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<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
type="topic" style="problem"
id="user-forgottenpassword">
<info>
<link type="guide" xref="user-accounts#passwords"/>
<desc>Reset a forgotten password.</desc>
<revision pkgversion="3.0" version="0.1" date="2011-2-22" status="review"/>
<credit type="author">
<name>GNOME Documentation Project</name>
<email>gnome-doc-list@gnome.org</email>
</credit>
<include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
</info>
<title>I forgot my password!</title>
<p>
It is important to not only choose <link xref="user-goodpassword">a good and secure password</link>, 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.
</p>
<note style="important">
<p>
If you have an encrypted home directory, you will not be able to reset a forgotten password.
</p>
</note>
<p>
If you simply want to change your password, see <link xref="user-changepassword"/>.
</p>
<section id="reset-password-grub2"><title>Reset password on Grub2 systems</title>
<steps>
<item>
<p>
Restart your computer, and hold down the <key>Shift</key> during bootup to get into the grub menu.
</p>
<note style="tip">
<p>
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 <key>Shift</key> key.
</p>
</note>
<note>
<p>If you are unable to get into the Grub boot menu, and therefore cannot edit any linux kernel lines, you can <link xref="#live-cd">use a live CD to reset your user password</link>.
</p>
</note>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Press <key>e</key> to edit the line that begins with the word 'linux'. This line may actually be wrapped onto a second line.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Add <cmd>init = /bin/sh</cmd> to the end of the line.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Press <keyseq><key>Ctrl</key><key> x </key></keyseq> to boot.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
At the <cmd>#</cmd> symbol, type:
</p>
<p>
<cmd>mount -o remount, rw /</cmd>
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
At the next <cmd>#</cmd> symbol type:
</p>
<p>
<cmd>passwd username</cmd>, where username is the username of the password you are changing.
</p>
<note>
<p>
Debian systems do not have a <cmd>root</cmd> password. Therefore, on Debian systems you would always be changing the password of a particular username, never root.
</p>
</note>
</item>
<item>
<p>
You will be prompted to enter a new UNIX password, and to confirm the new password.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Once the password has been successfully changed:
</p>
<p>
# <cmd>mount -o remount, ro /</cmd>
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Then:
</p>
<p>
# <cmd>reboot -f</cmd>
</p>
</item>
</steps>
<p>
After you successfully login, you will not be able to access your keyring (since you don't remember the old password). This means that all your saved passwords for wireless networks, jabber accounts, etc. will no longer be accessible. You will need to <link xref="#delete-keyring">delete the old keyring</link> and start a new one.
</p>
</section>
<section id="reset-password-grub1"><title>Reset password on Grub systems</title>
<steps>
<item>
<p>
Restart your computer, and press the <key>Esc</key> during bootup to get into the grub menu.
</p>
<note style="tip">
<p>
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 <key>Esc</key> key.
</p>
</note>
<note>
<p>If you are unable to get into the Grub boot menu, and therefore cannot edit any linux kernel lines, you can <link xref="#live-cd">use a live CD</link> to reset your user password.
</p>
</note>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Press <key>e</key> to edit the line that begins with the word 'kernel'. This line may actually be wrapped onto a second line.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Add <cmd>init = /bin/sh</cmd> to the end of the line.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Press <key>b</key> to boot.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
At the <cmd>#</cmd> symbol, type:
</p>
<p>
<cmd>mount -o remount, rw /</cmd>
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
At the next <cmd>#</cmd> symbol type:
</p>
<p>
<cmd>passwd username</cmd>, where username is the username of the password you are changing.
</p>
<note>
<p>
Debian systems do not have a <cmd>root</cmd> password. Therefore, on Debian systems you would always be changing the password of a particular username, never root.
</p>
</note>
</item>
<item>
<p>
You will be prompted to enter a new UNIX password, and to confirm the new password.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Once the password has been successfully changed:
</p>
<p>
# <cmd>mount -o remount, ro /</cmd>
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Then:
</p>
<p>
# <cmd>reboot -f</cmd>
</p>
</item>
</steps>
<p>
After you successfully login, you will not be able to access your keyring (since you don't remember the old password). This means that all your saved passwords for wireless networks, jabber accounts, etc. will no longer be accessible. You will need to <link xref="#delete-keyring">delete the old keyring</link> and start a new one.
</p>
</section>
<section id="reset-password-live-cd"><title>Reset password using a Live CD or USB</title>
<steps>
<item>
<p>
Boot the Live CD or USB.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Mount your drive.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Press <keyseq><key>Alt</key><key>F2</key></keyseq> to get the <gui>Run Application</gui> dialog.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Type <cmd>gksudo nautilus</cmd> to launch the file manager with system-wide privileges.
</p>
<note style="tip">
<p>
Within the drive you just mounted, you can check that it is the right drive by clicking <gui> home </gui> and then your username.
</p>
</note>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Go to the top-level directory of the mounted drive. Then go into the <gui>etc</gui> directory.
</p>
<p>
Locate the 'shadow' file and make a backup copy:
</p>
<steps>
<item><p>
Make sure the <gui>Icon view</gui> is selected.
</p></item>
<item><p>
Right-click on the shadow file and select <gui>copy</gui>.
</p></item>
<item><p>
Then right-click in the empty space and select <gui>paste</gui>.
</p></item>
<item><p>
<link xref="files-renaming">Rename</link> the backup "shadow.bak".
</p></item>
</steps>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Edit the original "shadow" file with a text editor.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
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):
</p>
<p>
username:$1$2abCd0E or
</p>
<p>
username:$1$2abCd0E:13721a:0:99999:7:::
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
Replace the characters after the first colon (and before the second colon if it applies) with the hash for a blank password: U6aMy0wojraho
</p>
<p>
Save the file, exit out of everything and reboot your computer without the live CD or USB.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
When you boot back into your installation, type 'about me' in the <gui>Activities</gui> overview. Open <gui>About Me</gui> and reset your password.
</p>
</item>
<item>
<p>
For <gui>Current password</gui> do not enter anything, as your current password is blank. Just click <gui>Authenticate</gui> and enter a new password.
</p>
</item>
</steps>
<p>
After you successfully login, you will not be able to access your keyring (since you don't remember the old password). This means that all your saved passwords for wireless networks, jabber accounts, etc. will no longer be accessible. You will need to <link xref="#delete-keyring">delete the old keyring</link> and start a new one.
</p>
</section>
<section id="delete-keyring">
<title>Get Rid of the Keyring Manager</title>
<steps>
<item><p>
Go to your Home folder by typing 'home' in the <gui>Activities</gui> overview.
</p></item>
<item><p>
Press <keyseq><key>Ctrl</key><key>h</key></keyseq> (or click <guiseq><gui>View</gui><gui>Show Hidden Files</gui></guiseq>.)
</p></item>
<item><p>
Double click on the folder .gnome2
</p></item>
<item><p>
Double click on the folder called keyrings.
</p></item>
<item><p>
Delete any files you find in the keyrings folder.
</p></item>
<item><p>
Restart the computer.
</p></item>
</steps>
<p>
After you restart and login you will be asked to enter your wireless networks password.
</p>
</section>
<comment>
<cite date="2010-10-31" href="mailto:gnome-doc-list@gnome.org">GNOME Documentation Project</cite>
<p>Instruction on what to do if the user forgets his/her password. Mention possible side-effects of changing the password.</p>
</comment>
</page>
|
