Password apparently changed by system update

[Bret Busby]

On 06/02/2020, Bret Busby <bret.busby at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 06/02/2020, Bret Busby <bret.busby at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 06/02/2020, Bret Busby <bret.busby at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hello.
>>>
>>> On my other computer, I have UbuntuMATE 19.04 installed.
>>>
>>> In the last few hours, a system update was shown as being available,
>>> including something to do with giving some users extra superuser
>>> privileges.
>>>
>>> I do not know whether it was that component that was responsible, but,
>>> after locking the screen when going away from the computer for a
>>> while, when I tried to log in, I have found that the password has been
>>> changed.
>>>
>>> Is this an intended effect of the system update, and, how do I get
>>> around the operating system having changed the login password on me?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Bret Busby
>>> Armadale
>>> West Australia
>>> ..............
>>>
>>> "So once you do know what the question actually is,
>>>  you'll know what the answer means."
>>> - Deep Thought,
>>>  Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
>>>  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
>>>  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
>>>  written by Douglas Adams,
>>>  published by Pan Books, 1992
>>>
>>> ....................................................
>>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry - it is version 19.10.
>>
>> --
>> Bret Busby
>> Armadale
>> West Australia
>> ..............
>>
>> "So once you do know what the question actually is,
>>  you'll know what the answer means."
>> - Deep Thought,
>>  Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
>>  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
>>  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
>>  written by Douglas Adams,
>>  published by Pan Books, 1992
>>
>> ....................................................
>>
>
> First assessment is wrong - it is not that it has changed the password
> - it is that a key on the keyboard no longer works (disabled?), that
> coincides(?) with the system update
>

It just got weirder. The keyboard is an external USB keyboard.

I was able to login using the laptop keyboard.

It then occurred to me, to try using an xterm; then the character was
not displayed. So, I unplugged the external keyboard, and plugged it
in again. Then, a string of occurrences of the character, displayed in
the xterm session, without me touching the keyboard; I assume from the
keyboard buffer.

But, <CTRL><ALT><F1> does not work.

So, I assume that the system update has done something to the
communication with the external keyboard.

But, also, on checking, trying <CTRL><ALT><F1> on the laptop keyboard,
gives no response.

So, something seems very wrong, from this system update on 19.10.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
 Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
 "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
 A Trilogy In Four Parts",
 written by Douglas Adams,
 published by Pan Books, 1992

....................................................