Linux make no sense!

[jammysammy]

All of a sudden my root password on my linux box does not work! The only thing I can think of is that I rebooted the box without a network connection, but that shouldn't cause any problems right? Argh! I got everything working right and now this! Ahhhh cerfunklenuts!

 

[MGMorden]

I've never heard of that one happening before. Maybe if you were using NFS and something went wrong, but that's not what it sounds like. Just to make sure you do know that the passwords are case sensitive right (Password and password are not the same)?

 

[jammysammy]

I've tried all the obvious things like typing the password about a 1000 times. Oh well, reformatting I seek your sweet embrace once again.

 

[cureless]

This doesn't sound normal. Passwords don't just stop working. Boot in single mode and change your password.

Some of the possibilities are:
1 - Cracker/Hacker on the system.
2 - Root cannot log into system because of security settings. Log in as a normal user and the "su" to root, that should work.

You should check your system carfully, are you sure you didn't enable some security settings? Are you sure you weren't cracked? (check /etc/passwd for anomalies)

 

[jammysammy]

Sorry but i stupid, could you please explain how to log in in single user mode. Also can ya please tell me how to do the su thing from a normal user.

 

[gar598]

Did you make a bootdisk???

What distro??


Don't blame linux

 

[BOFH]

<< Don't blame linux >>



No when there is a loose nut between keyboard and chair

 

[Quaggoth]

Yes, I think I know the problem...

It is a C2K interface error, or just a pebcak error.


C2K=Chair 2 keyboard
Pebcak=Problem exists between chair and keyboard

Not trying to offend, and no, I don't have solution for you. The SU thing seems like a good idea though. To do that, you just log in as any user and type su at the command prompt. It should ask for a password.

 

[jammysammy]

I know it isn't a C2K or Pebcak problam because my user account uses the same password and i can log onto that user account just fine. One thing i did notice is that in /etc there is a file called password.old and a passwor- file, are these supposed to be there or are they evidence of tampering?

 

[kt]

No, those files are supposed to be there.. and I wouldn't recommend you tampering with them either.
In any case, try login in with a regular user account and type &quot;su&quot; at the command line. It will prompt you for a password. Type in the root's password.

-=kt

 

[Zach]

At the boot menu (lilo), type &quot;linux single&quot; for single user mode. Then you can type &quot;passwd&quot; and hit enter to change the root password.

Could have been hard drive corruption too.

 

[PELarson]

<< All of a sudden my root password on my linux box does not work! The only thing I can think of is that I rebooted the box without a network connection, but that shouldn't cause any problems right? Argh! I got everything working right and now this! Ahhhh cerfunklenuts! >>



Caps lock off?

 

[DaHitman]

Here is how to boot into single user mode... Single user mode is basically a mode where the kernel is just about the only thing that starts....its a totally bare run of the OS... no disks are mounted, no programs started, and no network...its the Unix equiv of just a dos session... its good for fixing broken mounts in your fstab, resetting root password, running fsck on an operating system disk that just will not come up automatically etc..


Here it is:
You have to have a lilo promt:
BOOT>

just type &quot;linux single&quot;


Some installs you have to hit a key or something to get a textual bootup...Redhat 7.1 its like Control-X...then you will be at the boot> prompt..


After you bootup...

You will be root and have a # prompt...

just type passwd...and then your new password twice.

Also...if your in single user mode and want to use some utilities such as vi etc.. just type &quot;mount -a&quot; to mount your disks so you can see /usr/bin etc...

 

[DaHitman]

rats...freaky duplicate post.

 

[jammysammy]

Problem solved! That single user trick worked wonderfully, thanks to everyone who helped.