Password question.

[Steven Vollom]

Willy K. Hamra wrote:
> Steven Vollom wrote:
>> 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
>>
>>
>
> by entering systemsettings and entering a new password there, i'll 
> assume you changed your own password, the password you use for login, 
> and for suso.
> typing su, you will be required to supply the root password, whic his 
> by default disabled, as you know, if you have it disabled, no password 
> will work for su, if you did enable root, then you can put the root 
> password here, and you'll get a root shell.
> to test what is your current login password, open a new konsole, type 
> "sudo ls" , you will be asked for a password, type the password you 
> enetered in systemsettings, and see if it works.
Willy,

I have a UNIX password now.  I believe it is a ROOT password.  If I boot 
up my computer and it asks for a password, can I enter the ROOT password 
and get into my computer.  Also Synaptic and Adept Package Manager?

When I entered sudo ls I got this:

Retype new UNIX password:
passwd: password updated successfully
steven at Studio25:~$ sudo ls
Desktop
Documents
e-Sword
image001.jpg
media
<mount point>
Music
My eBooks
MyFriendsAddresses.ldif
PDF
Personal Address Book.ldif
Personal Address Book.vcf.ldif
Pictures
Public
sdb3
sdb5
space_report.txt
Templates
Tim.doc
xorg.conf
steven at Studio25:~$       

 I also made an easier password that was accepted for login, I believe.  
I did it on the page you mentioned in SystemSettings>AboutMe

Bruce is something isn't he.  I know you think I am not going to win 
this competition, but I will.  Although I am not where I really want to 
be with my password.  I am at a place where I can keep going without 
format. 

Thanks,
Willy