Forgotten Passwords

User Passwords

User passwords can be reset as follows:

1. log in as "root"
2. switch to user account, eg for user "fred"
3. # su fred
4. execute password command to change password for user "fred"

$ passwd

Root Password

Root password can be reset only via booting another Linux on the same computer - either:

• another installed Linux
• a utility USB/CD booted on the computer - these generally run from the root account

1. mount the partition containing the root filesystem of the installation for which password reset is required - eg for /dev/sda10
2. # mount /dev/sda10 /mnt
3. change to the mounted partition
4. # chroot /mnt
5. execute password command to change password for user "fred"
6. $ passwd