root account disabled

[Michael Crihfield]

I have a Visualize server that I am trying to telnet to and it gives me a root account disabled. Can anyone give me a hand with this?

[Chuck J · Accepted solution]

Boot into single user mode, here's how to do it:

* Power cycle the machine if you cannot reboot

When you see the system coming up again you can interrupt the system boot sequence (it will ask you to press any key in 10 sec to stop booting), and then after pressing the key (e.g. spacebar)> It may now bring up a boot menu. Depending on the model you will need to enter a command similar to:

BOOT_ADMIN> boot OR
BOOT_ADMIN> boot pri isl OR something else

If you are asked if you want to interact with the ISL, type yes. Then:

ISL> hpux -is

This will take you to single user mode.

Now type:

# mountall
# vi /etc/passwd
x out the second string where the password is

or you could:
# passwd root


Bingo.

Chuck J

[Christopher McCray_1]

Have you tried booting into single user mode??

From there you should be able to change root's passwd.

Hope this helps

Chris

[Chuck J]

Oh, where i said "x out the password" in the /etc/passwd file, i meant delete the file, this will give root no password.

After you've changed the password you can do:

# init 3

to boot back into multi-user mode.

[Pete Randall]

No, don't delete the passwd file!!! You'll be logged in as root - use the passwd command to change root's passwd, then return to multi-user state by init 3 or re-booting.

Pete

[Chuck J]

OOOOOOOoops, i meant "delete the field" not file!!! just delete the second FIELD where the password is to give root no password.

Woops, that was a typo!!

Chuck J

[Pete Randall]

And quite the typo it was, Chuck!!

;^)

Pete

[merydine]

Hi,

You maid have two reasons to this kind of pbs :

-You are in trusted mode with pass aging set for all users (root too) . Boot in single and use SAM do configurate proply.

- The file securetty is active

Bye.

Merydine

[Michael Crihfield]

Problem Solved. For some reason I forgot all about my friend single usder. DOH! Thank to all who replied.
Chriss

[Chuck J]

If you didn't bring that up i would've missed it. My mind was thinking "field" but my hand typed "file", then when i read your message I thought "Hang on, WHAT THE" hehe.

:-)

Chuck J

[Martin Johnson]

You may want to consider a pseudo root account (username, password, UID=0) for root access when the root account is disabled. With a pseudo root account, you can change the root password without have to reboot into single user mode.

HTH
Marty

[Martin Johnson]

Chuck,

And you got 10 points for the typo!!!!! WOW!

:-)
Marty

[Michael Crihfield]

What can I say, I'm generous. Actually I knew what he was talking about even if there was a typo. As soon as you guys said single user I knew what needed to be done. Hence points for everyone!!!
Chriss