Apple Server Diagnostics - Disabling the Firmware Password

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Disabling the Firmware Password

If a firmware password is enabled, you can’t:

Start up from a Server Diagnostics EFI NetBoot image using the Xserve front panel

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Temporarily change the startup volume by holding down the F1 or D key at startup

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If a firmware password is enabled and you try to temporarily change the startup
volume by holding down the Option key at startup, you must authenticate.

To disable the firmware password:

1

If the server has an optical drive, insert the Mac OS X Server Install DVD, open the Install

Mac OS X Server application, click Restart, and authenticate if necessary. If the server
doesn’t have an optical drive, do the following:

a

Insert the Mac OS X Server Install DVD in a computer with an optical drive and has

Mac OS X or Mac OS X Server version 10.5.2 or later installed.
The computer must be on the same subnet as the server.

b

On the computer with the disc inserted, open Remote Install Mac OS X (located in

/Applications/Utilities/).

c

Continue through the Remote Install Mac OS X assistant, selecting the inserted disc

and the network connection that’s on the same subnet as the server.

d

Restart the server and hold down the Option key while it restarts.

26

Chapter 3

Starting Up Server Diagnostics

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Chapter 3

Starting Up Server Diagnostics

27

e

When a list of startup disks appears, select Mac OS X Server Install Disc and click the

arrow button.
If it isn’t listed and you’re connecting to the computer over AirPort, select the AirPort
network in the pop-up menu under the startup disk list.

2

After selecting a language, choose Utilities > Firmware Password Utility.

3

In Firmware Password Utility, click Change.

4

Deselect “Require password to change firmware settings,” and click OK. Authenticate

when asked.

5

Choose Firmware Password Utility > Quit Firmware Password Utility.

6

Choose Mac OS X Installer > Quit Mac OS X Installer. Click Startup Disk, select the

startup disk with Mac OS X Server installed, and then click Restart.