🚀 go-pugleaf

If you don't like the fact that any idiot can walk up to your computer
and type "linux single" at the lilo prompt, you should man lilo.conf and
add parameters to make it prompt for a password when options are
specified.  The other important thing to do if you are serious is
disable booting from floppies/cdroms and password protect your bios
setup.  And if you are really nuts, encrypt your important data so
people can't remove your hard drive and get the information off that
way.

--
Chris Eldredge (eldrec@rpi.edu)

   "To be really mediaeval one should have no body.
    To be really modern one should have no soul.
    To be really Greek one should have no clothes."
      -Oscar Wilde

PGP public key available at:
http://www.rpi.edu/~eldrec/public_keys/ChrisEldredge.asc

AIM chat-ability has been enabled: SwertyQ

I did this today!

I found this advice in a newsgroup, and it worked for me:

"If you forgot the root password, then it is eaasily fixed.
If you have lilo, type
'linux 1'
at the Lilo: prompt."

(Actually I typed in 'linux single' and it worked too)

"It will boot you in to aa single user session, without asking for a
password. You should get a bash# prompt. Type
'passwd root'
and enter a password.
Then either reboot (by typing "init 6" or  "shutdown -r now") or go in to
runlevel 5 (the GUI 'mode') by typing "init 5"

HTH

-Ed"

Thanks Ed, wherever you are :D
Hope this helps, Tux.

Allison

Tux wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> some way to get back into the system without doing this...???
>
> Thanks..

that weird... i thought that it would ask you for the root passwd anyway...
when shit like this happens, i usually have a boot floppy and a root floppy.
then i mount the root partition manually and edit the passwd file...

asage wrote:

> I did this today!
>
> I found this advice in a newsgroup, and it worked for me:
>
> "If you forgot the root password, then it is eaasily fixed.
> If you have lilo, type
> 'linux 1'
> at the Lilo: prompt."
>
> (Actually I typed in 'linux single' and it worked too)
>
> "It will boot you in to aa single user session, without asking for a
> password. You should get a bash# prompt. Type
> 'passwd root'
> and enter a password.
> Then either reboot (by typing "init 6" or  "shutdown -r now") or go in to
> runlevel 5 (the GUI 'mode') by typing "init 5"
>
> HTH
>
> -Ed"
>
> Thanks Ed, wherever you are :D
> Hope this helps, Tux.
>
> Allison
>
> Tux wrote:
>
> > Hi there,
> >
> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> > some way to get back into the system without doing this...???
> >
> > Thanks..

Mefisto wrote:
> 
> that weird... i thought that it would ask you for the root passwd anyway...
> when shit like this happens, i usually have a boot floppy and a root floppy.
> then i mount the root partition manually and edit the passwd file...
> 
> asage wrote:
> 
> > I did this today!
> >
> > I found this advice in a newsgroup, and it worked for me:
> >
> > "If you forgot the root password, then it is eaasily fixed.
> > If you have lilo, type
> > 'linux 1'
> > at the Lilo: prompt."
> >
> > (Actually I typed in 'linux single' and it worked too)
> >
> > "It will boot you in to aa single user session, without asking for a
> > password. You should get a bash# prompt. Type
> > 'passwd root'
> > and enter a password.
> > Then either reboot (by typing "init 6" or  "shutdown -r now") or go in to
> > runlevel 5 (the GUI 'mode') by typing "init 5"
> >

It depends on which distribution you use.  They provide the defaults in
your /etc/inittab. 

You can look what happens in single user by looking for a line like this
(example from my setup)

[xx]:S:wait:/sbin/init.d/rc S
[yy]:S:respawn:/sbin/sulogin

[xx] or [yy] is an identifier you can choose to recognise what you put
in there, it is just a name

the first line tells the init program to perform the /sbin/init.d/rc S
command (single user startup script) and wait for it to finish.

The second line tells the init to launch the /sbin/sulogin program and
respawn it when you close it (exit).  You can have a different entry
here of a login program which does not ask you for the password.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 Sebastian Schoenwetter - System engineer
 Comverse Network Systems

 tel : +32-476-745653

 mailto: sebastian_schoenwetter@icomverse.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------

		'Twas the Night before Crisis

'Twas the night before crisis, and all through the house,
	Not a program was working not even a browse.
The programmers were wrung out too mindless to care,
	Knowing chances of cutover hadn't a prayer.
The users were nestled all snug in their beds,
	While visions of inquiries danced in their heads.
When out in the lobby there arose such a clatter,
	I sprang from my tube to see what was the matter.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
	But a Super Programmer, oblivious to fear.
More rapid than eagles, his programs they came,
	And he whistled and shouted and called them by name;
On Update!  On Add!  On Inquiry!  On Delete!
	On Batch Jobs!  On Closing!  On Functions Complete!
His eyes were glazed ov

On Thu, 13 Apr 2000 11:21:17 -0230, Tux <tgjp@thezone.net> wrote:

>Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
>some way to get back into the system without doing this...???

