Cannot login to linux

[Rohan]

I finally managed to install mandrake linux 10.1 (installation took about 4 hours!) but when linux starts it asks for a password on a graphical login screen and which window manager to start. It doesn't ask for a username though.

When I installed I couldn't enter the root password because my keyboard wasn't working, so I had to skip it, and I had to skip the add users screen as well. But now I can boot linux but not login. I have tried leaving the password blank, that doesn't work, nor does typing in 'root' or 'admin' or anything you might expect it to be.

I tried to reset my password by booting in failsafe mode and using the command 'passwd'. It tells me the root password has been changed successfully but when I boot normally I try the new password and it still doesn't let me login.

Any suggestions why I can't login?

Thanks

[Nerderello]

I know its a pain, but you'll probably find a re-install is the quickest way out of this. Just remember to enter both a root password and to create a normal user with a separate password.

Or, you can try creating a new user , while booting with a CD or diskette. But then that would only delay your problems, as you really do need to be able to get at the root (su -) user.

Nerderello

[daemonOS]

OK, at the login screen are you tryn' to login w/root password? If so press ctrl+alt+F1, login as root and type the password. If that works then add a user/password press ctrl+alt+F7 and login. Hope this helps some.

[Rohan]

I reburned to installation CDs and re-installed it and it worked fine then, thanks anyway though.

[daemonOS]

n/p glad you got it to work

[12341234hihihi]

Can't login to mandrake either.

The install of mandrake linux doesnt stress the importance of providing a password and login.

By looking at the installation of mandrake, it appears that it wont be necessary to have a password or user name at all - root or user...

[daemonOS]

OMG! As I was reading I thought this was a joke. I hope this is not for real. My 8 year old son could install mandrake 10.1. At root login you have the option to create a password. At the user screen the same with a check box to leave blank. (At least last time I installed mdk that was how it was)
Drive letters? hda, hdb, hdc.... I am sorry but I find it hard to agree that this is a hard concept. MS used drive letters to make things easy? Half the things they make easy to another causes a security hole so a 12 year old can now hack my system. If a 12 year old can do this think of a 30 year old that really does know what to do.
A,B,C.. (27) hummm... limits
hda1,hda2,hda3,hda.......
hdb1,hdb2,hdb,3hdb........
....................................
What limits are in place here? My guess is none.

More over... I you compare winXP.. how bright was it of MS to make every one Admin? NOT VERY smart of them.
I love MS updates! We found a hole..... If an attacker, if you connect to the web you will be attacked, if you install windows you will be attacked... Hey look a update for every thing!

My one question is why does MS make you install windows media player on a server OS. Well I have many more but that one just bothers me! Then again we all know MS make a good business but not a good OS.

[bigtomrodney]

Why drive letters exist - Because DOS couldn't handle file structures more than 8 deep, and could only handle extremely small partitions. Then Microsoft were stuck at it.

For the record - Windows has a lot of Posix compliance, and really it does everything Linux/Unix/VMS/whatever does, just rebadges it and hides all traces of what's really going on. That's not from a preacher, that's just what happens.

Really, whatever about an autoogin, don't you think your account needs a password? Windows viruses? It's all to do with security, and overprivelaged user accounts. And while configuration might be an issue, it's only after installation - My machines run perfectly with no maintenance. No registry chewing the machine, just a system that works. Is changing your point of view too difficult a task?