From 97ed6cf2ce6dc757c06621ea8f1bece188f85ffc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Tiffany Antopolski Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:44:29 -0500 Subject: [gnome-help] user-forgottenpassword.page: content added --- gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page | 260 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 255 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) (limited to 'gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page') diff --git a/gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page b/gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page index e8d8783..33edf13 100644 --- a/gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page +++ b/gnome-help/C/user-forgottenpassword.page @@ -4,21 +4,271 @@ - XXX - + Reset forgotten password + GNOME Documentation Project gnome-doc-list@gnome.org - + I forgot my password! - +

+ It is important to not only choose a good and secure password, but one that you can also remember. In the event that you have forgotten the password to login to your computer account, you can follow the following steps to reset it. +

+ +

+ If you have an encrypted home directory, you will not be able to reset a forgotten password. +

+ +

+ If you simply want to change your password, see . +

+
Reset Password on Grub2 Systems + + +

+ Restart your computer, and hold down the Shift during bootup to get into the grub menu. +

+ +

+ If you have a dual-boot machine and you choose at boot time which operating system to boot into, the grub menu should appear without the need to hold down the Shift key. +

+ + +

If you are unable to get into the Grub boot menu, and therefore cannot edit any linux kernel lines, you can use a live CD to reset your user password. +

+ + + +

+ Press e to edit the line that begins with the word 'linux'. This line may actually be wrapped onto a second line. +

+ + +

+ Add init = /bin/sh to the end of the line. +

+ + +

+ Press Ctrl x to boot. +

+ + +

+ At the # symbol, type: +

+

+ mount -o remount, rw / +

+ + +

+ At the next # symbol type: +

+

+ passwd username , where username is the username of the password you are changing. +

+ +

+ Debian systems do not have a root password. Therefore, on Debian systems you would always be changing the password of a particular username, never root. +

+ + + +

+ You will be prompted to enter a new UNIX password, and to confirm the new password. +

+ + +

+ Once the password has been successfully changed: +

+

+ # mount -o remount, ro / +

+ + +

+ Then: +

+

+ # reboot -f +

+ + + +
+
Reset Password on Grub Systems + + +

+ Restart your computer, and press the Esc during bootup to get into the grub menu. +

+ +

+ If you have a dual-boot machine and you choose at boot time which operating system to boot into, the grub menu should appear without the need to hold down the Esc key. +

+ + +

If you are unable to get into the Grub boot menu, and therefore cannot edit any linux kernel lines, you can use a live CD to reset your user password. +

+ + + +

+ Press e to edit the line that begins with the word 'kernel'. This line may actually be wrapped onto a second line. +

+ + +

+ Add init = /bin/sh to the end of the line. +

+ + +

+ Press b to boot. +

+ + +

+ At the # symbol, type: +

+

+ mount -o remount, rw / +

+ + +

+ At the next # symbol type: +

+

+ passwd username , where username is the username of the password you are changing. +

+ +

+ Debian systems do not have a root password. Therefore, on Debian systems you would always be changing the password of a particular username, never root. +

+ + + +

+ You will be prompted to enter a new UNIX password, and to confirm the new password. +

+ + +

+ Once the password has been successfully changed: +

+

+ # mount -o remount, ro / +

+ + +

+ Then: +

+

+ # reboot -f +

+ + + +
+
Reset Password Using a Live CD or USB + + +

+ Boot the Live CD or USB. +

+ + +

+ Mount your drive. +

+ + +

+ Press Alt F2 to get the Run Application dialog. +

+ + +

+ Type gksudo nautilus to launch the file manager with system-wide privileges. +

+ +

+ Within the drive you just mounted, you can check that it is the right drive by clicking home and then your username. +

+ + + +

+ Go to the top-level directory of the mounted drive. Then go into the etc directory. +

+

+ Locate the 'shadow' file and make a backup copy: +

+ +

+ Make sure the Icon view is selected. +

+ +

+ Right-click on the shadow file and select copy . +

+

+ Then right-click in the empty space and select paste . + + +

+ +

+ Rename the backup "shadow.bak". +

+ + + + + +

+ Edit the original "shadow" file with a text editor. +

+ + + +

+ Find your username in for which you have forgotten the password. It should look something like this (the characters after the colon will be different): +

+

+ username:$1$2abCd0E or +

+

+ username:$1$2abCd0E:13721a:0:99999:7::: +

+ + +

+ Replace the characters after the first colon (and before the second colon if it applies) with the hash for a blank password: U6aMy0wojraho +

+

+ Save the file, exit out of everything and reboot your computer without the live CD or USB. +

+ + +

+ When you boot back into your installation, type 'about me' in the Activities overview. Open About Me and reset your password. +

+ + + +
GNOME Documentation Project

Instruction on what to do if the user forgets his/her password. Mention possible side-effects of changing the password.

 - + -- cgit