Locked red hat machine by user

ajdowntown · 11-01-2006, 09:30 AM

I have a Red Hat enterprise Linux 4 server that was locked by a user who is on vacation. I now need to get into the machine. When I try and login, it just has the username of the user and will not let me change it. Is there a way I can force a root login? I have the root password...

uselpa · 11-01-2006, 09:52 AM

I assume that by "was locked" you talk about the screen saver.
If so, press Alt-Ctrl-F1 to access a console. Then login as root. To start the GUI, use the "startx" command. All this will happen in parallel to the other user.
Log out when you're done, and press Alt-Ctrl-F7 to get back to the initial screen.

Mortus Canis · 11-01-2006, 05:12 PM

If sshd is running you could ssh in and then kill X, or just do what you need to do over ssh.

BTW, I disable the console switching thing (ALT-CTRL-F1) and also the CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE (which kills X) so that when I run my screensaver/locker, it cannot be circumvented. These are options in xorg.conf

If you get desperate you can always reboot...