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Linux Distributions and Linux Identity magazines forum
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55Bel19Air
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Post subject: how to recover a forgotten administrator password
 Posted: Aug 27, 2012 - 12:43 PM
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Joined: Aug 27, 2012
Posts: 3
Status: Offline
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I have Ubuntu 11.1 installed on a Dell Inspiron 1720 laptop, beside a windows7 os. I forgot my administrator pass word, and have lost the notebook I keep my passwords in, so I can not use update or any other administration function that requires my password. How would I go about either recovering the lost password, or changing it (you need your old password for this option)  |
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55Bel19Air
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Post subject: Re: how to recover a forgotten administrator password
Posted: Aug 31, 2012 - 08:49 PM
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Joined: Aug 27, 2012
Posts: 3
Status: Offline
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[quote="55Bel19Air"]I have Ubuntu 11.1 installed on a Dell Inspiron 1720 laptop, beside a windows7 os. I forgot my administrator pass word, and have lost the notebook I keep my passwords in, so I can not use update or any other administration function that requires my password. How would I go about either recovering the lost password, or changing it (you need your old password for this option) [/quote]
I meant password, not administrator password |
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55Bel19Air
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Post subject: RE: Re: how to recover a forgotten administrator password
Posted: Sep 10, 2012 - 06:46 PM
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Joined: Aug 27, 2012
Posts: 3
Status: Offline
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| I am using ubuntu11.0 as a guest because I do not recall my password for administrator privileges, nor my user password...I would like to upgrade but can't without the password. Is there any way to recover that password? |
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seth
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Post subject:
Posted: Oct 10, 2012 - 01:47 PM
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Joined: Oct 10, 2012
Posts: 2
Status: Offline
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55Bel19Air,
The easiest way to change a password when you've totally forgotten it is to boot off of an Ubuntu liveCD.
1. From within the liveCD desktop, mount the harddrive that ubuntu is installed onto. You can do this by opening up the liveCD's home folder from the launch bar on the left. Once the home folder is open, you should see a harddrive listed under the DEVICES heading on the left panel. Click that and it will be mounted as a readable file system.
2. Right now, it's just a drive with some files on it (you'll see folders like /boot and /etc and /lib and things like that). The thing you need to do is make it the actual, usable environment. To do this, open a terminal.
In the terminal, cd to that harddrive. Sometimes the easiest way to do that is to type 'cd' into the terminal, and then drag the icon of where you want to go into the terminal:
cd
and then drag the icons of the harddrive from the TOP of the file manager window into the terminal. The appropriate text will be put into the terminal for you.
Hit return.
Your terminal prompt should change to something like
ubuntu@ubuntu:/media/blah$
3. Now you're inside of the Ubuntu harddrive. To make it the usable environment, use the command "chroot":
sudo chroot .
4. Now type the command to change your password:
passwd YOUR-UBUNTU-USER-NAME
Replace YOUR-UBUNTU-USER-NAME with...well, your ubuntu user name.
You will be prompted to change your password. Type it in (it will look like nothing is happening, but it is..) and then hit return. Type it in again to confirm and hit return. And now it's changed.
5. Reboot back into Ubuntu as normal.
Hope that helps! |
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seth
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Post subject:
Posted: Oct 10, 2012 - 01:56 PM
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Joined: Oct 10, 2012
Posts: 2
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Just re-read your original post and I see you also have a windows partition. This could make things a little confusing when you're trying to figure out which drive is which in the liveCD.
These instructions may be easier.
1. Turn on your computer.
2. Press ESC at the text menu where you choose between Windows or Ubuntu.
3. Press e (to edit the command)
4. You'll see a few different startup lines; select the line that begins with 'kernel' and press e again
5. At the very end of that line, add
rw init=/bin/bash
6. Now press return, and then press b to boot Ubuntu.
7. Your system will boot up to a root shell. This is what we want.
8. Type this command:
passwd YOUR-UBUNTU-USER-NAME
9. Type in a new password.
10. Type in reboot
And now your computer will boot normally, back into the normal Ubuntu desktop, and your password will be reset. |
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