UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I had created a root account when I installed the Centos 5 into my system.

But now the problem I'm facing is that I accidently deleted the root user account in my system.

Is there a way to recreate the root account in the system now, without reinstalling the OS?

Pls help.

How did you delete the root account? Do you still have an open session for root?

If not, you'll have to boot using the installation media to "Rescue Mode" (or something similar). Mount the root device of the system as read-write.

In both cases, add/modify the line for root in /etc/passwd to read (change the shell if needed)

Code:

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

and this line for /etc/shadow (enter the second field EXTACTLY as shown:

Code:

root:$1$UbSkbnqO$Wjpj2enKcnl8q8dLRjezq/:14574:0:99999:7:::

This should reset the password for root to "p4ssw0rd" (without the quotes, that's a zero, not an uppercase O)