Ubuntu help required

[manu1991]

Hello guys i need a little help related to ubuntu I recently got a new pc , it was preloaded with xp pro and ubuntu but when i tried to run ubuntu it asks for a username and password ? Now the problem is that i dont kno either nor does the computer guy So anyone knows anyway to recover ubuntu passwordBTW i was able to access ubuntu recovery mode but i dont know any linux commandsSo any help would be appreciated

 

[wR2g4vdTjL5d]

If you use Grub as your boot loader, you can edit your grub menu to boot Ubuntu at run level 1. Once in run level 1, run the passwd utility to update the password for the root user.
Here are the detailed instructions.

 

[manu1991]

ill try this BUT it gives instructions only on changing the password ?The problem is that i dont even know the usernamebtw i dont think ill need to use GRUB because it already has itOk i did change the pass but wat about the username ?

 

[Sushubh]

Ubuntu Forums

better place to ask this peculiar question.

 

[netfreak]

If you change password for "root" username then you can find out other usernames once you login as root.

 

[Sushubh]

is it possible to reset the password of root? without knowing the current password?if it is possible how safe is ubuntu for mission critical purposes

 

---

[netfreak]

Well, no OS is safe if someone has physical access to HDD.

 

[Sushubh]

well. accessing content on a website is of course possible without encryption... but getting root access. esp. if you dont have to take out the hard disk and attach it to some other machine.of course u can always boot using a USB drive and load a custom os and access the content on the disk.

 

[netfreak]

Similar to booting from USB...Easiest thing is to boot from Ubuntu or any other Live CD and open a shell with root access.1. Open shell (command prompt)2. run this command "su /bin/sh" or "su bash"You have COMPLETE root access, as long as you run command in this shell. Even easier in windows.1. Boot from Live CD (with NTFS write support)2. Rename password file3. Login as Admin (password is blank)Thats why most Data centers have "Armed" guards. if someone have physical access to machine then there is no meaning at all in software security.

 

[Sushubh]

Thats why most Data centers have "Armed" guards. if someone have physical access to machine then there is no meaning at all in software security.



true...