linux asks me for a password

feigenluis · 05-30-2005, 10:45 PM

hi everybody!!!! I've just installed linuxmandrake 10.1, it installed fine, but when it load keeps asking me for a password, but I chose the option of no passwords because I'm the only one who uses the PC, so I dont know if this is normal and I dont want to waste time installing it again and less to installit with a password.
Ideas please.
Thanks

win32sux · 05-30-2005, 11:12 PM

i don't use mandrake, but i would assume the "passwordless" option is for a regular user account... i would imagine you'd still need a password for the root account...

naimslim89 · 05-31-2005, 01:51 AM

When you say that it keeps asking you for a password, do you mean that you choose your user, and a password box still appears?

This is normal. Just hit enter with a blank password box and you should be able to log in. It's not like in Windows XP where if you don't have a password, you can just click on your username and go.

feigenluis · 05-31-2005, 03:48 AM

nop....I've tried with no characters, with my username, even with my windows password(i've 2 OS's in my pc)none of them worked.......the login window shows nothing but a box requesting me for a password, only that, ani't showing any username.
i dont know what is wrong with that stupid linux OS

naimslim89 · 05-31-2005, 05:10 AM

Hm..... if you are 100% sure that that's the password you chose at install time, then what I'd personally do is download a copy of Knoppix-STD, burn it to CD, and use the password recovery tools included on the LiveCD to crack the password as written in the /etc/passwd file. Then again, I'm sure there's more civil ways, just offering a personal suggestion...

win32sux · 05-31-2005, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by naimslim89
Hm..... if you are 100% sure that that's the password you chose at install time, then what I'd personally do is download a copy of Knoppix-STD, burn it to CD, and use the password recovery tools included on the LiveCD to crack the password as written in the /etc/passwd file. Then again, I'm sure there's more civil ways, just offering a personal suggestion...

the password is actually in the /etc/shadow file... but you don't need to crack the password, you can just erase it... either way, i don't think none of this is an option in this case... i sense a re-install is on it's way...

cerebellum · 05-31-2005, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by feigenluis
hi everybody!!!! I've just installed linuxmandrake 10.1, it installed fine, but when it load keeps asking me for a password, but I chose the option of no passwords because I'm the only one who uses the PC, so I dont know if this is normal and I dont want to waste time installing it again and less to installit with a password.

are u referring to autologin feature?

naimslim89 · 05-31-2005, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by win32sux
the password is actually in the /etc/shadow file... but you don't need to crack the password, you can just erase it... either way, i don't think none of this is an option in this case... i sense a re-install is on it's way...

So hang on... what's the difference between the shadow file and the passwd file? Both of them can be used to extract the password, can't they? ...

Btw feigenluis, if you can log in as root, open up a terminal window, and type:

passwd user
(Where user is your username)

You'll be prompted for the new password (without having to specify your old one).

win32sux · 05-31-2005, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by naimslim89
So hang on... what's the difference between the shadow file and the passwd file? Both of them can be used to extract the password, can't they? ...

the password is stored in the shadow file... that's why the shadow file can only be read by root, while the passwd file can be read by any user... back in the day, the passwords were stored in the passwd file... this kinda sucked, because even though the passwords were hashed, the file was still readable by everyone... so now with the shadow suite the password is stored in the shadow file, which is only readable by root...

look at the root user in my passwd file:

Code:

root:x:0:0::/root:/bin/bash

now look at the root user in my shadow file:

Code:

root:$1$6er12l/a$fOsu/b1Tesd3ZiLo/6ryx.:12931:0:::::

as you can see, the hashed password only shows-up in my shadow file...

and take a look at the perms:

Code:

bash-3.00# ls -l /etc/passwd
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 797 2005-05-31 03:22 /etc/passwd

bash-3.00# ls -l /etc/shadow
-rw-r-----  1 root shadow 589 2005-05-31 03:22 /etc/shadow

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Shadow-Password-HOWTO-2.html

naimslim89 · 05-31-2005, 06:02 AM

Aaah, I see... Thanks for clearing that one up

win32sux · 05-31-2005, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by naimslim89
Aaah, I see... Thanks for clearing that one up

you're very welcome...