Cannot login as root

[Barbara Kingston_1]

We ran into a problem here where someone downloaded a password file they had on disk.
Unfortunately, they cannot login to root any longer since root does not have a default shell.
They never got around to creating other users on this box. What can be done to get around this? Thanks, Brenda

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

Reboot in single user mode - you'll be logged in as root, fix the passwd and away you go.

Pete

[S.K. Chan]

You should be able to boot the machine up in single user mode .. ie
ISL > hpux -is
and that allows root access without needing the password. Once you're in, mount /usr so that you can use vi to fix your password file.

[Helen French]

You can recreate your /etc/passwd file by booting in single user mode. From boot console menu:

ISL > hpux -is

You will be given a default shell and from there you can edit the files needed.

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

As soon as you switch on the server one message pops on the screen which is similar to "press any key to interrupt the boot process" there you can press any key to enter into ISL and where you can type "hpux -is" to goto single user mode.

just give the command passwd to change the password or run sam and reactivate the account.

If still not working edit the /tcb/auth/files/r as already mentioned here.


cd /tcb/files/auth/r/
vi root

Remove the characters in this field, ie FROM :u_pwd=FjkcRtoBTdXnI:\ TO :u_pwd=:

Save the file and retry the passwd command to change the passwd.

[Paul Sperry]

Reboot the system, Interrupt the boot process, then at the
GSP> prompt type

bo pri

Say yes to interace whit ISL

Then at the ISL prompt type

hpux -s

You will the be in songle user mode.

Do a mount -a

then

passwd root

To change roots password

Also roots shell should be /sbin/sh

[Barbara Kingston_1]

Thanks so much for the quick responses! All is well.

Brenda