Urgent! Deleted Root!

goosie · 06-28-2005, 09:49 PM

i was logged in as root to install MySQL and i did something i guess and root user was gone! does anyone have any idea how i can restore it? i have no Cd tray to re-install linux... any possably-working suggestions would be appreciated... please help! im on a microsoft labtop now that i wount be able to use after tonight...

mjrich · 06-28-2005, 09:58 PM

Are you sure ?

What error messages do you get when logging in as root (or su -ing to root) ?

Cheers,

mj

goosie · 06-28-2005, 10:02 PM

when i type su i get "user root does not exist" i got my computer running, but still no root user... maybe someone can send me the useradd executable with the chmod set to a regular user and not root?

mjrich · 06-28-2005, 10:09 PM

Quote:

maybe someone can send me the useradd executable with the chmod set to a regular user and not root?

I doubt that that would work, as you would still be attempting to write to directories with the incorrect permissions. I would simply boot up using a rescue floppy (or any other boot media) and exit to a shell -- this will give you root access by default. Then just run adduser/useradd as usual.

Cheers,

mj

goosie · 06-28-2005, 10:10 PM

i dont have a rescue floppy... or a CD tray... is there a way to make a rescue floppy without being root?

goosie · 06-28-2005, 10:32 PM

Ok, i got my linux computer logged on... but still no root user... if i cant get this fixed then i will be stuck with no root user until friday (when my mom goes to work and i can take the CD drive from her computer and put it on mine and hope linux is done installing before she gets home... or else she will be extremely pissed to the 100th power...

i accidentaly stepped on mine...)

mjrich · 06-28-2005, 10:35 PM

As far as I know, you can use mkboot. Otherwise, you can follow the guides for a 'roll-your-own' boot floppy here http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/~purschke/RescueCD or use Tomsrtb: http://www.toms.net/~toehser/rb. Any boot disk from any distro will do.

Also, make sure you read the man page for adduser (you'll have to add root as a system user, for a start).

Cheers,

mj

goosie · 06-28-2005, 10:39 PM

both of those require a CD tho... i only have a floppy drive...

goosie · 06-28-2005, 10:43 PM

im going to sleep for tonight... please keep posting suggestions and i'll be back in the morning (hopefully) to check on it... thanks mjrich and everyone else in advance for anyone else

mjrich · 06-28-2005, 10:46 PM

Quote:

both of those require a CD tho... i only have a floppy drive...

No, have a closer look

Tomsrtb is a tiny floppy-based linux distro, while the Roll your own has instructions for both cd and floppy. It also has links (near the top for existing boot floppies, including Tom's) that you can download.

Cheers,

mj

goosie · 06-29-2005, 12:34 PM

>.< my floppy drive isnt even mounted... and i gotta be root to mount them... oh well, guess i have to do a fresh install when my mom goes to work...

mjrich · 06-29-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

my floppy drive isnt even mounted... and i gotta be root to mount them...

Odd. Well, the last resort is to ring around any folks you might know, and ask whether they have a linux boot floppy lying around. The old boxed versions of Mandrake used to come with them -- not sure about the more recent Mandriva metamorphosis.

Good luck with it all, anyway.

Cheers,

mj

goosie · 06-30-2005, 07:50 PM

thanks... i was having trouble trying to get MySQL working anyways, guess a full reboot might help that anyways... i'll be able to steal my moms CD drive tomarrow and do a re-install... then re-upgrade my kernel (i remembered how to get my sound card working...

) and download some stuff... guess it'll work out for the better anyways... i wish i could switch distro's tho... but not having a burner and being on dailup kind of arent allowing that...