Locked computer

[kylec]

It's the passcode hint, right? I think somebody didn't want to put an actual hint and so just wrote a message to their future self: "Hi dummy, you forgot your password again."

 

[UtterDisbelief]

It's the passcode hint, right? I think somebody didn't want to put an actual hint and so just wrote a message to their future self: "Hi dummy, you forgot your password again."

That's a great idea, but I don't think it is the case here. A "password" hint is something you can specify in the Users & Groups System Preferences:

... but I think a "passcode" is a PIN instead.

Could be wrong.

 

[P1LGRIM]

 

[trs96]

The most important thing for @bevansauks to do is change the serial # to something that no one else is using.

 

[P1LGRIM]

The most important thing for @bevansauks to do is change the serial # to something that no one else is using.

And clear NVRAM.

 

[bevansauks]

So I’ve booted from my windows drive and zeroed out my target drive. Made a brand new Catalina installer with Unibeast on a different Mac laptop, booted from it, and still got the same disabled screen with “Hi Dummy” at the bottom. I’ll try scrambling the serial number on the installer again but I’m really confused and frustrated by this.

 

[trs96]

I’m really confused and frustrated by this.

Did you clear NVRAM ?

 

[bevansauks]

Did you clear NVRAM ?

I’m working on that now. Isn’t the NVRAM just a file in the drive’s EFI folder? Wouldn’t that get nuked when I made a new install key?

 

[trs96]

Isn’t the NVRAM just a file in the drive’s EFI folder? Wouldn’t that get nuked when I made a new install key?

NVRAM is stored on a chip on the motherboard. If your motherboard supports native NVRAM that's where it's stored, not in the EFI folder. I would think your Z170 board by Gigabyte has native NVRAM but it's possible it doesn't. To clear it press the F11 key when at the Clover boot menu. If you still have the problem, someone may have tampered with the macOS version you are using. Where did you download it from ?

 

[bevansauks]

NVRAM is stored on a chip on the motherboard. If your motherboard supports native NVRAM that's where it's stored, not in the EFI folder. I would think your Z170 board by Gigabyte has native NVRAM but it's possible it doesn't. To clear it press the F11 key when at the Clover boot menu. If you still have the problem, someone may have tampered with the macOS version you are using. Where did you download it from ?

Holy crap I think it worked. Thank you so much for the tip of pressing F11 at the clover menu. I didn’t find that through all my googling but it got me past the disabled screen! I appreciate everyone’s help and patience.