i have mandrake linux..i forgot the root passwd...whaen i try to lilo boot prompt where the key "i" not working all other key are working properly...only "i" is the problem...what should do type "i" in lilo prompt....please help me....

Does LILO give you options to select when you boot up your computer, at all?

yes lilo prompt give the options but it does not show the "linux 1"options...but we have to type the option ....please help me..

if you can type an option, try typing "single"... but you can't press the "i" key? Is that the problem?

yes sir, that is my problem i can not press the key "i"...please help me...

well... may i suggest you try another keyboard? And what are the "linux 1" options you mentioned? I don't know what those are.

okay thank you......sir

May I ask, what options you have already tried?

You can boot with LILO Text Menu. Type:

single linux

then type:

passwd

then type new root's password

cyberfox1234 stated that the "i" button cannot be pressed on his/her keyboard, thus "single" cannot be typed.

Sorry! So bad! Hi`hi`! It's the final times! Sorry!

Haha I'm not a moderator or anyone important. I just stated that because I thought you might have overlooked it, and was just tyring to be nice. No need to apologize...

cyberfox1234: My suggestion would be to get a keyboard that doesn't have any broken keys and try typing what was suggested by everyone. If none work, post back and we'll see what else you could do to fix your problem But if there is nobody in the area that would have an extra keyboard.. then maybe try pressing the <Tab> key at the LILO prompt. Does that give you a list of options to boot from? If yes, type "s" then try <Tab> again, and maybe it will auto-complete the word for you . If <Tab> doesn't work... then i'm not quite sure what you could do

perhaps you could try something like knoppix or DSL, and edit passwd and shadow manually....also, you will need sudo. If you don't have it this won't work.

i've never tried this but i imagine it would work.

boot it up:
mount your root partition, whatever it is...
then :
open up the sudoers file with vim or your favorite console editor.
add the line:
user ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL

where user is replaced with your normal username.

then, open up the /etc/shadow file.
change the hash to an asterisk. reboot normally, open up xterm, run "sudo su", and then run passwd. Then, Shut down your computer, get in your car, go to walmart and get a new keyboard for $10

OR... skip all that and go to walmart first.

If you try this, let me know, I'm curious as to whether or not it will work

I 'm thought that!