UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Hello ppl,

A small mistake of mine has led the /etc/passwd file deleted. So i went to rescue mode and used the following command echo "root::0:0:Superuser:/:/bin/bash" > passwd
but that did not get effect in anyway way. when I switch back to normal mode the root is still asking for a passwd.
Any help please.

Thank you

*ufff* bad idea to delete the passwd...

you could boot from a live cd-OS which should be the same distibution (syntax) and make an backup of following files:

/etc/passwd (if a new one exits)
/etc/shadow
/etc/group

now copy these files from your live-os to the system and change the /etc/shadow from
root:blaBLAbLaBlA:12318:7:56:7:::
to
root::12318:7:56:7:::
now the root has no password.....
reboot and pray ;-)

replay how it works...

greetings Preßy

I believe there is a template file for /etc/passwd.

On my HPUX system there is a skeleton passwd file under /etc/opt/dce/passwd_override.

Im sure your system has a similar file.

Hello all,

How do i take the back up of the files you have mentioned...? I mean on what should I take back up(the destination)? can you show how do you do that?
There is no /etc/shadow file in my mandrake 7.0.


And the reply for "Kelam_magnus" ---->
I did this search
find .. -path "../*" -name "passwd*" but i did not get any positive result.

Just now I got to know that there will be some copies of passwd files in the regular mode but not in the rescue mode(as per my search). Unknowing about this fact I logged out of the normal mode in a haste.
Overall, I made two mistakes
1)Playing with my /etc/passwd file
(tr 'aeioul' 'AEIOUL' > /etc/passwd)Instead of this "<"
2)Logging out of my normal mode in hurry.

Any more help please!