(Solved) Locked out of OS

Pleasemercy · 04-13-2022, 06:03 AM

Please help urgent
I'm locked out of my Linux mint OS. It says invalid password even though its written down and been correct for months.

If I go to single user recovery mode, I can get root prompt and change the password for root or the user in question. But then it still says invalid even after I just changed it to something simple to type.

I can get root or user terminal prompt in single grub recovery mode

pan64 · 04-13-2022, 07:42 AM

I guess it is a simple caps-lock, keyboard layout or similar issue.

TB0ne · 04-13-2022, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pleasemercy

Please help urgent
I'm locked out of my Linux mint OS. It says invalid password even though its written down and been correct for months. If I go to single user recovery mode, I can get root prompt and change the password for root or the user in question. But then it still says invalid even after I just changed it to something simple to type. I can get root or user terminal prompt in single grub recovery mode

Agreed with pan64...if you changed the password, then something else is at play. And nothing here is 'urgent'..we volunteer our time.

aus9 · 04-13-2022, 08:29 AM

Quote:

But then it still says invalid even after I just changed it to something simple to type.

some distros will not allow simple passwords, or very short passwords.....and so the original password is still in force.

Try changing root password to at least 8 characters with at least one upper case letter and at least one number and a "squiggle" like ! @ # $ (etc)

https://linuxmint-installation-guide...t/install.html

michaelk · 04-13-2022, 08:52 AM

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.

Is your filesystem full? If so you will not be able to login as a regular user.

Pleasemercy · 04-13-2022, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.

Is your filesystem full? If so you will not be able to login as a regular user.

Filesystem is not full

Pleasemercy · 04-13-2022, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus9

some distros will not allow simple passwords, or very short passwords.....and so the original password is still in force.

Try changing root password to at least 8 characters with at least one upper case letter and at least one number and a "squiggle" like ! @ # $ (etc)

https://linuxmint-installation-guide...t/install.html

Tried a complex password. It said password changed in terminal but...

Now at mint login its just reprompting for password even if correct. (No longer saying "invalid password", unless it actually is wrong.)

Like someone hitting lock button repeatedly

Pleasemercy · 04-13-2022, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

I guess it is a simple caps-lock, keyboard layout or similar issue.

Thanks for reply. Caps lock off. 2 keyboards tried

michaelk · 04-13-2022, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pleasemercy

Filesystem is not full

Do you have more then one partition/filesystem not including swap? Are they all less then 95% full?

frankbell · 04-13-2022, 08:13 PM

I've been lucky never to have to do this, but this article might help.

aus9 · 04-13-2022, 09:06 PM

why not use a live usb to copy any data off your storage device, wipe partitions using gparted and start a clean install?

mrmazda · 04-13-2022, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus9

why not use a live usb to copy any data off your storage device, wipe partitions using gparted and start a clean install?

This may be the best way forward. The problem smells to me like a corrupted authorization system.

Pleasemercy · 04-13-2022, 10:42 PM

Ok thank you to everyone who replied... I believe this has been fixed.
We are in!!!!! I am able to get into GUI OS now.

I think the issue was an infinite login loop. This was the command to fix it...

Sudo chown user:user .xAuthority

I am thrilled to be back with my files/OS. However confused and nervous how this happened. And what can be done to prevent it

pan64 · 04-13-2022, 11:10 PM

great job! I think it happened because you used your gui as root (= started as user, switched to root in a terminal and started some app, and that finally changed the permissions on that file - and probably on others too).
That is one reason to avoid it.
From the other hand you might want to mark the thread as solved.

Pleasemercy · 04-14-2022, 12:08 AM

Solved