topic Re: How do I change root password in Operating System - HP-UX

How do I change root password

David_246 — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:58:43 GMT

Hi,

We have implemented a tool so yu don't need to know the actual root-password anymore. This makes we generate a new root-password every month, write it down and put it in a safe.

But, what if we make a typo ? Of course you don't as you double check twice, but just in case. How do I reset my root-password ?

I know I have to boot of cdrom, mount the root-disk. But we have LVM !! how do I mount in the correct disk, make sure that when I boot after the change, my boot-disk (mirrored) are still fine to boot?

Can anyone help ?

Best Regs David

Re: How do I change root password

Jerome Baron — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:01:57 GMT

to reset passwd :
boot in single user mode (interrupt boot and hpux -is)
your are in superuser mode use passwd to set a new password.

Regards,
Jerome

Re: How do I change root password

Armin Feller — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:06:27 GMT

Hi,

do following:

?? switch off/on the system
?? break bootprocess [Esc]
?? boot to ISL
>boot pri isl
interact with IPL? YES
?? boot into SingleUser
ISL> hpux -is
?? re-set the root password
# passwd
new password:
repeat new password:
?? the reboot the system
# cd /
# shutdown -r 0

Best regards ...
Armin

Re: How do I change root password

David_246 — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:10:56 GMT

Hi Jerome,

I am sorry, but we have a secured system. So the root-password is needed to login to single user mode :(
So we have to login using a CDROM

Regs David

Re: How do I change root password

Eugeny Brychkov — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:19:53 GMT

David,
CD disk you're talking about is support/recovery CD (maybe OS installation CD). You boot from it, then follow recommendations displayed and choosing right options.
PDC: bo alt (if alt is CD-ROMs path)
interact isl - no
menu will be displayed, you choose 'recover system', then you're exiting recovery shell, issue commands to mount root disks (they will be displayed) and then editing passwrd file or issuing 'passwd' command.
I would recommend you to try to do all these on non-production sytem first :o)
Eugeny

Re: How do I change root password

Ravi_8 — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:26:46 GMT

Hi,

Do you know the old password? If so just use the passwd command.

If not, vi the /tcb/auth/files/r/root file

remove the hash code between = and : , i.e..
:u_pwd=fBX819fJCbb2w::u_pwd=:
Then use the passwd command.

Becareful editing that file.

Re: How do I change root password

Armin Feller — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:30:12 GMT

Hi,

if the procedure of "Eugeny Brychkov" does not work, try to unconvert the trused system first by:

# /etc/tsconvert -r
# cd /.secure
# rm -r *
# cd /
# rmdir .secure

and then use the command:

# passwd

Regards ...
Armin

Re: How do I change root password

Trond Haugen — Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:15:53 GMT

You CAN boot in single user modeif you disable secure mode first. To do that you'll have to disconnect the boot disks first.

Regards,
Trond

Re: How do I change root password

Andre Lemon — Wed, 15 Jan 2003 19:51:50 GMT

Maybe you want to consider having a second username with
root capabilities and you can logon using that id, then use
SAM to change the 'root' userid password. Of course
you would keep this userid
and password information
restricted to the System Admin.

Andre'

Re: How do I change root password

Anil C. Sedha — Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:24:41 GMT

Very simple..

Use "sudo". Very easy to setup too.

What it will do is that everytime you run a command with root access use the command with sudo. In the list of sudoers, you can list your name and specify the type of access that you want to have or provide.

This way you can allow limited root access also to other users at work.

You can change your root password also, since you use only your id's password to run sudo.

-Anil