root acct unable to change own password.

[John Kittel]

HP-UX 11.11, trusted.

When root runs the passwd command to change it's own password, when prompted for old password, I enter it, it says "sorry".

I know I am entering the old pasword correctly. I've tried several times. I can log in fine with this password. Same thing happens with sam. Same thing happens with telnet connection or console. Same thing happens with /usr/bin/passwd or /sbin/passwd. root acct is not locked, password is not expired. root can change other acct's passwords. I even gave same password to another acct and then that acct could change it's own password.

If I try to use sam to reset root's password, sam displays this error: An invalid command syntax was used to invoke the command "/usr/lbin/modprpw". Failed to update protected password database for user "".

pwck and authck -p both report no problems.

Thanks for any help.

- John Kittel

[James A. Donovan · Accepted solution]

look here

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=21584

[John Kittel]

That nailed it Jim!

Password before conversion to "trusted" was > 8 characters.

I was able to get past entering the old password by supplying ony the first 8.

Thanks a million.

- John

[Floyd Curtis]

Assuming you are not using NIS:

If your root password is longer than 8 characters, try using only the first 8 when asked for the old one.

If that fails, you may need to go to /tcb/files/auth/r and vi the root file to remove encrypted passwd.

good luck,
fwc

[John Kittel]

Thank you Floyd. Unfortunately Jim beat you to it. I know from experience you have to be very fast responding to forum questions if want to beat everyone else and get the points. ( I guess it helps too if the questions are hard enough that it takes people longer to answer.)

- John

[Floyd Curtis]

No worries John,
I am just glad that you got it, cuz I know its frustrating when you know so many things are right, but can't find that last darned detail..

But that's what keeps sys admining fun...;)

Later,
fwc

[Rory R Hammond]

FYI:
you could have edited
/tcb/files/auth/r/root
and change the line like:
:u_pwd=km5YoofpyoQy.:\
to
:u_pwd=:\

And then run passwd

We use sudo and sometimes the root passwd get forgotten.
Rory