topic root password locked on a vpar in Operating System - HP-UX

root password locked on a vpar

Phil R, — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:10:03 GMT

$ uname -a
HP-UX devsap02 B.11.23 U ia64 0858625482 unlimited-user license
$ model
ia64 hp superdome server SD32B

This system is split into 2 vars on 1 npar. On one of the vpars the root profile has been locked and I do not know what the root password is.
The system is also trusted.

I need to be able to unlock and reset the root password.

I believe that this can only be done in single user mode.
I am currently in a position where I can shutdown the vpar I am having problems with, but only have a user account which does not have permission to the shutdown command.
I don't know how to reboot a vpar other than through the shutdown command. I can do a RS or BO from the GSP but don't know if this will reboot the whole complex(npar) rather than just the individual vpar.

Also, once in single user mode is it just a matter of doing /usr/lbin/tsconvert -r and then passwd root to reset, or do I need to know the current root password to do this?

Being fairly new to HP-UX any help will be greatly appreciated.

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Torsten. — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:15:38 GMT

Hi,

you can use "vparreset" to "crash" and reset the running vPar from the second.

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Court Campbell — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:17:13 GMT

logon to the gsp/mp. go to the partition console and then use ctrl-a to go to the vpar. then logon as root and unlock the account.

# /usr/lbin/modprpw -k root

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Torsten. — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:17:55 GMT

Hi,

you can use "vparreset" to "crash" and reset the running vPar from the second.

First, try a soft reset:
winona1# vparreset -p winona2 -t

If this doesn't work (but it will), run a hard reset:
winona1# vparreset -p winona2 -h

Once it is stopped, start it in single user mode:

a) winona1# vparboot -p winona2 -o â -isâ
or
b) MON> vparload -p winona2 -o "-is"

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Court Campbell — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:18:23 GMT

also if you have sudo setup. you could use

# sudo -i

to change to root and then execute the aforementioned command.

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Patrick Wallek — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:19:32 GMT

I can't give advice on rebooting the VPAR as I have never worked with it.

However, the matter of reactivating root is relatively easy.

Once you manage to come up in single user mode, do the following:

You should not need to know the root password for any of this.

# vgchange -a y vg00
# mount /usr
# mount /var
# mount /tmp

To reactivate root:

# /usr/lbin/modprpw -k root

To change the root password, since you don't know it:

# vi /tcb/files/auth/r/root
Change the :u_pwd line so that it looks like:

:u_pwd=:\

You are removing the encrypted password here. Since you don't know the root password, you must do this before you can change it.

Now just issue the passwd command to create a new password.

# passwd root

Good luck.

P.S. This is why it is a good idea to have some sort of "back door" that you can use to do things. 'sudo' is a good utility to install that allows you to run commands as root, without being root. If set up correctly sudo would allow you to do what you need to change the root password and reactivate root without rebooting the machine.

Re: root password locked on a vpar

Torsten. — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:20:47 GMT

If you use the console to log on, you should be successfull without bringing the vPar down.
Remember the given commands for future reference.
Good luck!