From owner-freebsd-questions Tue Dec 23 17:23:33 1997 Return-Path: Received: (from root@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) id RAA27985 for questions-outgoing; Tue, 23 Dec 1997 17:23:33 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-questions) Received: from freebie.lemis.com (gregl1.lnk.telstra.net [139.130.136.133]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id RAA27884 for ; Tue, 23 Dec 1997 17:21:00 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from grog@lemis.com) Received: (from grog@localhost) by freebie.lemis.com (8.8.8/8.8.7) id LAA09046; Wed, 24 Dec 1997 11:50:32 +1030 (CST) (envelope-from grog) Message-ID: <19971224115031.43721@lemis.com> Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 11:50:31 +1030 From: Greg Lehey To: grcuerrier Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Lost root password References: <199712240043.TAA02258@host.cnwl.igs.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mutt 0.84e In-Reply-To: <199712240043.TAA02258@host.cnwl.igs.net>; from grcuerrier on Tue, Dec 23, 1997 at 07:48:52PM -0500 Organisation: LEMIS, PO Box 460, Echunga SA 5153, Australia Phone: +61-8-8388-8286 Fax: +61-8-8388-8725 Mobile: +61-41-739-7062 WWW-Home-Page: http://www.lemis.com/~grog Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk On Tue, Dec 23, 1997 at 07:48:52PM -0500, grcuerrier wrote: > One of my techs entered a new root password, which he has forgotten. Is > there any way a user with "wheel" access can reset the root password > without having to redo the whole server? I suppose that depends on what you mean by "redo the whole server". > Strange question I know. I thought possibly there would be a way > upon power up. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. You can do it if you can reboot. Start up in single user mode: Boot: -s .... Enter name of shell, or sh to accept default: (press ENTER) # mount -u / # password root Enter new password: Enter password again: # ^D (enter ctrl-D to continue with startup) Greg