Sorry if this question has been asked before but I have really tried to look for an answer to my problem through different forums and cannot find a solution for this. I'm hoping someone can help me here.

I eventually managed to install Suse 10.2 64 bit version (coming from a non-linux background, hence complete newb to linux).

However, when the blue screen comes up with 'username' and 'password', I'm completely stumped because during installation, it never got to the point of offering to set up a username and password. So I can't login.

I put the DVD back in and updated the installation but it would still not give the option of setting up username and password (even though the menu or steps on the left shows that this is the next stage of installation) and just re-booted the PC again after it had done its update.

I'm really now not sure what to do. Can someone give me clear directions/steps as to how to do the username, and password thing? I'm not by all means a programming sort of person, but if someone can help me out, that would be great.

If I need to go into another screen , can you tell me in easy steps, what to do?

Thanks in advance,
the newb

One way is to reset your root password; there are threads about this, for example

inuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=519611&highlight=reset+root+password

use Search to find the others. There might be (a lot) easier way, but since I'm not a SuSE user/have never been, I couldn't know (usually there is at least one user created during installation, or at least set a root password).

Is this a common glitch?...as a total newcommer to Linux, i also installed SUSE 10.2 and when the system rebooted i was asked for a login and password without being given the chance to set up the root first. 2 re-installs later and still have not been able to set the root password or any other login.

There's usually a RESCUE mode during the GRUB boot up screen. Select that and it will take you into ROOT automatically. From there, start setting up your user account using the 'useradd' command.

I have tried booting in SUSE (RESCUE) mode and that sends me to a command promp:-

Rescue Login:

typing root <RETURN> gives me:-

Rescue:~#

typing passwd <RETURN> returns:-

"Changing password for root." (followed by a short pause) then:-

"passwd: user not known to the underlying authentication module" and im back to "Rescue:~#" prompt.:

Any help to reset this password appriciated (not too much linux techno as im a total noob)

Type Are you cable to create a new user account from there? If so, then next step is to run and make your user has root privileges. Reboot, then run Worse comes to worst, why can't you just reinstall?

This is outrageous. I rebooted in Failsafe mode and still just get a login prompt. I guess that the SuSE folks just want the very, very smartest people to be able to use it.

oki still stuck...

At the rescue command promp i typed:-

useradd yournewusername -m -p newpassword

and it returned the message:-

-bash: useradd: command not found

how about

LOL! Where did you come from and what are you trying to do? ARe you in the same situation as the original poster??

Yes. I spent four hours today installing openSuSE and I am locked out. I assume that this is not a normal behavior of openSuSE but after four hours it's quite frustrating.

You kind of popped out of nowhere so we don't know exactly what happened. I guess you are hijacking this thread, but did the same thing happen to you? you installed SuSE and it DID NOT ASK YOU TO CREATE USER ACCOUNTS??

adduser, useradd etc do nothing. I really cant understand why it reboots me to the login screen after install with no options to setup a rootpassword or user....is this a common problem with Open SUSE?...any other ideas would be welcomed as im at a loss.

I'm sorry, I guess I did hijack the thread. I am having the same problem as well. That is correct OpenSuSE did not give me the option to create user accounts. When it was finished installing it rebooted and went directly to the login screen where we I am locked out with no password for root. Nasty little bug considering the amount of time and effort to install it.

Anyway, I have moved on to trying Slackware. So far so good.

I installed OpenSuSE 10.2 several times in my VMware and it has always asked me to create a username and password. I don't know why yours got skipped. Can you reinstall???