PowerBook G4 locked in Airport Mode

[Changoman]

My aunt's PowerBook G4 seems to be locked in Airport Mode and can't get access to internet because of that.
Also, she, can't get access to System Preferences...

Could anybody give me a hand?

Thanks!

 

[sgould]

Sounds as if she is a "User" and has limited privileges.

Can you restart as "admin" and change things there?

If you don't have admin access password, you need to reboot from the CD that came with the Mac and reset the password there.

 

[simbalala]

If it's what I think it is there's a messed up prefs file, and it's tricky to fix.

What happens is when one goes the the Prefs pane it's locked and once you unlock it, it immediately locks again.

You can kind of get past it by clicking a button and pressing return very quickly, that solution is on the Apple forums (from memory). The real fix is to delete some prefs files, you can search for that here. Once the prefs files are deleted some prefs need to be reset.

 

[Changoman]

If it's what I think it is there's a messed up prefs file, and it's tricky to fix.

thanks simbalala, I found this

http://www.fixya.com/support/t3246829-when_go_system_preferences_click

and maybe is what you were saying.

I'll post back as soon as I try it.

 

[simbalala]

thanks simbalala, I found this

http://www.fixya.com/support/t3246829-when_go_system_preferences_click

and maybe is what you were saying.

I'll post back as soon as I try it.

Yep, that's exactly it.

If you're doing it, you should be OK, explaining to someone else could be hard.