[SOLVED] Resetting root password via grub problem

[Lefteris]

Hello all,

I had installed Debian in another partition of my system a few years ago. The problem was that since then I did not touch them at all due to not needing them.

Now that I have a renewed interest to work with Linux due to being introduced to shell scripting by a course I took, I tried to log in again. The problem? As was expected I did not remember the root password.

I tried resetting it by using this tutorial. I am using grub. The problem is though that when I type passwd and give the new password twice the system replies with:

"Authentication token lock busy"

I do not know what this is supposed to mean or how I can get around it. What I do know is that when I reboot the new password I entered for root is not working. Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Check this HowTo for several different methods to reset your root password:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...-password.html

The first method is usually the easiest, but it doesn't always work.

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

The problem is though that when I type passwd and give the new password twice the system replies with:

"Authentication token lock busy"

It looks like / partition has been mounted as read only. Remount partition first.
Execute this

mount -o remount,rw / 
passwd

[Lefteris]

Thank you both. Apparently yes, that was the problem, I had not mounted it correctly.

Sorry for the late reply but I was away. Thanks once more.

[devils casper]

Glad to help you.
Do start a new thread if you have any other question.