Password

[Ruben Safir]

On Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 09:07:13PM +0200, Nils Kassube wrote:
> Ruben Safir wrote:
> > On Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 04:07:14PM +0200, Nils Kassube wrote:
> > > Ruben Safir wrote:
> > > > On Fri, Oct 03, 2008 at 11:33:36AM +0000, Anthony M. Rasat wrote:
> > > > > You need to start in single mode then change his password. Do
> > > > > this by appending kernel line in grub menu a single word "single"
> > > > > then press enter and b button to boot. You will enter command
> > > > > line mode without login as root. Change his password and reboot.
> > > > > You will be able to start login using this new password.
> > > >
> > > > This setting is sometimmes not enough if you have a password set on
> > > > single user mode.
> > >
> > > What is a "password set on single user mode"? Can you explain what
> > > you are talking about?
> >
> > Yes - grub can be set up to demand a root password in single user mode
> > and as a matter of fact, debian distro's default to this setting and
> > have done so for more years than I care to remember.
> 
> OK, that is possible but not the default. Therefore I wouldn't expect this 
> situation because the OP doesn't mention it.


Ummm - that is not correct.

> 
> > > > The easiest way to deal with this, IMO, is boot off a live CD and
> > > > remove the entries from /etc/passwd and /ect/shadow for root. 
> > > > You'll then have access.
> > >
> > > Don't do that because then you don't have a root account any longer.
> >
> > A little common sense aplied would bring one to conclude that you don't
> > delete the whole entry, just the password in the files.
> 
> You know, there are sometimes very strange suggestions on this list. 
> Therefore I prefer not to apply too much common sense but only read what 
> was suggested. Better safe than sorry. And like Rashkae wrote, don't 
> expect that someone who asks how to reset the password will know what to 
> do with your advice.
> 
> Anyway, if I understand it right, you want to delete the root password. 





> But that is a very bad idea IMHO. 


It is the best way to do it.  If you think its a bad idea then you don't
understand gnu/linux.

> Then you should have at least mentioned 
> that after doing that you would have to set a new password for root. Or 
> as a better alternative you should lock the root account again because 
> with Ubuntu we usually don't set a root password but have the account 
> locked instead. 

yeah that frankly sucks and I undid that the second I installed it.


> I know some people prefer to have a root password, but 
> that is not the default and should not be expected.
>

Yeah, that is not so secure.  Do a google on the hacks that involve
this.

I'll say this, I've learned to never give any advice on this list from my 20 
years of expereince with Unix systems.


Ruben
 
> 
> Nils
> 
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