SUMMARY: Lost root password

[<jon.ingason@equant.com>]

Thanks everybody for fast answer!

My question was:

We have machine with Linux Red Hat 7.0, where we have lost the root
password and I wonder how to break in to the machine.

Here is couple of answers:

Kalpit Jain <bhavana@netcore.co.in>:
At the lilo prompt just type "linux single"
This  will take u to the root prompt.

Jamie Wellnitz <Jamie.Wellnitz@emulex.com>:
Reboot the machine.  When you get the LILO prompt, enter "linux
single" (or whatever your usual boot image is named followed by
"single").  This boots in single user mode which (usually) requires no
password, and you're root.  This is also why physical security is
important . . .

Bertrand_Hutin@notes.amdahl.com:
at the lilo prompt, type: linux single if you have a graphical
Lilo prompt, use the rescue floppy you should have made when installing.

"Alistair Mann" <alistair@chartcraft.net>:
You will need to be at the machine's keyboard to do this.
1. CTRL-ALT-DEL will usually start the server shutting down
2. At the 'LILO' prompt, type 'linux 1'
3. The machine will boot linux up into single user mode, leaving you at a
prompt at which you can change the root password.
4. Logging out will then restart the machine as normal.

Caveats:
1. Do make sure no one is using the server
2. I've assumed you are using the lilo boot loader
3. If you have 'rolled your own' kernel, you may have to change 'linux 1'
to
'<whatever you labeled the kernel> 1'; pressing tab at the lilo prompt will
remind you what kernels you have.

Bob Ramsey <robert-ramsey@uiowa.edu>:
A boot floppy should put you in single user mode, which means you are in as

root, but without being prompted for a password.  You can then just use the

passwd command to change the password or edit the passwd file to remove the

existing password and then set it to what you want.

I can't give you exact instructions, but I can point you to a couple of web

sites that should get you started.

Here are some instructions for doing this in Mandrake, which should work
for RH:
http://www.mandrakeuser.org/docs/admin/arecov2.html

How to make a boot floppy from within linux:
http://lark.cc.ukans.edu/~pauljohn/linux/PJLinuxTips.html#2.1

Another set of instructions:
http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue36/tag/49.html

The Linux Bootdisk HOWTO:
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Bootdisk-HOWTO/

Bob

Also thanks to:
Hugh Mc Gauran <hugh.mcgauran@piercom.ie>
Jandre Olivier <jandre@hemtech.co.za>
Tom Clark <tclark@cs.fredonia.edu>
s@avoidant.org
"Rivera, Angel R" <Angel.R.Rivera@conoco.com>
Dusan Djordjevic <dj.dule@tradal.net>
"Robin Hill" <Robin.Hill@biowisdom.com>
Alesh Mustar <alesh@sportina.si>
"Pierre Ganchegui" <pganchegui@delquignies.com>
David Ulevitch <davidu@everydns.net>
Jan Wender <j.wender@science-computing.de>
Steve Mickeler <steve@neptune.ca>
"Jhon H. Caicedo O." <jhcaiced@osso.org.co>
Linc Fessenden <linc@thelinuxlink.net>
David Kvarnberg <gnomeredhat@mellow.net>
Will Backman <whb@ceimaine.org>
"David Boutcher" <boutcher@us.ibm.com>

and to all others that I have not mentioned here.


Regards
Jon Ingason
Sr Field Ops Eng
IP/Router Operation
Global One Services AB trading as Equant
Solna strandvdg 82
PO BOX 1
171 18 SOLNA
SWEDEN
--------------------------------
Work:     +46 8 5191 3316
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E-mail:   Jon.Ingason@equant.com
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