Hello
My problem is I seem to lose my root password and can only login as root by a re-boot.

I own the complete RH 7.1 and could easily re-install. For many reasons I do not want to do this! I have upgraded the kernal to 7.3 and added programs and such. Plus re-booting IMHO (and re-installing) is not a grand solution.

I think that this is a problem deeper in the user admin area of the o/s in that some profiles or something 'sees' different passwords?
and rebooting is this newbie's only way to get them 'cleared' back to the newest one.
====the story
This is a stand-alone dualboot machine I am using to teach myself Linux. It is basically a workstation with internet, no security issues, just a "classroom".

One day I was logged in as a user (eddacker) and needed to su and my password failed. I can't login as root, but all my users and their passwords are still good.

I seemed to have lost my 'root' password???

So I use my boot disk, login as root and go to passwd/shadow; wipe out the hash and reboot. I enter a new root password and because I am pendantic it is a secure one.

And it works fine, until (sometimes) when I am logged on as my default (or other) user and need to switch to root and then the password doesn't work?? sometimes. If I reboot it always works. I can login as root and switch to a user and back to su and a user and then -- it fails -- login incorrect, as if I have entered a bad password. argghhhh

======the question
What I am asking is complicated so I have no idea how to ask it other than "what is going on?" Why does my root passwd work on re-boot, but fails when switching users?
TIA
eddacker

Ok. Did you delete everything in /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow
or just the line for the root user ?


Next time, when you forget your root password, you can always boot Linux in Single User mode (runlevel 1).

RedHat 7.1 - Booting Single-User Mode
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...CS-RESCUE-MODE

RedHat 7.3 - Booting Single-User Mode
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...ng-single.html

ahh, ha!
no I did not. And I am such a newbie I did not know I could [cntrl] X and boot: single
so I have learned. I will try the delete everything in /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow and see how that goes )
but this is a great journey, thank you for your reply.
eddacker

NO
Do NOT delete the contents of /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow

I was asking a question, not giving instructions...


My post should have looked like this:

Hey! **grins**
this is a stand-alone machine, I am root and all the users.
or is there some other danger in deleting everything in passwd and shadow?
and is that why I am getting such inconsistant results, with my root password working on reboot and then not?

If you take a look at /etc/passwd, you will notice many users such as xfs, halt, mail, etc.
These system users are required by the various Linux daemons (programs).
Deleting them will causes problems.

Try resetting the passwords for root and the normal users (the ones you created) using the passwd command.

Using Mandrake 9.1 and trying to change the root password (because I cannot remember it) I have used the CD1 and at the root@rescue prompt I find that there is not a passwd command. Please help a Newbie!

try whereis passwd, I bet the PATH wariable isn't set.
So most likely, it'll be in /usr/bin/passwd.

I also forgotten my password, but could not understand how do you set a new one(I don't know any linux commands so bear with me please). Will it be better if I just reinstall linux? I would rather not. Please help and remember I know nothing about linux (Iam a windows user)

Nfixit

To reset your root password, you will need to boot linux in single-user mode.
To do this, read this document.
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...ng-single.html

Once the system is booted, use the passwd command by typing: