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Unreasonable Limit on Open Firmware Passwords

Posted by pudge on from the oh-yeah-there-are-26-letters-not-25 dept.

Lawrence Person writes "Well, this has to be one of the stranger bugs in recent memory: 'If you used Open Firmware Password utility to create a password that contains the capital letter "U", your password will not be recognized during the startup process.' Straight from the mothership. I'm guessing that not too many people use Open Firmware Passwords, but it's a very nasty bug for those who do. Props to the always great As The Apple Turns for pointing this one out."

5 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Care to speculate? by setzman · · Score: 5, Informative
    Could it be the following (copied from here),
    When turned on, Open Firmware Password Protection:

    * blocks the ability to use the "C" key to start up from a CD-ROM disc.
    * blocks the ability to use the "N" key to start up from a NetBoot server.
    * blocks the ability to use the "T" key to start up in Target Disk Mode (on computers that offer this feature).
    * blocks the ability to start up in Verbose mode by pressing the Command-V key combination during startup.
    * block the ability to start up a system in Single-user mode by depressing the Command-S key combination during startup.
    * blocks a reset of Parameter RAM (PRAM) by pressing the Command-Option-P-R key combination during startup.
    * requires the password to use the Startup Manager, accessed by pressing the Option key during startup (Figure 1).
    * requires the password to enter commands after starting up in Open Firmware, which is done by depressing the Command-Option-O-F key combination during startup.

    Doesn't mention the U key in the features list, but I'm going speculate that something in the keyboard handling code is buggy...
    --
    C:\>
  2. Um...I figured out why 'U' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Note the linked article How to setup up password protection
    Among other things, it:

    blocks the ability to use the "C" key to start up from a CD-ROM disc.

    blocks the ability to use the "N" key to start up from a NetBoot server.

    blocks the ability to use the "T" key to start up in Target Disk Mode (on computers that offer this feature).

    Posting this anonymously, since I don't want to be known as the one who figured this out.

  3. Re:Alrighty men.. by YouHaveSnail · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No, wait. This is Apple, not Microsoft. Bugs like this are acknowledged, with workarounds and/or patches supplied quickly, and this gives the company character and credibility.

  4. Isn't it obvious? by the+darn · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is clear evidence that despite its user-friendly appearance, deep down, Apple hates U.

    --
    Ceci n'est pas un post.
  5. Did anyone see the artnum? by tuxedobob · · Score: 5, Funny

    The article number for this was 107666. If that's not clear proof that Microsoft was somehow involved, I don't know what is.

    Um, I need something for the 107 part...

    Waiting to see if this gets modded flamebait or funny... ;-)