login problem

paul9 · 03-26-2004, 01:05 AM

I have just recently installed mandrake 9.2. I was very pleased with no problems.
I started checking the control centre and must have changed my display manager somehow, as now when I boot a login screen comes up.
Asks for login and password. The only password I know is my root user password.
I installed using the wizard and dont really remember setting any other login or password. What can I do to get started again?
Im really annoyed with myself because my mabdrake support ran out yesterday.
cheers Paul

fizazz88 · 03-26-2004, 01:29 AM

I had the same problem and someone told me that you can't login to the Xwindows (GNOME at least) as root user. So what I did was I rebooted to single user mode ("linux init 1"), created another user then reboot again and logged in as that new user.
Hope this helps.

paul9 · 03-26-2004, 02:22 AM

Thanks I managed to get to single user mode but then how do you create a new user from there?
cheers Paul

verstapp · 03-26-2004, 03:23 AM

1. get to a command line (I don't know how to do this in X) as root.
2. type useradd fred (fred is the example user, substitute your own name).
3. type passwd fred (fred is the example again, substitute again).
it will ask you for fred's password. type it. it will ask you to type it again. type it. I assume it checks that the two passwords you type in are the same and complains if they aren't.
you now have a user fred and you can log in as him instead of using root all the time.

jschiwal · 03-26-2004, 03:46 AM

If you did create a user, but don't remember the password, you can use the 'passwd' command to set the password.

passwd username

Then you will be prompted twice for the new password.

Booting up with the option of 'single' is a way to get to single-user root mode, in the case that Linux is set up so you can't log in a root. (Assuming the Lilo isn't password protected and you forgot that also)

paul9 · 03-26-2004, 05:03 AM

I can type in useradd 'name' and press enter but when I type in passwd
and am prompted to type a pass word The curser will not move. it remains stuck continuing to press enter it eventually says bad password. ??
cheers Paul