You can also try to type "Linux init=/bin/bash" at the lilo boot prompt.

That'll immediately give you a shell... perhaps you'll have to mount
the filesystem read-write after that:

  mount / -o remount,rw

and then you can edit the password and/or shadow file.


Don't muck around with this too much, your filesystem might not like it.


Arjan
-- 
Why corporate software sucks.
http://www.shift.com/shiftstd/html/onlineTOC/1999/7.6/html/bombsquad.html

Tux wrote:
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> some way to get back into the system without doing this...???
> 
> Thanks..

You can boot single user with
linux single
at the lilo boot prompt.   In most cases the system is not set to
require a password.   However, that can be changed by an appropriate
line in /etc/lilo.conf.   If it has, then your only option is
to boot from a rescue disk, mount your root partition and
edit the passwd or shadow file to remove the password.

-- 

Leonard Evens      len@math.nwu.edu      847-491-5537
Dept. of Mathematics, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL 60208

Tux wrote:
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> some way to get back into the system without doing this...???

Tux, no. You don't reinstall Linux to fix a bad password; that's
Microsoft Mentality speaking.

Boot into single user mode (at the lilo prompt, type 'linux single')
which should put you into a text shell as root, without logging in.
Type the passwd command, and change root's password. Enter the
'telinit 5' or 'telinit 3' command to get to the normal login.

or

Boot from your install/rescue disk, log in as root to that (usually a
known passwd), mount your root partition as /mnt, and edit the
/mnt/etc/passwd and/or /mnt/etc/shadow files to remove root's
password. Reboot, and login as root (no password). Enter the passwd
command to change roots password

-- 
Lew Pitcher

Master Codewright and JOAT-in-training

> Tux, no. You don't reinstall Linux to fix a bad password; that's
> Microsoft Mentality speaking.
>

You know, maybe for once, this isn't such a bad thing...Isn't there a
certain security hazard with being able to login as root to a linux box
without knowing the password?

clonex

In <38F899A0.46EA1C14@anti-social.com> anok <clonex@anti-social.com> writes:

>> Tux, no. You don't reinstall Linux to fix a bad password; that's
>> Microsoft Mentality speaking.
>>

>You know, maybe for once, this isn't such a bad thing...Isn't there a
>certain security hazard with being able to login as root to a linux box
>without knowing the password?

Yes, there certainly is. 
However, if someone has physical access to the machine, then security is
already severely comprimised. However, having to say remove the hard
disk is certainly more of a barrier than simply typing 
linux 1
However you can also password lilo ( man lilo.conf) so that booting into
single user mode causes you to have to enter that password. Youcan also
password your bios, so that booting from a floppy requires a password.
Unfortunately if you forget those passwords, then you not only have to
reinstall but you have to open up your case and zero out your CMOS. So
the level of security should be tailored to your security threats.

In article <38F722FE.27927B62@yesic.com>, Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@yesic.com>
wrote:

> Tux wrote:
> > 
> > Hi there,
> > 
> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> > some way to get back into the system without doing this...???
> 
> Tux, no. You don't reinstall Linux to fix a bad password; that's
> Microsoft Mentality speaking.
> 
> Boot into single user mode (at the lilo prompt, type 'linux single')
> which should put you into a text shell as root, without logging in.
> Type the passwd command, and change root's password. Enter the
> 'telinit 5' or 'telinit 3' command to get to the normal login.
> 
> or
> 
> Boot from your install/rescue disk, log in as root to that (usually a
> known passwd), mount your root partition as /mnt, and edit the
> /mnt/etc/passwd and/or /mnt/etc/shadow files to remove root's
> password. Reboot, and login as root (no password). Enter the passwd
> command to change roots password

. . . what about if I know my root password, but it is not recognized in
run level 1? I'm trying to edit a file that's screwing up run level 3 for
me, but run level 1 seems to be a read-only level. I've tried logging in
as root from run level 1 but all I get is login incorrect. I can login as
an ordinary user, but again all I get is a read-only access environment.
I've tried su root from here, but though I can login as root OK (somehow
root's password is now recognized I'm still stuck in a read-only level.

How on earth do I get write access as root from run level 1?

GDB

Tux wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is there
> some way to get back into the system without doing this...???
>
> Thanks..

Tux,

I hope this would solve your problem...At the linux LILO prompt  keyin
'linux single'. This will start your linux on a single user mode, you
will now get a root shell access.
Through this access you can gain access to the file /etc/shadow. Edit the
file /etc/shadow using vi editor. Delete from the second field of the
root id (those set of characters stands for your encyrpted password)..
The field is similar to the one below.

root:Ai745$djf:11062:0:999999:7

1)Delete all the set of characters from the second field ( next to the
'root:'). Save then exit the shadow file.
2) then type the command 'password' from the bash..
3) you will be now asked for a new password.
4) key in your password
5) you now have the new password for your linux....

