Reset your Mac's EFI Extensible Firmware Interface) password

So you're locked out of your mac because a firmware password has been set and you forgot it. Don't worry, there is hope and you have several options:

Firmware Password Utility: 

• Boot from OS X Recovery (Time Machine, USB, internet recovery, etc.) 
• Go to your Utilities Menu and choose Firmware Password Utility to either reset your password or to turn it off. 

Firmware Password Utility

 EFI Reset Tool (I also take no responsibility for any illegal use nor do I condone this). 

• Go here to read about the tool: http://hackaday.com/2013/02/26/mac-efi-pin-lock-brute-force-attack-unsuccessful/. Sometimes this method doesn't work and there is a reason. 

Reset PRAM/NVRAM three times:

• Add or remove a stick of ram. Obviously if you have one stick in, add one and if you have two in remove one. 
• Power on the mac and immediately press and hold command-option-P-R. 
• The system will restart with the ‘bong noise’, allow it to do this 3 times. On the third ‘bong’ you can let go of the keys. 
• The machine will now boot with a cleared password and reset PRAM/NVRAM. 
• You can shut down the machine and replace the original ram configuration. 

Hold in the power button:

• Press the power button for ten seconds until the front indicator flashes. 
• Keep holding the button till the mac starts up; this way your Mac EFI is reset. This will help in a lot of problems. 

If nothing works, I am afraid you will need to go to the Apple store and show proof of purchase before they reset the EFI for free. Here is a little more information on this topic.

Reset Internet Explorer to resolve problems

Last week a customer of mine was trying to open a favorite from his Desktop and an error popped up saying, "There was a problem sending the command to the program".  To fix this, just reset Internet Explore or click here to download the Fit It Application.

• Exit all programs, including Internet Explorer. 
• Open the Internet Options control Panel then click on the Advanced tab. 
• Under Reset Internet Explorer settings, click Reset. Then click Reset again.
• Click to select the Delete personal settings check box if you also want to remove browsing history, search providers, Accelerators, home pages, Tracking Protection, and ActiveX Filtering data.  It's probably safer to leave this unchecked
• When Internet Explorer finishes resetting the settings, click Close in the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box. 
• Start Internet Explorer again.

Important: Reset Internet Explorer to its default configuration. This step will also disable any add-ons, plug-ins, or toolbars that are installed. Although this solution is quick, it also means that, if you want to use any of those add-ons in the future, they must be reinstalled.

If this doesn't fix the problem, you can type sfc /scannow in the Command Prompt as an administrator, which scans and verifies the versions of all protected system files after you restart your computer at the command prompt.

If you are still having problems, you may want to open the the Default Programs control panel and select Internet Explorer in the left sidebar.  Now click on Set This program as default.

You can also check to make sure that the shortcut is not being run as administrator. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Properties. Then go to the Compatibility tab and make sure the Run program as administrator box is not checked.

Here is a little more on the sfc command:

sfc [/scannow] [/scanonce] [/scanboot] [/revert] [/purgecache] [/cachesize=xParameters

/scannow : Scans all protected system files immediately.

/scanonce : Scans all protected system files once.

/scanboot : Scans all protected system files every time the computer is restarted.

/revert : Returns the scan to its default operation.

/purgecache : Purges the Windows File Protection file cache and scans all protected system files immediately.

/cachesize=x : Sets the size, in MB, of the Windows File Protection file cache.

/? : Displays help at the command prompt.

Notes:

• You must be logged on as a member of the Administrators group to run sfc.

• If sfc discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the %systemroot%\system32\dllcache folder, and then replaces the incorrect file. 

• If the %systemroot%\system32\dllcache folder becomes corrupt or unusable, use sfc /scannow, sfc /scanonce, or sfc /scanboot to repair the contents of the Dllcache directory.

See also Completely reset Safari to fix problems 

Sometimes uninstalling a driver is the simple solution

Two weeks ago I went out of town and my aunt's laptop's audio was very muffled and very echoed.  So, as the techie in the family, and after playing around with the settings for 3-4 minutes, I decided to uninstall the audio driver.  I then rebooted to let Windows Vista reinstall the missing driver and now all is hunky dory.

Here are the steps I took to uninstall the offending driver:

• Go into Device Manager by right-clicking on My Computer and by selecting Manage

This reminds me of another post that I wrote in my other blog describing the time when I was helping a customer a couple months ago who was watching movies on his computer and his volume kept muting.  It was later when we found out that he downloads a lot of files from Frostwire, which if you're not careful, can contain a lot of malware and seriously mess up your system

Gray screen instead of login screen

I was hoping you could help with my MacBook Pro issues. First, my left fan was grinding so of course i blew out the fan (they were dusty). The laptop was also getting hot. After login I would also be presented with a white screen and no login screen would show.

I did every troubleshooting technique possible from:

1. repairing permissions - all fixed

2. resetting PRAM - was advised to release after 7 chimes

3. ran Techtool Pro 6 - no problems, not even video (card, memory... nothing)

4. ran Onyx (kinda like CCleaner). I cleaned EVERYTHING

5. took to Apple Store and they ran diagnostics and everything checked out. The fans even checked out

6. I was advised that my Hard drive was failing, but the SMART passed

7. As a last resort, I backed up, erased and reinstalled Snow Leopard thinking it may just be a something I installed (driver or something) causing conflicts. I'm still getting the white screen.

This is the funny thing, I safe boot the laptop and I get the login screen and everything is hunky dory. This happens every time I safe boot (no white screen)

I have done extensive research and tried everything presented to me to no avail.