Sponsored Content
Full Discussion: forgot root passwd
Operating Systems Linux Red Hat forgot root passwd Post 302198017 by era on Thursday 22nd of May 2008 05:20:29 AM
Old 05-22-2008
Without being crazy enough to test my hypothesis, this is only speculation, but if you have removed the shadow file, I wouldn't be too surprised if that's the reason you get this error.

Do you have a backup? Can you recreate it somehow?

The customary solution is to boot into single user (perhaps from a CD or USB stick) and edit the /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow file to have an empty password field for root. Then boot the regular system, log in as root, and set a new password.
 

10 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Preventing passwd root?

I knew it would happen sooner or later.... We have a requirement that specific individuals need "sudo root" authority. I knew it only a matter of time before someone decided to change the root password (at least they owned up to it). Now the question is how can I grant all rights except... (4 Replies)
Discussion started by: scottsl
4 Replies

2. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Need to change root passwd

I booted up Sun V240 server with boot cdrom -s using the Sun Operating System CD. I now am at the # prompt and su - root . The system will not allow me to set password for root. Get following error: # passwd New Password: xxxxxxxx Re-enter new Password: xxxxxxxx passwd: Unexpected failure. ... (4 Replies)
Discussion started by: mayewil
4 Replies

3. Solaris

Recover root passwd

Any body pls let me know the procedure to recover ROOT password in Sun Netra 20 Server..I forgot the password. (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: gini
5 Replies

4. Solaris

How to set new Root Passwd

I forget the Root Passwd of my Sun Netra 20 server and break the same by editing /etc/shadow.Now there is no passwd for Root. And How to set new root passwd?Pls help.... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: gini
2 Replies

5. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

hw to reterive root passwd

heyy i forgot my root passwd but i cant reinstall due to some reason can anyone tell me hw to reterive root passwd (10 Replies)
Discussion started by: mightypp.nits
10 Replies

6. AIX

root passwd expiration on AIX

Hi Guys, some one could help me on this that will be great . I have AIX 5.1 . when ever u login as root .it says u r passwd is expiredchoose new passwd . I tried couple of times changeing the passwd .still it behaves every time u login it asks to change the passwd . i teied to lokk into... (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: aixguy
3 Replies

7. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Forgot root password

i am a new user of unix . i lost my SGI unix server root password Any body please help me,how get password? (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: vasu.k82
2 Replies

8. Red Hat

Forgot Passwd

Dear all, I am using RHEL5. In that machine i forgot the root passwd. But i can able to login by using my username. But performing administrative tasks it will asks the root login. Can somebody tell me reset the root passwd. Thanks in advance. Regards, Prakashkumar.S (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: prakashkumar41
2 Replies

9. Web Development

Forgot MYSQL password root

I have VPS openSUSE 12.2 I forgot MYSQL password root when i run in CMD: > mysql Error Message Show : >> ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO) (6 Replies)
Discussion started by: CloudniX
6 Replies

10. UNIX for Beginners Questions & Answers

I have forgot my root password. Solaris 10

hi everyone i have forgot my root password and i have other user to login. can i get the password without restarting the server as that cant be afforded. . it is a Sparc architecture 2U blade server. it is old server mounted and functional since 2009. what should be the modus oprandee. i am novice... (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: janakors
5 Replies
pwconv(1M)						  System Administration Commands						pwconv(1M)

NAME
pwconv - installs and updates /etc/shadow with information from /etc/passwd SYNOPSIS
pwconv DESCRIPTION
The pwconv command creates and updates /etc/shadow with information from /etc/passwd. pwconv relies on a special value of 'x' in the password field of /etc/passwd. This value of 'x' indicates that the password for the user is already in /etc/shadow and should not be modified. If the /etc/shadow file does not exist, this command will create /etc/shadow with information from /etc/passwd. The command populates /etc/shadow with the user's login name, password, and password aging information. If password aging information does not exist in /etc/passwd for a given user, none will be added to /etc/shadow. However, the last changed information will always be updated. If the /etc/shadow file does exist, the following tasks will be performed: Entries that are in the /etc/passwd file and not in the /etc/shadow file will be added to the /etc/shadow file. Entries that are in the /etc/shadow file and not in the /etc/passwd file will be removed from /etc/shadow. Password attributes (for example, password and aging information) that exist in an /etc/passwd entry will be moved to the corre- sponding entry in /etc/shadow. The pwconv command can only be used by the super-user. FILES
/etc/opasswd /etc/oshadow /etc/passwd /etc/shadow ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes: +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+ | ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE | +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+ |Availability |SUNWcsu | +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+ SEE ALSO
passwd(1), passmgmt(1M), usermod(1M), passwd(4), attributes(5) DIAGNOSTICS
pwconv exits with one of the following values: 0 SUCCESS. 1 Permission denied. 2 Invalid command syntax. 3 Unexpected failure. Conversion not done. 4 Unexpected failure. Password file(s) missing. 5 Password file(s) busy. Try again later. 6 Bad entry in /etc/shadow file. SunOS 5.10 9 Mar 1993 pwconv(1M)
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:12 AM.
Unix & Linux Forums Content Copyright 1993-2022. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy