Root password recovery on CL 2.5

InterX · 12-03-2005, 08:41 PM

I have forgotten my root password, and was wondering how I go about recovering it (or if there is a way to reset it without reformatting).

I searched google and came across a method that involves pressing tab from the Lilo boot loader and then booting the kernel with "single" after it. Followed by calling "passwd()" and that was supposed to let you change the root password. However, after booting the kernal with single after it, I only get a prompt for user and password. I can log in with my user account and when entering "passwd()" I get a > prompt, but entering anything results in this message: "-bash: syntax error near unexpected token 'password'" (the words between '' change with what is entered)

(I've used linux before, but a somewhat detailed explaination would be appreciated)

Thanks for the help,
Jim
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Toshiba Satellite Pro 440CDX Laptop
Atapi CD-ROM
Floppy
147mb ram
10Gb HD
College Linux 2.5

spooon · 12-03-2005, 11:02 PM

First of all, the "passwd" command has no parentheses or anything. Are you sure that you added the "single" kernel option correctly at the boot: prompt? (if the normal option is "linux", then do "linux single", etc.) Because it should not ask for username and password.

InterX · 12-08-2005, 01:53 PM

I only recieve the option to boot to kernel "CollegeLinux". I type at the "boot:" prompt -- CollegeLinux single -- It goes through the boot process, but for some reason it still ends with this login prompt:

Welcome to Linux 2.4.23 (tty1)

(none) login:

Any idea of why it might be doing this?

Thanks,
Jim

(sorry for late reply)

drumvudu · 12-15-2005, 08:09 AM

Try at the boot prompt to just type in the number one and press enter. I think you said you are using lilo so if that it is the case, you should have a default kernel that boots if you just hit enter at the prompt normally so just type in the number one all by itself and hit enter. If that won't do it, then type in your normal kernel name..i.e. collegelinux and the number one like this:

LILO: 1
or
LILO: collegelinux 1

Good Luck , peter

InterX · 12-15-2005, 02:39 PM

I tried at the lilo boot prompt, 1 and CollegeLinux 1 -- 1 didn't work, but the CollegeLinux 1 did.

I got into single user mode, but still get:

Welcome to Linux 2.4.23 (tty1)

(none) login:

And entering root and a new password does nothing. I can still log in with my user account.

Is there anything I can type at the login prompt (or anything else) or is it time to just reformat?

Thanks for all the help,

Jim