I installed Mandriva Linux 2007 quite a while ago, and haven't really used it. Inspired by free time and, resultingly, boredom, I thought I'd give it another go. Unfortunately, I have forgotten my root password. I know it was something really long and complicated. It was a good password.

Is there anything I can do, or should I just reinstall Linux froms scratch?

Hi.

You can get in with a Live CD and edit the /etc/passwd file:
http://wiki.clug.org.za/wiki/How_do_...ot_password%3F

Dave

You could try using the search button on this page, or perhaps looking at the list of similar threads, below.

Why dont to go linux rescue and change the password

Boot from a Live CD.
Mount your root partition in /mnt
Edit the file
/mnt/etc/shadow
The first line is something like this:
root:%%%%:13699:0:::::
The text between the first and second colon
is your encrypted root password. Erase it
or copy the encrypted password from another
user.
Reboot, now with a known root pw.

Everybody forgets the easy way. At the boot loader add 1 at the end of the line. This will boot into runlevel 1 which will automatically log into root. Then you can change the password by typing passwd.

LILO:
Type linux 1

GRUB:
1) Use arrow keys to highlight the line for Linux
2) Hit e
3) Select the kernel line and hit e
4) move the cursor to the end of the line and add 1
5) Hit ESC
6) Hit b to boot

This way will only work if you did not password protect your boot loader. Rarely a desktop user will do this because it adds complexity to the setup.


This way is not actually rescue mode because it just another runlevel which you can be change to run anything you want automatically at boot up. Usually runlevel 1 does not run anything except a login process to automatically login root. The rescue mode is run from the installation disc.