root account expired

TastyWheat · 09-03-2004, 02:20 PM

Do I really need to say more? I can't login or 'su' as root so I can't re-activate my root account.

serz · 09-03-2004, 02:37 PM

Boot into single user mode (Rescue mode).

TastyWheat · 09-07-2004, 08:34 AM

Am I correct in thinking this would require the installation CD? If so I'm probably screwed. I'm using an old version of Mandrake and I have no idea which version it is. Can I boot into rescue mode with a new Mandrake CD?

r0b0 · 09-08-2004, 03:30 AM

You can boot into rescue mode without any CDs. Pass rescue mode options to your boot-loader when booting. These vary from distro to distro, this one is a sure shot:
init=/bin/sh

Ciccio · 09-09-2004, 03:44 AM

you can use toms root boot. my question is... root account shoudlnt' expire... why did it?

TastyWheat · 09-13-2004, 11:54 AM

When the computer boots up it goes into LILO. It doesn't give me any kind of option to include boot parameters. It lists "linux, linux-nofb, linux-secure, failsafe".

I have no idea why the account expired. Could be the fact that I manually changed the password file. The root password worked after I changed it. Once I logged out as root though I could only log back in as a normal user.

Ciccio · 09-13-2004, 02:00 PM

Ok, you have two options, either boot with a bootable CD (knoppix?) or a bootdisk (toms root boot), mount the partition in which / is stored, the chroot to the mountpoint and change root's password like that (passwd root). Or you can try to press TAB, ESC or something when Lilo's gui appears.

r0b0 · 09-14-2004, 08:47 AM

In LILO, when you are presented with the options (either in text-menu or graphical), press Esc and you'll get a command prompt. Type name of your usual kernel (e.g. linux-nofb), space and 'init=/bin/bash' and Enter.
Your kernel will boot as usually but you will get a root shell immediately (no services startup, no login prompts).