Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:54:41 +0100 From: Matthew Seaman <m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk> To: DSA - JCR <juancr@dsa.es> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: How to restore a lost root password... Message-ID: <49033331.1040906@infracaninophile.co.uk> In-Reply-To: <3378.84.18.11.147.1224942988.squirrel@mail.dsa.es> References: <3378.84.18.11.147.1224942988.squirrel@mail.dsa.es>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
[-- Attachment #1 --]
DSA - JCR wrote:
> Hi all
>
> I have lost the neuron where I stored the root password of an installation ;D
>
> I have seen a "How to" about this but I have a problem, i set the console
> to insecure, so when I try to do the step of the "how to" i get a message
> to input the root password or Ctrl-D to enter in multiuser mode.
>
> Is there a way to restore/modify it, or not?
>
> Some ideas?
You can try booting from installation media into 'fixit' mode or live
filesystem. Once there, you can mount your HDD read-write; edit
/etc/master.password to remove the crypted password string from the
line for the root account; run 'cap_mkdb ./master.passwd'; reboot back to
your normal system and then log in as root (no password) and
/immediately/ set another root password.
This time, don't forget your root password. If you struggle to memorise
it, then *write it down* on its own, on a blank sheet of paper. Don't
add any really obvious text like "this is the root password for my
server" -- after all, we don't want to make it too easy for anyone trying
to break in do we? Seal that paper in an envelope and keep it in a safe
place. But not so safe that you forget where you put it...
Cheers,
Matthew
--
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 7 Priory Courtyard
Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Ramsgate
Kent, CT11 9PW
[-- Attachment #2 --]
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (FreeBSD)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org
iEYEAREIAAYFAkkDMzkACgkQ8Mjk52CukIzjSgCfWaBaUT9XHiufDkVzPpiBgKxr
t3kAn10BH+rMTTrh8C7y2q9X2qUnGG/e
=Sd/K
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?49033331.1040906>