Help with installing OS on a IMac.

[hnkeh]

Help with installing mac os on used IMac.

Hi guys,

I just got a used IMac 8.1 from work, it came with both pre-installed **Mac OS X 10.5.5 Leopard** (don't have the password to the admin account) and **Windows XP** (seems locked in guest mode) so naturally my goal is to format the IMac and install a newer Mac OS.

* I´ve tried booting into **Single-User** mode (no reaction at all from this command)

* I've tried booting into **OS X Recovery System** (same as above)

* I've downloaded **Mac OS X Lion** on a USB drive and then tried pressing the **Option key** aswell as the **C** key during boot without luck. (it just goes grey until I realise **C** key)

* I've burned a DVD (both DVD-r and DVD+r) with **Mac OS X Lion** and tried booting it up, but nothing happens.

Right now I'm all out of ideas.

Help is much appreciated!

 

[th31mm0rt0l]

Boot into single Recovery by shutting down then holding Command+R at boot up. Then go to the top of the screen and find utilities, click terminal, type in "resetpassword" no caps, no spaces. It will open a reset password window and you can change the password without knowing anything from there!

 

[th31mm0rt0l]

Then go into app store and click updates and you can update it to OSX Yosemite.

 

[honestone]

hnreh,

First of all, can you use the iMac at all? That is, will it boot up, and can you subsequently do anything?

Secondly, is there anyone at your place of employment who can tell you what the Apple ID is, and what the password is?

Third, given that the machine is 6 years old, you'll need to check on the "health" of the internal hard drive. Disk Utility is fine/OK for this, although a more robust Disk Maintenance/Repair program like Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro could be better. If you can get to Recovery Mode and select Disk Utilities from the subsequent screen, you'll be able to do that.

Assuming that the disk is still "usable", it appears from what you are saying that you want to completely remove everything from the hard drive, and install a workable OS. Is that the case?

Once you provide this information, "we" can help you further.