[SunHELP] Root password problem

[Steve Fraser]

Ben,

That Sun tech is wrong. What you want to do is boot net -s into single user
mode on the Netra (assuming you have a proper Jumpstart image), then fsck
the appropriate partitions. After that mount your root partition with
something like "mount /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 /a". Then you can edit /a/etc/shadow
and remove the entry in the password field for root (this will be the second
field). After that init 6 the box, log in as root (with blank pwd) when it
comes back up, and change the pwd to what you want.

-Steve

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Ricker" <bricker at wellinx.com>
To: "Sun Help List" <sunhelp at sunhelp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 1:48 PM
Subject: [SunHELP] Root password problem


> I know that the question of how to boot a machine into Maintenence mode
> when you have lost the root password has been answered many times
> before. However, I have an added twist:
>
> I have a Netra X1 that crashed REAL hard and it fragged the swap
> directory. It now will only boot to the 'Hit CTRL-D to resume booting
> (or type in root password to enter Maintenence Mode):'. Normally, one
> boots into single user mode from CD. However, the X1 has NO CD! I called
> Sun and they tell me that you cannot boot using 'boot net' and Jumpstart
> into Maintenence Mode (so I can mount root, reset the root password and
> then boot into Maintencen Mode). The Sun tech told me that one can only
> boot into the installer but not single user mode (it might be because
> they cannot tell anyone how to circumvent the root password).
>
> Can anyone verify this? How can use the net booting feature into single
> user?
>
> Btw, I know it is stupid to lose root. An ex-employee did it and he does
> not know what it is.
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Ben Ricker
> System Administrator
> Wellinx.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> SunHELP maillist  -  SunHELP at sunhelp.org
> http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/sunhelp
>