[K12OSN] Wish my Centos5 server was a Mac

[Les Mikesell]

Alan Hodson wrote:
> Howdy list
> 
> Wishing a perfectly good Centos5 server was a Mac server applies only to 
> the ease of re-setting the root/admin password with the boot disk. The 
> mounting /etc/shadow and blanking out the password content (between :: 
> ::) does not seem to work for the machine I have. Tried Knoppix and 
> PCLinux Live CDs to no avail...
> 
> Does anybody have a solution to change root password via a passwd 
> reinstall or reactivation or some such measure?

1st choice:
Hit a key to bring up the grub boot menu. Highlight the entry you want 
to boot, hit 'e', move to the kernel line, hit 'e'.  Add ' single' to 
the end of the line, then hit 'b' to boot.  You'll get a root shell 
prompt where you can run the passwd command.  Type 'exit' to quit and 
reboot.

2nd choice - good for more complicated damage:
Boot the install CD with 'linux rescue' at the boot prompt.  Let it 
mount the installed system.  Type the chroot command that it will 
suggest.  Do whatever maintenance you need to fix the system.  Type 
'exit' twice when done (once to exit the chroot shell, once for the top 
level).

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com