Password question.

[Steven Vollom]

Nils Kassube wrote:
> Steven Vollom wrote:
>   
>> Bruce Marshall wrote:
>>     
>>> On Monday 24 November 2008, Steven Vollom wrote:
>>>       
>>>> When I changed my password this morning, I opened SystemSettings>
>>>> AboutMe, and changed my password.  I assume that is the root
>>>> password.
>>>>         
>>> NO!!
>>>       
>> What do I do now.  Can I get into Adept Package Manager?  Can I get
>> into my computer if I shut it off?  Can I reverse what happened when I
>> tried xhost +?  With help can I get back to 'em' as my password?  Or do
>> I have to format and reinstall?
>>     
>
> Either you have changed your own password or the one for root. If I 
> understand it right what you wrote, you now have either the 37 character 
> password or "em" for root and / or yourself.
>   
I am feeling pretty hopeless right now, Nils.  I have a 37 password.  It 
is too difficult for me to re-enter a lot.  I make too many mistakes 
with my short finger.  I typed in the following command, a suggestion 
from a friend, in case you know what it does:

xhost +
su

It requested my password.  I typed in 'em'/.  That is what I have always 
entered in a shell.  It was wrong.  I then tried my 37 password.  I made 
mistakes because of my short finger.  When I tried again and then to 
return to xhost + to try again, the computer did not allow the process.  
I think it locked me out, probably thinking I was an invader.  I am 
where I was trying to avoid being.  I kept trying to explain myself, 
over and over, but no one answered the question I needed answered.  I 
could not make myself understood.  In the end, I decided to try the 
suggestion and here I am, exactly where I did not want to be.  The 
stress is enormous right now.  I am building my new computer and it did 
not fire up properly, so I am in two way conversation trying to resolve 
that.
> And just loosing the password is no reason to reinstall. Use the recovery 
> mode of the grub menu and then you can get a root shell to set a new 
> password: <https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LostPassword>
>   
Will the recovery mode get me back to my 'em' password?  I would give 
anything to be back there.  At least until I can make myself understood 
about what I need.  I can put in my 37, but it takes several tries usually.

Nills, do you have access to a Hardy KDE3.5.10 OS.  When I reset my 
password this morning, I clicked on the Kmenu 
Icon>SystemSettings>AboutMe.  In a box on the lower part of the screen 
was a button to change passwords.  I clicked on that and put 'em' in and 
it gave me the opportunity to change the password.  I typed 37 in twice 
and my password changed.  I believe that changed my login password.  
That is what I wanted to do, nonetheless, I did not want that as my 
password to enter a Root Shell or Adept Package Manager or Synaptic 
Package Manager.  I tried to make that clear in my many emails. Yet that 
is exactly where I am.
>
> Nils, I have an 8 unit password I use for banking, Ebay, Kubuntu forum, etc., that I also have trouble typing error free.  I have them remembered by my computer so I don't have to type them in.
>   

When I tried to change my password back to 'em' it said it was too easy 
and did I really want to do that.  I said I that I wanted to anyway; it 
gave me that choice.  Then it rejected my request anyway, and said it 
had to be more secure.  Anything I can type and remember and not have 
trouble with my short finger is rejected.  Is there a way to force the 
computer to do what I want.  I would like to change back to 'em'.  What 
I would really like is to have my 37 my login and a good firewall, and 
no additional security.  Once in the computer, I would like to enter 
steven at Studio25:~#, and be able to just type in code with no password.  
If you remember Feisty.  Like that.

Cordially, my friend.
steven