"Don Sacramento" <cyberiasurf@pacific.net.ph> wrote:

> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is
> > there some way to get back into the system without doing this

> I hope this would solve your problem...At the linux LILO prompt
> keyin 'linux single'. This will start your linux on a single user mode,
> you will now get a root shell access. Through this access you can
> gain access to the file /etc/shadow. Edit the file /etc/shadow using
> vi editor. Delete from the second field of the root id (those set of
> characters stands for your encyrpted password).. The field is
> similar to the one below.
>
> root:Ai745$djf:11062:0:999999:7
>
> 1)Delete all the set of characters from the second field ( next to the
> 'root:'). Save then exit the shadow file.
> 2) then type the command 'password' from the bash..
> 3) you will be now asked for a new password.
> 4) key in your password
> 5) you now have the new password for your linux....

Once he has booted into single-user mode, all he needs to do is run "passwd"
(not "password") and type a new root password when prompted.

On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:53:07 GMT, "Johnno"
<johnno@nospam.casebook.org> wrote:

>"Don Sacramento" <cyberiasurf@pacific.net.ph> wrote:
>
>> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is
>> > there some way to get back into the system without doing this
>
>> I hope this would solve your problem...At the linux LILO prompt
>> keyin 'linux single'. This will start your linux on a single user mode,
>> you will now get a root shell access. Through this access you can
>> gain access to the file /etc/shadow. Edit the file /etc/shadow using
>> vi editor. Delete from the second field of the root id (those set of
>> characters stands for your encyrpted password).. The field is
>> similar to the one below.
>>
>> root:Ai745$djf:11062:0:999999:7
>>
>> 1)Delete all the set of characters from the second field ( next to the
>> 'root:'). Save then exit the shadow file.
>> 2) then type the command 'password' from the bash..
>> 3) you will be now asked for a new password.
>> 4) key in your password
>> 5) you now have the new password for your linux....
>
>Once he has booted into single-user mode, all he needs to do is run "passwd"
>(not "password") and type a new root password when prompted.
>
You don't need the old password ?

robin

On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 14:13:00 GMT, Robin said:
>On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:53:07 GMT, "Johnno"
><johnno@nospam.casebook.org> wrote:
>
>>"Don Sacramento" <cyberiasurf@pacific.net.ph> wrote:
>>
>>> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is
>>> > there some way to get back into the system without doing this
>>
>>> I hope this would solve your problem...At the linux LILO prompt
>>> keyin 'linux single'. This will start your linux on a single user mode,
>>> you will now get a root shell access. Through this access you can
>>> gain access to the file /etc/shadow. Edit the file /etc/shadow using
>>> vi editor. Delete from the second field of the root id (those set of
>>> characters stands for your encyrpted password).. The field is
>>> similar to the one below.
>>>
>>> root:Ai745$djf:11062:0:999999:7
>>>
>>> 1)Delete all the set of characters from the second field ( next to the
>>> 'root:'). Save then exit the shadow file.
>>> 2) then type the command 'password' from the bash..
>>> 3) you will be now asked for a new password.
>>> 4) key in your password
>>> 5) you now have the new password for your linux....
>>
>>Once he has booted into single-user mode, all he needs to do is run "passwd"
>>(not "password") and type a new root password when prompted.
>>
>You don't need the old password ?

Not if you're root, which you are in single user mode.

Robie.
-- 

On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 14:13:00 GMT,
<news3@coventry.dhs.org> `Robin' wrote:


>On Sun, 16 Apr 2000 10:53:07 GMT, "Johnno"
><johnno@nospam.casebook.org> wrote:
>
>>"Don Sacramento" <cyberiasurf@pacific.net.ph> wrote:
>>
>>> > Do I have to reinstall Linux if I forgot my root password, or is
>>> > there some way to get back into the system without doing this
>>
>>> I hope this would solve your problem...At the linux LILO prompt
>>> keyin 'linux single'. This will start your linux on a single user mode,
>>> you will now get a root shell access. Through this access you can
>>> gain access to the file /etc/shadow. Edit the file /etc/shadow using
>>> vi editor. Delete from the second field of the root id (those set of
>>> characters stands for your encyrpted password).. The field is
>>> similar to the one below.
>>>
>>> root:Ai745$djf:11062:0:999999:7
>>>
>>> 1)Delete all the set of characters from the second field ( next to the
>>> 'root:'). Save then exit the shadow file.
>>> 2) then type the command 'password' from the bash..
>>> 3) you will be now asked for a new password.
>>> 4) key in your password
>>> 5) you now have the new password for your linux....
>>
>>Once he has booted into single-user mode, all he needs to do is run "passwd"
>>(not "password") and type a new root password when prompted.
>>
>You don't need the old password ?
>
>robin


No, you do not need the old password. Also, don't mess around with /etc/shadow
file, because it is _absolutely_not_necessary_ to do so.


-- 
Robert Heininger                    [ Powered by: Linux 2.2.5-15 ]  
 
"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight -
it's the size of the fight in the dog."    -- Dwight D. Eisenhower