Lost root password
July 19, 2011 • Customer Services
Synopsis
If you have lost your root password this document will assist you in regaining access.
Article
Before following through this document you will need either physical access to the screen and keyboard plugged into a stand alone machine, or be able to log into the VMWare console. If you do not have access to either of these you will not be able to reset the root password.
Log in to the CensorNet's web interface and use System Shutdown/Reboot menu option. Press the Reboot button. (Make sure you have the console open. If you are on a VMWare system, make sure you have opened a console ready).
Repeatedly press the LEFT SHIFT key whilst the server boots back up. This will display the GRUB menu (black and white). If you are taken by to the login prompt, reboot again and make sure you are pressing LEFT SHIFT as the machine starts up.
Select the top entry in the menu using the arrow keys and press the letter e to edit the entry.
Use the arrow keys to find the line that starts with linux. Move to the end of the line, which usually ends "quiet splash" and add a space followed by the text exactly as it appears below:
init=/bin/bash
Then hold down the Ctrl key and press the letter x.
The server will reboot again and bypass the login prompt as shown below.
root@(none):/#
This will allow you to reset the lost root password by following the steps below.
You now need to change the file system so that it is editable. Type the following and press ENTER.
mount -o rw,remount /
Now you can set a new root password by typing:
passwd root
and entering a new root password. It will prompt you to confirm the new password.
Once you have been notified the password has been successfully changed you should commit the changes to the file system by typing the following command twice, as shown below.
sync
sync
Re-mount the root filing system to read only by typing
mount -o ro,remount /
If you are running on a stand-alone server you can reboot the server. On a VMWare system, press the red stop button for the Virtual Machine and then power it back on.
Once at the login prompt you should now be able to login as root with the new password set above.
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