[Plug] Root password

[Joong Cho]

>>> How do you retrieve the password for root? I accidentally changed the 
>>> password for root and I forgot my password. How do you retrieve 
>>> passwords
>>> in Linux?
>>>
>>> I also can't change the password for root.
>
>>You could always do what our *former* windows tech did at times like 
>>these:
>>complete re-install.  No backups.  No warning.
>
>>=)
>
> I don't know if that's worse than
>
> # chmod -R 777 *
>
> from the root directory.

That's pretty funny. That's what I've been getting all the time, if I had 
problems with my computer. Reformat your computer. Those damn techies.

>> How do you retrieve the password for root? I accidentally changed the 
>> password for root and I forgot my password. How do you retrieve passwords 
>> in
>> Linux?
>
> You don't retrieve passwords, they're write-only.
>
> If you're booting from LILO, hold down shift until you get a prompt,
> then type the name of the kernel you're booting (typically "linux", or
> type a tab to see a list), space, 1, enter.

This might sound like a silly question, but how do you boot from LILO?

> If that fails, replace the 1 with "init=/bin/bash" then do this when it
> boots:
>
>    mount -o remount,rw /
>    passwd root
>    sync
>    sync
>    mount -o remount,ro /
>    sync
>    sync
>    reboot
>
> If your LILO has a password set that you don't know, then boot Knoppix
> or similar and read it from /etc/lilo.conf, then reboot and use it.

Once again, how do you boot from Knoppix?

> Once you're up again, *add* a LILO password that you'll remember, then
> tell the BIOS not to boot from CD and add a memorable supervisor
> password to that, too. The first time a machine gets stolen by amateur
> idiots, you'll be glad you did - and you'll change anything else that
> uses those passwords anyway.
>
> GRUB has some slightly more complex magic, but I can't remember it.
>
> Cheers; Leon

> Highlight the option that you'd boot into normally, press "e" to edit,
> scroll down to the line that begins with "kernel", press "e" again to
> edit that, and add init=/bin/sh on the end of the line.  Then press
> "b" to boot.  (All of the commands like 'e' and 'b' are explained in
> the help text below the menu.)
>
> Cameron.

> I hope you had a backup or at least were handy with something like
> ontrack.

Nope. That's what I should've done. Keep backup's.

> Set your BIOS to boot from CD first?

What if I don't have a CD to boot from? Then what do I do?

Cheers guys.

I think I should attend the workshop nights again to get more professional 
help. I should also think about attending some weekend workshops to increase 
my knowledge in Linux.

Joong Cho
Joong Cho Enterprises
President

Web Site Administrator and Web Site Designer
http://www.joongcho.com/
http://www.startreklibrary.com/