Download Article
Easily access your Linux device by changing your password with this simple guide
Download Article
So you forgot your Linux/Ubuntu/Unix password? No worries, this article will guide you how to reset your Linux password in minutes.
Steps
-
Select the option 'Drop to root shell prompt'. After the computer boots in to recovery mode, from the Recovery menu select the option 'Drop to root shell prompt'Advertisement
-
Type the command. To change the password type the command ' passwd username' and follow the instruction below.
-
In case of error. There is a possibility that you may get an 'Authentication token manipulations error' as Filesystem state could be 'Read only'. To fix it, type the following command before the first command. mount -rw -o remount
Advertisement
Community Q&A
Search
-
QuestionWhat do I do if the computer won't accept commands after selecting the "Drop to root shell prompt' option?HaxaliciousCommunity AnswerYou need to mount the filesystem as read-write (rw). Do step 4 and type "mount -rw -o remount". You can also go into the recovery menu first, select "fsck" which will mount your filesystem as rw (and it will also check the disk for errors too) and after that you can use the root shell.
-
QuestionWill it lose my memory?Community AnswerIf you are referring to data in your hard disk, there is no data to lose. You are just modifying the file /etc/passwd file by the above-mentioned step.
-
QuestionHow do I protect my computer from this attack?Community AnswerInside a terminal, type sudo nano /etc/default/grub. After finding #GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true", uncomment that line. Then, exit the nano text editor (make sure to save changes).
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 121,263 times.
Advertisement