Why don't I have password for admin account on Mac?

[iMore Question]

No password for admin account on Mac

I bought a macbook from a friend who helped me set it up and apparently he set up the admin account without a password (I think, not sure though) Anyway now I want to install the microsoft office package which requires entering the login password which DOESN'T EXIST. I am not able to edit any of the settings in the Users and Accounts section. It seems I don't have authority or something.
Any suggestions?

 

[Branta]

Re: No password for admin account on Mac

Go talk to your friend who knows how it was set up and how to change it. I suggest you set some kind of password so you have something to type when required. Admin accounts without passwords are not a great idea anyway, you need some kind of security lock if you want to be sure who owns your computer on the internet.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Re: No password for admin account on Mac

The password does exist...it would seem that your friend didn't give you said password, and the only way you would be able to get around that is to ask him/her for it. Your friend could have done a fresh OS load on it when they sold it to you and you could have set up your own admin password at that time.

 

[HankAZ]

Re: No password for admin account on Mac

I bought a macbook from a friend who helped me set it up and apparently he set up the admin account without a password (I think, not sure though) Anyway now I want to install the microsoft office package which requires entering the login password which DOESN'T EXIST. I am not able to edit any of the settings in the Users and Accounts section. It seems I don't have authority or something.
Any suggestions?

I have no password on the admin account for my Mac Mini used as a media server. What happens when you just press [return] with nothing entered in the password field? That works for me most of the time. When I ran flash on that machine and needed to do an update, I had to create a password (System Preferences > Users & Groups and tap the Change Password button). As soon as I finished the update, I removed the password. I have since removed flash from all of my computers and have no password on the Mac Mini.