I used my F-12 computer to configure a new wireless router yesterday. I disconnected the computer from the LAN and connected directly to an Ethernet port on the router so there was no external access to the system, only me and the router!
Upon boot this morning it would not recognize my password? Not as user "bobg" or root!
I can't imagine what caused this problem. The only thing I messed with was the Netgear router [WNDR3300-100NAR] via it's web URL/interface from Firefox? Presently the new router is turned off and disconnected, I am using the "old" one, not that I would expect that to be a factor but this is strange stuff ...
I fixed the root password in "single user" mode and can now boot it as root but my notes do not tell me how to restore bobg's password. I don't want to add a new user and have to reconfigure everything!
Suggestions appreciated.
Bob --
On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 12:23 PM, Bob Goodwin bobgoodwin@wildblue.net wrote: --snip--
I fixed the root password in "single user" mode and can now boot it as root but my notes do not tell me how to restore bobg's password. I don't want to add a new user and have to reconfigure everything!
Suggestions appreciated.
Bob --
When you get logged in as root, you can use either system-config-users (System -> Administration -> Users and Groups) or the passwd command from a terminal to change bobg's password, e.g. "passwd bobg".
Best,
Darton
On 17/07/10 12:23, Bob Goodwin wrote:
I used my F-12 computer to configure a new wireless router yesterday. I disconnected the computer from the LAN and connected directly to an Ethernet port on the router so there was no external access to the system, only me and the router! Upon boot this morning it would not recognize my password? Not as user "bobg" or root! I can't imagine what caused this problem. The only thing I messed with was the Netgear router [WNDR3300-100NAR] via it's web URL/interface from Firefox? Presently the new router is turned off and disconnected, I am using the "old" one, not that I would expect that to be a factor but this is strange stuff ... I fixed the root password in "single user" mode and can now boot it as root but my notes do not tell me how to restore bobg's password. I don't want to add a new user and have to reconfigure everything! Suggestions appreciated. Bob --
Mystery solved!
The keyboard has failed!
Typing the password characters after the root prompt shows one key does nothing, not even a blank space!
I will change the keyboard.
Bob
On 17/07/10 12:30, Darton Williams wrote:
On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 12:23 PM, Bob Goodwinbobgoodwin@wildblue.net wrote: --snip--
I fixed the root password in "single user" mode and can now boot it as root but my notes do not tell me how to restore bobg's password. I don't want to add a new user and have to reconfigure everything! Suggestions appreciated. Bob --
When you get logged in as root, you can use either system-config-users (System -> Administration -> Users and Groups) or the passwd command from a terminal to change bobg's password, e.g. "passwd bobg".
Best,
Darton
Thank you. I will add that to my notes.
But for now a keyboard change should restore bobg!
Thanks again.
Bob
On 07/17/2010 09:23 AM, Bob Goodwin wrote:
I used my F-12 computer to configure a new wireless router yesterday. I disconnected the computer from the LAN and connected directly to an Ethernet port on the router so there was no external access to the system, only me and the router! Upon boot this morning it would not recognize my password? Not as user "bobg" or root! I can't imagine what caused this problem. The only thing I messed with was the Netgear router [WNDR3300-100NAR] via it's web URL/interface from Firefox? Presently the new router is turned off and disconnected, I am using the "old" one, not that I would expect that to be a factor but this is strange stuff ... I fixed the root password in "single user" mode and can now boot it as root but my notes do not tell me how to restore bobg's password. I don't want to add a new user and have to reconfigure everything! Suggestions appreciated. Bob --
Same way you restored the root password. In single user mode, type passwd bobg
and it will prompt you to enter the new password.
On 17/07/10 13:21, JD wrote:
Same way you restored the root password. In single user mode, type passwd bobg
and it will prompt you to enter the new password.
I've added that to my notes too, wont have to ask next time!
This has been a busy day, first the keyboard, and then a t-storm dropped ac power and I found I needed batteries in the UPS, two in series for 24 volts. Did that too. Now to get back to my new router.
Thanks.
Bob
On Sat, 2010-07-17 at 12:32 -0400, Bob Goodwin wrote:
Mystery solved! The keyboard has failed! Typing the password characters after the root prompt shows one key does nothing, not even a blank space!
Yes, I've been caught by that, before. It's even more of a problem with some GUI systems. On a CLI-only system, you're quite likely to notice a key going bad. But if you rarely type, and mostly point and click, you mightn't get any noticeable hint about a key starting to fail.
On Sat, 2010-07-17 at 12:32 -0400, Bob Goodwin wrote:
The keyboard has failed! Typing the password characters after the root prompt shows one key does nothing, not even a blank space!
:-D I got bitten by the same problem. Too bad I didn't see this thread earlier.
I had changed my password, and suddenly I was unable to log in from any system except the one I used while changing. Neither the old or the new password worked on any other system.
I finally thought of checking the keyboard on the system I used when changing the password, and it turned out one character I almost never used (I mostly type email and shell programs on that system) didn't work...
Turning it upside-down and shaking it was enough to clear up the problem.
The password with a missing character was actually even more difficult to crack, and quite easy to remember after that episode, so it was kept for a long time :-)
birger