Lost Password

Lost Root Password

These instructions apply to the FreekBox, either version 2 or 3

1. Ask the adopter to bring the box in.
2. Put the box on the network in the tech support office or build.
3. boot to grub
4. lessdisks boot options.
5. boot to lessdisks.
6. login as root.
7. "mount /dev/hda3 /mnt"
8. "chroot /mnt"
9. "passwd"
10. change password
11. "sync"
12. reboot

Alternatively one can boot the box using a knoppix cd, a rescue floppy, or a Toms Root Boot disk, then login as root and proceed as above.

1. "mount /dev/hda3 /mnt"
2. "chroot /mnt"
3. "passwd"
4. change password
5. "sync"
6. reboot

The procedure can be used for distributions other than the freekbox2 or 3, but you first need to determine the name of the root partition for the mount command.

A third alternative is to edit the grub boot commands.

1. start the computer booting up
2. at the GRUB screen enter "e"
3. edit the line starting with "kernel" by selecting that line and entering "e"
4. add "init=/bin/bash" to the end and change "ro" to "rw"
5. enter to make the changes
6. enter "b" to continue the boot process
7. the boot will go to a root prompt. change the password at that point and reboot.

See how insecure the box is if you have physical access to it?