HOWTO: Change your forgotten password

[majikstreet]

What?! You forgot your password? What are you going to do now? You can't reinstall; you have all your critical files on your machine!

No big deal. Don't sweat it. We can change your password so easily it's not even funny.

The Howto:
1. Boot up your computer, and when you see the screen that says something like "Press ESC to enter grub," press ESC (the escape key) as soon as you can.

2. Now you should see a menu with many options. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the newest kernel (the one with the highest number) that has "(recovery mode)" written next to it. Now, hit enter (return).

3. Next, your system should boot up normally. BUT, you WILL NOT see the boot splash. Don't worry about that. Lots and lots of text WILL fly past you.

4. Now you are at a root shell.

5. Type

passwd username

replacing username with your username

6. Now a little thing will come up and say "New UNIX Password" or similar. Type the new password that you want. Hit enter. Type it again. Hit enter

7. Then, your password has been changed! Type

shutdown -r now

8. Your system is now rebooting. Once it comes back up, login with your new username and password.

9. There is no step nine.


That was easy, too easy. Congratulations!

Hope to help,
majikstreet

[welsh_spud]

My God! That's just plain scary...


...but it will come in useful. Thanks majikstreet

[majikstreet]

yeah, it's really scary..

but it's a great feature..

That's why you should physically secure a computer that has sensitive/important stuff on it, folks.

[welsh_spud]

I remember something like this on the old Apple iBooks. When they were booting up you could hold down ctrl-c and it would drop you into a root shell, letting you do whatever you want to the computer.

[Iandefor]

Interesting. Thanks, majik.

[majikstreet]

Interesting. Thanks, majik.

no problem

[bored2k]

My God! That's just plain scary...


...but it will come in useful. Thanks majikstreet

That's why people set up passwords for GRUB.

[cronholio]

It seems scary. However, the logic behind that is: If someone has physical excess to a computer, they have access to your data anyway (and be it by means of taking along the HD). UN*X was built when people used to login remotely.

[imagine]

It's not about Unix, this works in every OS, also Windows.
If you need to secure your data against people who have physical access to it, encryption is your friend.


Btw, "reboot" is shorter than "shutdown -r now". Just for the people who are really lazy.

[dvarsam]

Dear "majikstreet"

After your reply to my post, I blended your post to Mine, and here is the FULL version:


How to change a User's or ROOT's Password (before Booting):

To Log in in your Ubuntu, simply use your "user name" (you gave during the installation) & the "password" (you specified at that time).


If you have Forgotten your User's "password":

What?
You forgot your password?
What are you going to do now?
You can't reinstall; you have all your critical files on your machine!

No big deal.
Don't sweat it.
You can change your password very easy.


There are two ways to go on this:

1. To Change your current User's Password:

a. Restart Ubuntu in Recovery Mode.
To do this, Boot up your computer & when you see the screen that says
"Press ESC to enter grub", press "ESC" (the Escape Key) as soon as you can.

b. Now you should see a Menu with many options.
Use the arrow keys to navigate & select the newest Kernel (the one with the
highest number) that has "(Recovery Mode)" written next to it.

c. Press the key named "Enter" (return) & your System will Boot and will take
you to the Command Line (the bash Shell's $ or # prompt).

d. Type:

passwd username

e. A window will launch & will ask you to enter your "New UNIX Password".
Enter your NEW "password".

f. Then Reboot your Ubuntu (by typing "reboot" or "shutdown -r now") & Log in
with your "username" & the NEW "password" you specified.

2. To Create a NEW User Account:

a. Restart Ubuntu in Recovery Mode.
To do this, Boot up your computer & when you see the screen that says
"Press ESC to enter grub", press "ESC" (the Escape Key) as soon as you can.

b. Now you should see a Menu with many options.
Use the arrow keys to navigate & select the newest Kernel (the one with the
highest number) that has "(Recovery Mode)" written next to it.

c. Press the key named "Enter" (return) & your System will Boot and will take
you to the Command Line (the bash Shell's $ or # prompt).

d. Type:

useradd -m new_user_name

e. Type:

passwd new_user_name

f. Enter the NEW User's Password twice.

g. Then Reboot your Ubuntu (by typing "reboot" or "shutdown -r now") & Log in
with your NEW "username" & "password" you specified.


IF Ubuntu does NOT let you type ANY of the above commands & requests a ROOT Password, do the following:

Note:
By default, there is NO "root" Password in Ubuntu (the ROOT Password is NOT
set).
Once you Set a ROOT Password in Ubuntu, it requires it when you are in the
"Recovery Mode".
You can use an Ubuntu Install CD to Reset the ROOT Password.

1. Insert the Install CD & at the CD Boot Prompt, type:

rescue

2. Follow the instructions & when you are in the "Terminal", type:

passwd root

3. Enter the ROOT Password twice in there & Add a NEW User account with:

adduser

4. Enter your NEW User info & when your finished, type:

adduser your_new_user_name admin

Note:
This is performed so that the NEW User can access System Tools as ROOT.

5. Then remove your InstallCD, Reboot your Ubuntu (by typing "reboot" or
"shutdown -r now") & Log in with your NEW User account.


Have Fun !!!