Solaris

Failed to recover lost root password for Solaris SunSparc
(On Sun Ultra10 - SPARC CPU Hardware, not x86 Intel CPU nor x64 AMD CPU)
This Sun Ultra10 workstation comes with an old 6-in wafer probing station purchased from a Surplus equipment vendor.
Computer: Sun Ultra 5/10 UPA/PCI (UltraSPARC-Iii 440MHz). Sparc10 with UPA creative 3D graphics card and CDROM driver, Sun Type 5C keyboard/mouse. Sun Monitor. Solaris 10 SunOS. Solaris 10 installation CD. Unknown root password.
Here is the procedure that I followed in an attempt to recover the root password. · root:xxxxxx:6445:::::::
· daemon:NP:6445:::::::
· ....· root::6445:::::::
· daemon:NP:6445:::::::
· ....It looks all good so far. But my trouble starts from here: the computer is still asking for root password at boot!!!

Note that many Solaris systems may have mirrored volumes, a volume manager or other method of copying the full filesystem. If this is the case these instructions will need to be followed for both volumes, otherwise corruption can easily occur.
Does it mean that there is another shadow file inside /dev/dsk/c0t1d0s0 besides /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0?

hi

Reset root password on Solaris X86 Box - YouTube see this video .and note

You can check this link:

Solaris System Admin tips: How to reset the Root password in Sun Solaris (SPARC)

-- are you connected over serial-console or network?

Please note that if you are connected over serial console, it should not ask you for the boot password again after resetting it.

However, it may ask if you are connected over network then depending on your PermitRootLogin setting in /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and depending on your CONSOLE=/dev/console setting in /etc/default/login file, the machine may deny you access even if you are giving the correct password.

I am not a genius at this, but i experienced these issues recently. Hope it helps.//

Thanks Mystition. The workstation wasn't connected through serial-console or networked. It's a stand-alone SUN Ultra 10 Sparc workstation with wafer probing setup programs on it. Are you suggesting that I should use a null modem serial cable to hookup to a hyperterminal on PC to boot the SUN Ultra10? Josh

---------- Post updated at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:36 AM ----------

I followed the several posts from 1996-2004 about resetting root password. I read that thread before. My problem is that at single user mode prompt, when I typed #passwd, it complains about password database is busy. and permission denied (see my original post). Thanks. Josh

---------- Post updated at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous update was at 11:41 AM ----------

Hi Coolboys,

Thanks for the youtube video. I wish I could know it sooner. I know the difference in booting into the single user mode between X86 intel system and SPARC Sun system. I actually practiced on the x86 system on resetting passwrod first without issue before I tried on this newly aquired Sun UltraSPARC10. I successfully removed root password string without issue. My problem is that it still asking for the password after reboot at login page.
Thanks,
Josh

Hi Fromtexas0,

If you "boot cdrom" and mount the / partition on /a, you should be able to "vi" the /a/etc/shadow" file and enter an encrypted string for a known password.

This should allow you to login to the box as root after a "ok boot" command. There should be no difference if the box is X86 or SPARC. The only people that I know in the wafer manufacture world that used C2 security on SPARC systems were Motorola and ATMEL, if the system came from any of these people then my suggestion would be to create the /etc/passwd file and the /etc/shadow file on an other system and copy into place.

Regards

Dave

Hi, Dave,

I copied the known password string from the shadow file of another x86 Intel based SUN Solaris 10 next door to this Sun Ultra10. Then I re-boot the machine. I used root as username and known password (.root) from that X86 machine at login page. It says: login incorrect; please try again. I went back in single user mode to see if the shadow file was corrupted. It wasn't. I have noway to tell where it came from. The purchasing lady called surplus vendor in vain. Very confusion! Any other clues?

Thanks for suggestings,
Josh

Perhaps you have a mirrored root disk. In this case you should edit /etc/shadow on both submirrors.