ultrastupid password question

[Ken Moffat]

dep wrote:

>i don't believe i did this, but i did.
>
>in installing a linux machine for my sister and her family over 
>christmas, i created a root password and guess what: there is no record 
>of it. now i absolutely have to get root access to the thing or, more 
>accurately, have to tell someone over the phone how to get root access. 
>this is a suse-8.2 box.
>
>so. anybody know a quick, easy, sure-fire way of getting root access to 
>the thing?
>
>i can't believe i did this.
>  
>
If suse uses lilo this might work:

>/ >> Assuming your LILO image name is "linux", entering:
/>/ >>
/>/ >> linux init=/bin/bash
/>/ >>
/>/ >> at the LILO prompt should bring you to a root shell. //
/>/ >
/>/ > The above has the drawback of mounting the root filesystem in readonly
/>/ > mode.
/>/ 
/>/ # mount -o remount,rw /
/>/ 
/>/ > LILO: linux single/

then just change the root password using "passwd"
I'll try my grub boot to see if it works here.

-- 
Ken