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Old 05-23-2008, 09:54 AM   #1
himalaya81
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Missing root password + need to run fsck


Hi,

I have come into a vicious circle which I don't know how to get myself out of. My original problem was that I don't know the root password for my fedora 6 installation. I was then told that I could solve this by going to grub boot menu, choose fedora, press e, go to the kernel line, press e, and type ' 1' and then boot. However, when I do this I get an error message, after a while, which says something like:
"extended attribute block 787451 has reference count 948 should be 946. Run fsck without -a and -p"
(This problem also occurs if I try to boot my computer in the normal way now.) However, to be able to run fsck I need the root password, which I didn't have.

At the moment I don't have access to the installation cd either since I'm abroad and that is left at home .

If someone has any ideas of how I can solve this, I would be extremely happy... I'm far from a computer genius so if you have a possible solution I would be happy if you could describe it step by step .

Cheers,
/Linda
 
Old 05-23-2008, 10:05 AM   #2
indienick
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Might I suggest using "sudo" - supplying it's installed? You need to make sure your user is listed with the desired permissions in /etc/sudoers (which needs root access)...which makes me think you might need a secondary box to backup your data, blow away the current installation and re-install.

Maybe Fedora does something nice, like automatically add new users to /etc/sudoers; it never hurts to try.

*best of luck*
 
Old 05-23-2008, 10:44 AM   #3
forrestt
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indienick, You can't use sudo if you can't boot the system.

himalaya81, if you don't have your install disk AND you don't know the root password, there isn't much you can do.

Do you have any way to obtain a Linux live CD? Any distro should work. If you do, boot up off of that and fsck the disk.

Your only option may be to go around asking strangers if they have one or if they will download one for you .

HTH

Forrest
 
Old 05-23-2008, 02:26 PM   #4
indienick
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forrestt
You can't use sudo if you can't boot the system.
Sorry, I missed that when I read the post.
 
Old 05-23-2008, 04:41 PM   #5
himalaya81
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Okay, thanks! I'll immediately start asking random people on the street if they have an installation disk for Linux .
 
Old 05-24-2008, 08:40 AM   #6
poblano
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It looks like you were trying to boot into single-user mode, which should give you the equivalent of root access. When you get to the grub screen, press "e" to edit the line indicating the Fedora kernel you're booting, and then press "e" a second time to edit the line that begins with the word "kernel". You should be able to append "s" or "single" to the end of the line and then press "b" to boot into single-user mode.
 
Old 05-29-2008, 07:16 AM   #7
ssakgul
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Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by poblano View Post
press "e" to edit the line indicating the Fedora kernel you're booting, and then press "e" a second time to edit the line that begins with the word "kernel". You should be able to append "s" or "single" to the end of the line and then press "b" to boot into single-user mode.
Do you have to re-change the line without these letters after changing the root password?
 
Old 05-29-2008, 07:30 AM   #8
GrapefruiTgirl
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If fscking happens on Fedora like it does on Slackware (eg when filesystem is discovered to be borked upon booting) How about booting the system, logging into your user account, and then shutting the machine off with the power button (simulated power failure)!? Perhaps rather unorthodox, but when that 'happens' to me, the filesystem(s) gets fscked during next boot.

Beyond that, an earlier suggestion of using a LiveCD is the best idea yet IMHO.

Sasha

PS - It's unclear, but if the machine will now not boot up at all, then disregard this post (and get a liveCD )

Last edited by GrapefruiTgirl; 05-29-2008 at 07:33 AM.
 
Old 05-29-2008, 02:47 PM   #9
poblano
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ssakgul View Post
Do you have to re-change the line without these letters after changing the root password?
No - it will revert back to its pre-edit state.
 
Old 06-03-2008, 11:24 AM   #10
bunyan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GrapefruiTgirl View Post
If fscking happens on Fedora like it does on Slackware (eg when filesystem is discovered to be borked upon booting) How about booting the system, logging into your user account, and then shutting the machine off with the power button (simulated power failure)!? Perhaps rather unorthodox, but when that 'happens' to me, the filesystem(s) gets fscked during next boot.

Beyond that, an earlier suggestion of using a LiveCD is the best idea yet IMHO.

Sasha

PS - It's unclear, but if the machine will now not boot up at all, then disregard this post (and get a liveCD )
OK...call me dumb I know I know...but what does FSCKd mean? The hard disk will repair itself?? I see this term tossed around all the time but I am not quite sure exactly what it means yet...
 
Old 06-03-2008, 11:43 AM   #11
tim914
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fsck = filesystem check

It checks the state of the filesystem requested and can even repair munged volumes.

Think of it as the Unix big brother to CHKDSK.EXE
 
Old 06-03-2008, 11:53 AM   #12
forrestt
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FSCK is also often substituted for a similarly spelled vulgarity. This is most likely due to it being needed with things are messed up with the filesystems (i.e. "They are fsck'd up"). That is really more of a computer slang though.

HTH

Forrest
 
Old 06-03-2008, 01:53 PM   #13
bunyan
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All,
Thanks for the info. I kind of thought that but I wasnt sure
 
  


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