Login Problems

**tyron2** · July 19th, 2014

Hi all, I installed ubuntu yesterday but I'm having trouble logging in. It keeps saying invalid password even though I'm 100% sure both the username and password are correct. I looked at videos online that suggested holding down the left shift key during the boot process which would lead to a menu and following several steps would allow me to change the password. I tried holding down the left shift key at different stages during the boot process but I couldn't get the timing right and I couldn't access the menu that would allow me to change the password. So instead I uninstalled and reinstalled ubuntu 3 times and on the final reinstallation I set the username to "a" and the password to "a" but when I rebooted and tried to log in using this username and password it still says the password is invalid, even though it can't be. Please help!

**whitesmith** · July 20th, 2014

The minimum password length with Ubuntu is 6 characters, so the system would never have accepted "a" as a password -- and would have advised you that your choice is invalid. Where, in the installation process, are you entering a password? What other info is it asking for?

**sammiev** · July 20th, 2014

You can try this.

**yancek** · July 20th, 2014

Which release of Ubuntu are you using. People will probably assume 14.04 so if it's not, indicate so?
How did you install? DVD or flash drive? Did you check the integrity of the downloaded Ubuntu iso before installing? Could you post some info on your hardware, how old/new is this computer.

**tyron2** · July 20th, 2014

It's ubuntu 12.04 and I've got a dell inspiron N5050. I downloaded a setup wizard from wubi and it installed ubuntu on my laptop. I've attached a jpg with a screenshot of the info the wizard asks for prior to installation. It had no problem accepting a one letter password.