topic Re: root password in Operating System - HP-UX

root password

Noel Daniel — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:17:01 GMT

One of my customers have an issue.

Very carelessly he has lost the root password, & now he needs root access. What is the proecedure to get into the system ? Is there a method through single user mode ?

Re: root password

DCE — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:28:21 GMT

You can boot the system into single user mode snd change the root password.

If the password is protected in single user mode then you will have to boot off of the install/recovery CD and recover the root password via the recovery menu

Re: root password

Noel Daniel — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:50:05 GMT

Yes I am unable to change it through single user mode. I went in to the recovery console & checked. In what step can passwd be changed ?

Re: root password

Yogeeraj_1 — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 01:36:52 GMT

hi,

without going through the procedures mentioned above, it would be impossible to recover the password... Unless they have created an account with ID same as root!!

kind regards
yogeeraj

Re: root password

Mridul Shrivastava — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 01:45:51 GMT

You need to interuupt the automatic boot process.. then you will be at BCH there you need to type hpux -is

this will boot the system into single user mode there you can change the root password using "passwd root" command and reboot..

This should resolve the issue..

Re: root password

Noel Daniel — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 04:53:26 GMT

1- I know how to enter the single user mode. But what I am saying is that it doesn't allow to change without he old password.

2- About running recovery from the HP-UX installaltion CD: What is the procedure within it to recover/change root password.

Re: root password

Salai Balakrishnan — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 05:17:58 GMT

You can boot the Server in single user mode by "hpux -is" by terminating the autoboot.

Then edit the /etc/passwd file thru vi editor and remove the entry in the second field between root and user id. i.e. after removing the entry should look like

root::0:....:.....:....

Now there will not be any password and you can press enter if it ask for the passwd.

Boot the Server in normal mode and give the new passwd as u need.