I forgot my main/only/sudo Mint password (MATE 13)

[pepperminty]

Hello,

I have been away from my Linux Mint OS for some time and forgot the password. I am the the only user of the Linux Mint. I have the sudo/admin access. I remember the username.

How can I reset the password?

I'm using Linux Mint 13 MATE. Thank you.

[karlchen]

Hello, pepperminty.

How about following psychocat's advice on How to reset your password in Ubuntu?

Kind regards,
Karl

[pepperminty]

Karl

I am stuck. Psychocat's advice does not include what I am facing. In the recovery menu I chose Root. But now I get this message: give root password for maintenance.

I do not know my root password. I do not know any password. I forgot them all.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

Hello,

I have been away from my Linux Mint OS for some time and forgot the password. I am the the only user of the Linux Mint. I have the sudo/admin access. I remember the username.

How can I reset the password?

I'm using Linux Mint 13 MATE. Thank you.

Try this
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/339


Reset Password:
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=112077
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/851
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=120157

[pepperminty]

Try this
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/339

Sad to say that it didn't solve my problem.

I got to step 4 [Press e for edit] with ease.
Step 5 is impossible, because there was no line that began with "kernel". Instead, I chose "LinuxMint, with Linux 3.2.0-23-generic (recovery mode)".
Here were my options:

Here is what the "editor" had before I made any changes.


And then I added one line at the end:

rw init=/bin/bash

Step 6
When I tried to boot the edited stuff, I got this:

It says

Booting a command list

Loading Linux 3.2.0-23-generic ...
Error: unknown command `rw'.

Press any key to continue...

Anyone, please help.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

I believe you were supposed to add rw init=/bin/bash to ro recovery nomodeset.


like this

ro recovery nomodeset rw init=/bin/bash

[wayne128]

Step 5 is impossible, because there was no line that began with "kernel".

@pepperminty,
you are very close...
here is just explanation,
if you use grub legacy, then, it boots from kernel line that start with the word kernel
since now you boot with grub2, the kernel line has the word linux.....

so you are supposed to scroll to the linux line, move cursor untill the end of the line
and type the command
rw init=/bin/bash

then ctrl-x or f10 to boot,

when it boots up, the console will look like this

(none) /#

your next step is to list your home directory (ls /home) to find your last login name

Code: Select all

ls /home

terminal will show
your_name

next step is to type after the #

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passwd your_name

and enter your new password twice when prompted.

if all is well, reboot and use new password.
hope it helps


ps, capture mine to show you where exactly to type

this are the lines
the one you need to use is highlighted in RED

insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root be31f4b1-ceb1-4f3a-a59a-73e96f5497a9
echo 'Loading Linux 3.7.0-2.dmz.1-liquorix-686 ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.0-2.dmz.1-liquorix-686 root=UUID=be31f4b1-ceb1-4f3a-a59a-73e96f5497a9 ro quiet splash
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.7.0-2.dmz.1-liquorix-686

move cursor to RED line, type in, so the line look likes

linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.7.0-2.dmz.1-liquorix-686 root=UUID=be31f4b1-ceb1-4f3a-a59a-73e96f5497a9 ro quiet splash rw init=/bin/bash

[pepperminty]

so you are supposed to scroll to the linux line, move cursor untill the end of the line
and type the command
rw init=/bin/bash

OK, I did as you said.
Here's how my GRUB text looks after implementing your advice:
http://i.imgur.com/8xRJc2K.jpg.

then ctrl-x or f10 to boot,
when it boots up, the console will look like this
(none) /#

Sadly, not for me. This is what I see after I press f10:
http://i.imgur.com/BA6Vsgu.jpg

[TheDynamicHamza21]

Here's how my GRUB text looks after implementing your advice:
http://i.imgur.com/8xRJc2K.jpg.

It's misspelled you have rw init=bin/bash you forgot the / before bin like this :

rw init=/bin/bash

[cwsnyder]

I'm sorry one of the above methods didn't work for you.

This method works, but requires another Linux system, either a Live Linux medium, either your Mint install medium, Knoppix, Slitaz, Puppy Linux, or similar on CD/DVD or USB key, whichever will boot on your computer, or another Linux install on your system.
1) Boot into your Live Linux system.
2) Mount your Mint root partition. If you don't see an icon on your desktop, you can open a Terminal instance and type fdisk -l (that is the lower case L) to find the device name for your root partition or open whatever partitioning software is available to you to get that information. It will look something like /dev/sdaX where X is the number of the partition on the hard drive.
3) Still in Terminal, type

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mkdir mint
mount /dev/sda2 mint
sudo chroot mint
passwd <username>

Change /dev/sda2 to point to the partition containing your Mint root partition, of course, and use the <username> of the user which you need to change the password.
4) Type in the new password twice as prompted.
5) Use exit or Ctrl-D key combination to exit chroot and then the terminal.
6) Reboot and use the newly assigned password.

