I just installed Suse Linux 10 and forgot my logon password. Anything I can do to recover it or change it, or do I have to re-install?

If you recall your root password, log in as root and reset the password from within Yast.

Welcome to LQ

If you have forgotten your user password, login as root and change the users password e.g. "password username" and enter the new password when prompted. If its the root password, take a look here for a possible solution.

if ya forgot your root passwd then boot up a live cd(Pentoo comes to mind) and mount your Suse 10.0 partition. For example: "mount -t ext3(assuming you are using ext3) /dev/hda2(this will vary) /mnt/data(you have to create the mount point first)". Then type "chroot /mnt/data". next type "passwd" and enter your new passwd. If you dont know how to mount your partition post your filesystem type and partition layout and we will try to help. Cheers.

<<Samoth>>

And there's also the (easiest) option of booting with "init=/bin/bash" which lets you become root without knowing the password and without chrooting. Works if your boot loader is not password protected.

or "single"

boot in single mode and run this command
#passwd root

Power on Machine
When boot menu comes press F2
In the Boot Option Type init=/bin/sh
A console will come
Type mount -a
Type passwd
Change password
reboot

i can see boot option while booting so do i want to press F2 again to get the boot option .i try to log as single user but it is not work .i edited the boot strin to kernel/boot/vmlinuz-............./ a t the end of that 1 but it is not work can u tell me why is that.essiast way to log as roo ?
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Sample does not work for me.

Have try this with success.


Sample for a SUSE LINUX 10.3
-----------------------------

We must know where reside /etc
For this sample, /etc reside in the root partition / ==> dev/hda3
( see /etc/fstab )

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

1°) Boot with a live cd (Have done myself with Mandriva ONE 2008-Beta 1)

2°) Open a terminal
2-1 change to super user by su command
# su ( no need passwd )
2-2 start text editor in superuser mode from this terminal session
# kwrite

3°) Prepare mounting the suse linux partition where stand /etc (/dev/hda3)
3-1 edit /etc/fstab ( of the linux live cd session )
by opening file /etc/fstab
3-2 add mounting point for the suse linux partition where resides /etc by adding this line :
/dev/hda3 /media/suse_10-3_root_part ext3 default 1 2
(use syntax accordingly with your linux live cd)
3-3 save the modified file

4°) Open a new terminal
4-1 change to super user by su command
# su ( no need passwd )
4-2 change root password ( of the linux live cd session )
passwd root
> type new passwd : my_new_passwd
> retype new passwd : my_new_passwd
> password changed for user root
4-3 create the mounting point
# mkdir -p /media/suse_10-3_root_part
4-4 mount the partition
# mount -o dev, rw /dev/hda3

5°) Open a new terminal
5-1 change to super user by su command
# su ( no need passwd )
5-2 start a second editor session
# kwrite
5-3 edit the suse 10.3 shadow password file by openning
/media/suse_10-3_root_part/etc/shadow
5-4 search for user root where you see something like
root:,cslgv-elqdMcf,qzlku*ZEVNUF<@NDFLn,fvzeoiojù:14033::::::
5-5 in the first editor session open the linux live cd shadow password file by openning /etc/shadow
5-6 search for user root where you see something like
root:Mcf,qzlku*ZEVNQEPIUF<@NWXDFLMjGPRJ?:14033::::::
you know that the password is : my_new_passwd
then select Mcf,qzlku*ZEVNQEPIUF<@NWXDFLMjGPRJ?
then copy the selected text
5-7 return to the second editor session ( suse linux 10.3 /media/suse_10-3_root_part/etc/shadow file )
then select ,cslgv-elqdMcf,qzlku*ZEVNUF<@NDFLn,fvzeoiojù
then ask paste for obtening
root:Mcf,qzlku*ZEVNQEPIUF<@NWXDFLMjGPRJ?:14033::::::
5-8 save the file ( suse linux 10.3 /media/suse_10-3_root_part/etc/shadow file )

6°) close all
6-1 close all editor
6-2 close all terminal
6-2 close all other window

7°) Open a terminal
7-1 change to super user by su command
# su ( no need passwd )
7-2 umount suse linux /media/suse_10-3_root_part
# umount /dev/hda3

8°) restart the computer
8-1 eject live cd CDROM
8-2 stop or restart computer
8-3 Log suse 10.3 with root password : my_new_passwd