Ubuntu Bypass/reset login

[Artificial Interceptor]

Hey

I have unfortunatly forgotten my password for Ubuntu, how do i bypass or reset it?

thanks

[lykos]

You can boot up to a boot disk and edit your /etc/passwd file directly so that it does not require you to use a password to login then you can reset a password for yourself.


~[Lykos]~

[Artificial Interceptor]

You can boot up to a boot disk and edit your /etc/passwd file directly so that it does not require you to use a password to login then you can reset a password for yourself.


~[Lykos]~

What kind boot disk are you talking about ? are you talking about a live cd? and where is this file located?

it is pretty important that i gain access to Ubuntu, cause i have important documents in it.

[ayu]

By boot disk I think he means to either go into rescue mode in Ubuntu (do it via the grub menu).
Or simply pop in the Ubuntu install CD and choose "Try Ubuntu" instead of "Install", it will then go into a live cd mode so that you can access the files on the hard drive.

[bad_brain]

doesn't create Ubuntu a "single user" mode entry in GRUB by default anyway? could also be named "rescue mode"....at least Debian does...

so boot into single user mode. or, if there is no such entry in the GRUB boot menu:

- boot
- in the GRUB boot menu screen press <Esc> to enter the GRUB menu
- select the boot entry
- press e (for "edit")
- select the line where the kernel entry is displayed
- press e
- add single at the end of the line
- press <Esc> to go back
- press b to boot the kernel

now you are in single user mode as root user and you can set a new password:

Code: Select all

passwd

when done reboot:

Code: Select all

shutdown -r now

boot into the normal mode again (if you had to edit the GRUB entry remove the "single" again the same way you have added it).

[Artificial Interceptor]

doesn't create Ubuntu a "single user" mode entry in GRUB by default anyway? could also be named "rescue mode"....at least Debian does...

so boot into single user mode. or, if there is no such entry in the GRUB boot menu:

- boot
- in the GRUB boot menu screen press <Esc> to enter the GRUB menu
- select the boot entry
- press e (for "edit")
- select the line where the kernel entry is displayed
- press e
- add single at the end of the line
- press <Esc> to go back
- press b to boot the kernel

now you are in single user mode as root user and you can set a new password:

Code: Select all

passwd

when done reboot:

Code: Select all

shutdown -r now

boot into the normal mode again (if you had to edit the GRUB entry remove the "single" again the same way you have added it).

well another problem enters: how do i get into the grub? cause menu when i boot, the bios screen comes on the display, after than i hit the esc button and nothing happens...

[bad_brain]

the GRUB screen is the one where you can pick what OS to boot:

[Artificial Interceptor]

the GRUB screen is the one where you can pick what OS to boot:

Okay but it doesn't show, i dont have other systems than ubuntu on my notebook.
What can i do then if it doesnt show?

[ayu]

Okay but it doesn't show, i dont have other systems than ubuntu on my notebook.
What can i do then if it doesnt show?

I see two good options here ..

1: Your GRUB menu is going by so fast that you can't see it, try pressing the down arrow during boot and see if you can interrupt it, thus showing the menu (helps in some cases depending on your config)

2: (safe bet) Insert an Ubuntu installation CD and boot into live mode (choose to try out Ubuntu instead of installing)

[Artificial Interceptor]

Okay but it doesn't show, i dont have other systems than ubuntu on my notebook.
What can i do then if it doesnt show?

I see two good options here ..

1: Your GRUB menu is going by so fast that you can't see it, try pressing the down arrow during boot and see if you can interrupt it, thus showing the menu (helps in some cases depending on your config)

2: (safe bet) Insert an Ubuntu installation CD and boot into live mode (choose to try out Ubuntu instead of installing)

I've allready tried the second option and the first option is unlikely to work... i am frustrated and i really need my documents now in a couple of days, how do i bypass the password login ?

[ayu]

I've allready tried the second option and the first option is unlikely to work... i am frustrated and i really need my documents now in a couple of days, how do i bypass the password login ?

The second option works, I do it myself once in a while.

Do this ...

1: Insert a live CD and boot it up (Ubuntu install CD works, but you can try others as well, like KNOPPIX)

2: When you have booted it up, then bring up a terminal and type the following

Code: Select all

mount /dev/sda /mnt

Note that "sda" is your first harddrives' first partition, sometimes it can be hda as well, you just have to check /dev/ to see which one it is (and of course know where you installed the distro).

Then after you have done this, you can find your system mounted under /mnt, thus all your files should be there (if you haven't encrypted it of course, which would make it a little harder without the password, but still doable).

Hope this helps

[lonewolf]

I have a older copy of knoppix std around just for that purpose. fire up the live cd access your drive either hda or sda and change your password. However if you just want to save your files, once the drive is mounted get what you want. Knoppix STD also has some nice tools old but nice. It is also the only thing that runs well on my gateway 9150 solo with a screaming 333mhz processor.

[Artificial Interceptor]

I just want to change my password, no files needs to be moved.

i have tried to boot it up on knoppix and Hirrens Boot CD v.13... but i got lost in all the applications cause i didn't know what to do with it or how to use the programs and i allso didn't know wich programs to use.

is there any one who can tell me a direct guide " how to change the password login on Linux Ubuntu 10.04 when you have forgoten the password" ?

please help me cause i really need that password to be changed.

[maboroshi]

here ya go

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword it says to hold down shift at boot to get the grub boot menu

Hope that one helps