locked out of linux

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 21:39:41 -0800, Si wrote:

> before we went on holiday, my girlfriend changed her login on her
> laptop (fedora)... now we're back, she's forgotten what she changed it
> to, and has long since forgotten the root password...
>
> where do we go from here?
>
> is the easiest thing to do to retrieve the files stored in the linux
> partitions then reinstall over the top?
>
> or, how do i beat it?
>
> obviously a step by step walkthrough would be nice (and unexpected)..
> otherwise some pointers would be good...
>
> it's fedora on a dual boot (with win xp, which she does have access
> to) sony vaio.....
>
> so.. ideas?
>
> thanks for your time folks
1. Boot with your choice of Linux startup disc
2. mount the filesystem
3. chroot into it
4. passwd (for root)
5. passwd <username> -m -G <groups> -s /bin/bash
6. shutdown -r now
7. Remove disc you booted from
8. Watch system boot into your Linux installation
9. Login when asked at the prompt using the passwd you set above
10. HAVE FUN
--
The M$ warcry:
Quantity is no substitute for quality, but it's the only one we've got.

before we went on holiday, my girlfriend changed her login on her
laptop (fedora)... now we're back, she's forgotten what she changed it
to, and has long since forgotten the root password...

where do we go from here?

is the easiest thing to do to retrieve the files stored in the linux
partitions then reinstall over the top?

or, how do i beat it?

obviously a step by step walkthrough would be nice (and unexpected)..
otherwise some pointers would be good...

it's fedora on a dual boot (with win xp, which she does have access
to) sony vaio.....

so.. ideas?

thanks for your time folks

On 15 Jan 2004 21:39:41 -0800, Si wrote:
> before we went on holiday, my girlfriend changed her login on her
> laptop (fedora)... now we're back, she's forgotten what she changed it
> to, and has long since forgotten the root password...
>
> where do we go from here?

http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search
google_single_password_search1_tag
alt.os.linux.mandrake in the Newsgroup box, pick English


Mandrake rescue mode on cd 1
Hit F1 key
rescue
mount your partitions under /mnt (down arrows, tab, enter)
enter
Go to console (down arrows, tab, enter)
chroot /mnt
passwd root

----------------- using grub ----------------------
When at the grub menu

Hit e to get to the edit mode
You should be on the Kernel line containing /vmlinuz
Hit e again and add a
space single
to the end of line and hit Enter key. Example:
kernel (hd0,4)/vmlinuz 1 root=/dev/hda9 mem=128M single
then b to boot

You then come to the sh-nnn# prompt.

When you "exit" the system will continue booting.

---------------- using lilo -----------------------

Hit Esc or Tab key at lilo prompt then

linux 1 or linux single




If you think your box has been cracked, look here
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search

google_tag_cracked_4_next_time in the first box
alt.os.linux in the Newsgroup box, pick English

* Si [2004-01-16 06:39]:

> where do we go from here?

Haven't been using a Mandrake for many years, now, but if it still boots
using LILO, you might as well try this:

1. type:
linux init=/bin/sh
on LILO prompt (it could require pressing Tab first)

2. mount root rw:
mount -o remount=rw /

3. launch passwd, and type the new root's password.

Bye,
Emmanuele.

--
Emmanuele Bassi | [ http://www.emmanuelebassi.net ]
emmanuele.bassi(at)iol.it | Linux User #170621, http://counter.li.org
GnuPG Key fingerprint = 4DD0 C90D 4070 F071 5738 08BD 8ECC DB8F A432 0FF4

On 15 Jan 2004 21:39:41 -0800, Si <google@spudlington.cjb.net> wrote:

> before we went on holiday, my girlfriend changed her login on her
> laptop (fedora)... now we're back, she's forgotten what she changed it
> to, and has long since forgotten the root password...
>
> where do we go from here?

How I'd do it, if I couldn't boot single user:

Get one of those 2.5" to 3.5" drive adapter things. Take the hard drive out
of the laptop. Connect it as a second drive on a Linux box. Mount the
partition on the laptop's drive that has /etc to a temporary mount point.
Edit /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow or overwrite them with appropriate
replacements.


--
"Changes have been made to critical system components. You must die
and be reborn for changes to take effect."
Chuck Bridgeland, chuckbri at computerdyn dot com
http://www.essex1.com/people/chuckbri

"Chuck Bridgeland" <gn32900@news-central.giganews.com> wrote in message
news:slrnc0hdkg.v8.gn32900@lennier.chuckbri.org...
> On 15 Jan 2004 21:39:41 -0800, Si <google@spudlington.cjb.net> wrote:
>
> > before we went on holiday, my girlfriend changed her login on her
> > laptop (fedora)... now we're back, she's forgotten what she changed it
> > to, and has long since forgotten the root password...
> >
> > where do we go from here?
>
> How I'd do it, if I couldn't boot single user:
>
> Get one of those 2.5" to 3.5" drive adapter things. Take the hard drive
out
> of the laptop. Connect it as a second drive on a Linux box. Mount the
> partition on the laptop's drive that has /etc to a temporary mount point.
> Edit /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow or overwrite them with appropriate
> replacements.

Goodness, that's the hard way. It's most useful if the system is entirely
screwed and cannot be booted into single user.

To boot into single user, since Fedora uses the "grub" bootloader, you can
usually hit "e" at the boot-time selection of boot modes, and edit that to
select run level 1. (Look it up on Google.). If the grub bootloader is
locked, you can usually boot with a a floppy or CD and boot into "rescue"
mode, mount the drive's root partition, do a "chroot" to that mounted
partition, then force the password to be changed.

If grub is locked and the BIOS is locked, then you need to take the drive
out or break into it via other means.

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 23:49:24 -0500, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:

> If grub is locked and the BIOS is locked, then you need to take the drive
> out or break into it via other means.

But it 's less work to open the case to get at the cmos-battery than to
open it to move the drive. Unless a system is unable to boot from CD (or
floppy) there's no reason to actually move the drive. (except if the bios
is setup in a special way and moving the drive is easier than backing up
the bios setup)

--
NPV

"the large print giveth, and the small print taketh away"
Tom Waits - Step right up