ultrastupid password question

[Ken Moffat]

Ken Moffat wrote:

> 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.
>
This works for grub also, at least for my libranet install. At the grub 
menu, highlight the kernel line and type 'e' to edit, then append 
"init=/bin/bash", hit return and "b" to boot. This took me to a root 
prompt in a read-only filesystem. Then the remount command:
mount -o remount,rw /
let me use "passwd" to change the root password.

Hope this helps...

-- 
Ken