restart your Mac. ...
While it is restarting, press and hold the Command + R keys until you see the Apple logo. ...
Go to the Apple Menu at the top and click Utilities. ...
Then click Terminal.
Type “resetpassword” in the terminal window. ...
Then hit Enter. ...
Type your password and a hint. ...
Finally, click Restart.

Reply

Answer 2

DduckyAus Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 6, 2021 4:13 AM in response to PATRICKMELE

I did this but when I go into system preferences it still assigns my account as standard and not admin which doesn't allow me to unlock to change preferences.

I need to reset my account to admin. Could you help me please?

Reply

Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

244,925 points

Feb 6, 2021 11:16 AM in response to DduckyAus

See if you can create a new administrator account by restarting the Setup Assistant:

Boot into Single User Mode: Start/restart your Mac. As soon as you hear the startup tone, press and hold ⌘ + S until you see a black screen with white lettering. (If you end up back on the login screen after a flash of the black screen with white lettering, enter your password and it will return to the black screen.)
Check and repair the drive by typing /sbin/fsck -fy then ↩ enter - as directed by the on-screen text.
Mount the drive as read-write by typing /sbin/mount -uw / then ↩ enter.
Remove the Apple Setup Done file by typing rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone then ↩ enter.
Reboot by typing reboot then ↩ enter.
Complete the setup process, creating a new admin account.

Be very careful to notice the spaces in those Terminal Commands.

Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine, except all your data will still be there. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!

Reply