[pepperminty]

Dear all,

Thanks to TheDynamicHamza21 for catching my typo. Now, I made sure I had

Code: Select all

rw init=/bin/bash

So now my Grub looks like this:
http://i.imgur.com/lKBPmiz.jpg

I press F10 and I get this:
http://i.imgur.com/iuoLWES.jpg

And my Caps Lock LED light is blinking. I did a hard power off on the computer to restart the computer.

Please help.

[wayne128]

I press F10 and I get this:
http://i.imgur.com/iuoLWES.jpg

And my Caps Lock LED light is blinking. I did a hard power off on the computer to restart the computer.

Please help.

Well, too bad, you had kernel panic.
If that repeat, then, sorry, a reinstall would be necessary

[pepperminty]

I'm sorry one of the above methods didn't work for you.

This method works, but requires another Linux system, either a Live Linux medium, either your Mint install medium, Knoppix, Slitaz, Puppy Linux, or similar on CD/DVD or USB key, whichever will boot on your computer, or another Linux install on your system.
1) Boot into your Live Linux system.
2) Mount your Mint root partition. If you don't see an icon on your desktop, you can open a Terminal instance and type fdisk -l (that is the lower case L) to find the device name for your root partition or open whatever partitioning software is available to you to get that information. It will look something like /dev/sdaX where X is the number of the partition on the hard drive.
3) Still in Terminal, type

Code: Select all

mkdir mint
mount /dev/sda2 mint
sudo chroot mint
passwd <username>

Change /dev/sda2 to point to the partition containing your Mint root partition, of course, and use the <username> of the user which you need to change the password.
4) Type in the new password twice as prompted.
5) Use exit or Ctrl-D key combination to exit chroot and then the terminal.
6) Reboot and use the newly assigned password.

Dear cwsynder, or anybody who knows,
Will the above method work with an encrypted file volume? During the installation of Linux Mint 13, it asked whether I wanted to encrypt the file volume, and I chose "Yes."

[cwsnyder]

You will have to ensure that you have the encryptfs support installed and that you know the password you assigned. Otherwise . . . probably not.

[pepperminty]

You will have to ensure that you have the encryptfs support installed and that you know the password you assigned. Otherwise . . . probably not.

No, I don't remember the password. If I did, I wouldn't have created this thread.

[CalebW]

Code: Select all

mkdir mint
mount /dev/sda2 mint
sudo chroot mint
passwd <username>

The above instructions should work because when you installed linux and it asked if you wanted to encrypt your "home" folder, it doesn't encrypt everything else.

Alternatly you can boot a live cd, mount your partition, open /(wherver you mounted your partition)/etc/shadow in a text editor, and look for your
username. When you find it, it will look something like this.

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caleb:$6$G38q2krH$Oj5.F6agZhabI..INOSZ8Qkk/9hpr9xBkhj/TK2KmTFijXh.nqCjFQtjdaEAk$jdaEAkLRqTRDl8kZHBFXAt/TbRuFHD0:15846:0:99999:7:::

What you need to worry about is the long string of test between the two colons right after your username, that is your password hash, it will be different from mine. What you need to do is delete the password hash it so it looks like this.

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caleb::15846:0:99999:7:::

Now you will be able to log in to your computer and then just change your password.

[pepperminty]

Code: Select all

mkdir mint
mount /dev/sda2 mint
sudo chroot mint
passwd <username>

The above instructions should work because when you installed linux and it asked if you wanted to encrypt your "home" folder, it doesn't encrypt everything else.

Dear CalebW, cwsynder, and others,

Where (At what stage of bootup) do I enter those commands?

UPDATE: Looking at viewtopic.php?f=47&t=117601&p=721840#p675871, I think the answer to my own question is "Using a live Linux system". So I'll go ahead and put a live Linux distro onto USB and try cwsynder's instructions. I'll post back with results.

[Brahim]

Try John the Ripper http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/unix-linux-password-cracking-john-the-ripper/ . If this is too difficult try this http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/linux/reset-your-forgotten-ubuntu-password-in-2-minutes-or-less/ or this http://papers.ch/how-to-hack-recover-an-ubuntu-password/ and this http://askubuntu.com/questions/24006/how-do-i-reset-a-lost-administrative-password

[Brahim]

Try chntpw from live cd http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/14369/change-or-reset-windows-password-from-a-ubuntu-live-cd/ or Ophcrack http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ss/ophcracksbs_9.htm

[pepperminty]

CalebW and Cwsnyder,
Thank you for your posts. After many months, the problem is now solved. Cwsnyder, thank you for initially posting your instructions in January 2013. I neglected to try it out until today, when Calebw reminded me of your post. Thanks Calebw for the reminder. It feels good to be back into Linux Mint.