Can i get into linux without knowing a username or password?
 

I recently purchased a laptop on ebay which already has linux redhat installed on it. It will load up to the login page but I don't have the username or password of the person who I bought the laptop from. Is there any way I can get into linux without knowing this and create my own username and password?

Hi Welcome to LQ

Sure. First when you see the boot selection screen(grub) where you select redhat, hit 'e'. Select the kernel option and hit 'e' again. At the end of the line, type '1'. Hit enter and 'b' to boot. It will take you to a command shell with a prompt. You are in root mode now.(superuser)
Here
Once you're into the system, you can delete the other user.

Hello,

Yes, you can do it with a rescue boot cd by booting up, going to a prompt, and changing the password for root, then booting up normally and create a user.

There is a section in the first edition of Linux Server Hacks by O'Reilly, called "Foregoing the Console Login" that covers ways of doing this.

If you plan to use this system, I'd highly recommend re-installing from scratch. You have no idea what this system was used for or what is installed/manipulated on the system. Doing your own installation is the only way to be sure that the system is secure.

I agree 100%. Do not use a system if you aren't 100% sure of how it was used & what was installed on it (i.e. if you didn't do all that yourself).

or you can use live cd and mount drive where is linux installed, so you can see all files....

Thanks everybody! I was able to change the root password and get into the system. I have another question though. I was thinking of thinking of changing the operating system to windows xp, which is what I have on my desktop and am more familiar with. I have an xp installation disk but when I put it in the cd-rom drive it does not start up automatically. How can I get it to run so I can install it?

CD-boot
 

hmm, ok, u need to select from BIOS the first boot device as CD-ROM / DVD.
or maybe escape at the boot brings up a quick boot menu.

Now you can also boot a linux cd and install a clean version of the wonderful LinuxOS and learn more about it.
Try different distros. ubuntu / kubuntu / Fedora Core / OpenSuse....

distrowatch com

is a good place to check for distros and Linuxquestion is wonderful place to find help.
Many problems already solved...and posted here.

Have Fun !

There was once a time when you where not at all familiar with windows either. Why dont yo take the linux challenge, and dual boot your machine. Pick a distro...distrowatch.com is a good place to start (as Mark-U5 said) and soon you will wonder why you didnt do it years ago!

12 months ago, i did exactly that. Its been difficult at times to learn, but i now realise that windows is not required. Linux does most things better (whooo theres a sweeping statement).

I'm a Slacker...and proud of it!

Whatever you decide, good wishes & good luck to you.


Cheers

Does this RH box have a "Winders" license sticker on it?

If not, technically you are pirating it, & by site policy we shouldn't be answering your Q's about installing XP; unless, of course, you bought a fresh copy for the purpose.

If you have time, find & read Richard Stallman's (RMS) "GNU Manifesto". I especially recommend the part about maintaining his honor by refusing to steal proprietary software. While others may take a Robin Hood attitude toward Billy & M$, RMS does not & that is why we have GNU/Linux available to us today.

Besides, you might be impressed & then converted -- I had been learning Linux on a 2nd box until mid-May of 2005 when the system drive on my W2k box failed. I moved the data drive to the Linux machine & I never looked back.

"Winders free for over 18 months, where's my chip?"

How do you know his installation disk isn't a retail copy bought so that he can install it on his new laptop?

I think we need to back off here a bit, he obviously knows about Linux, and he's found this site, but he still wants to use Windows, the op might not have the time nor the desire to learn and use another system.

I am not pirating anything. Yes I did buy a new copy of windows to install on my laptop. I got the thing so that I could take it to work with me. I am a teacher who does not have a computer in my room and I wanted to take my laptop because I could get a lot of things done in my classroom with it. I don't have a lot of time to learn anything new, not that I'm opposed to it, I just have a classroom of 20 four year old's all day and three children of my own who are all under the age of 5. So you see it's not that I have anything against linux, I just know way more about windows. I think that it was kind of rude of you to jump to such conclusions. And besides I have someone who knows a lot more about computers working on my problem right now.

Don't mind them bmwatts, do as comfortable as you please :)

If you do decide to give Linux a try, we are here if you need us.

quote
I think that it was kind of rude of you to jump to such conclusions. And besides I have someone who knows a lot more about computers working on my problem right now.

Is this the new spirit of our teachers who ask a question, get some replies, then accuse some of jumping to conclusions when (the) teacher jumps to conclusions himself? Or is the last sentence designed to show he was not expecting any joy at this forum?

feel free to report me for stating my opinion.