how to retrieve lost password?

[stringMX]

how to retrieve lost password to file server (network storage) running Samba 3.0.14a-Debian? Access to file server from windows PCs via LAN , no direct access.
Where the password stored there and how to retrieve?

[Irithori]

There are multiple possibilities to authenticate samba users.
smbpasswd, ldap, AD,..
No way to be sure unless you provide that information from your smb.conf

Can you login to that server via ssh or local console?

[stringMX]

as I tell, that file server is on network share, accessible via LAN, from windows PC.

[Irithori]

Ok, sounds like it is out of your hands.
You should contact the admin of that server and ask for a password reset.

[stringMX]

This is senseless. Do you think each piece of hardware must have own admin? NO ADMIN.
Have anyone real ideas how to retrieve the password? For some reason, in password prompt, user name is grayed out, only password field prompt. When i tried connect from Linux (run it from liveCD), user name field was shown.

[Irithori]

Ok, I was assuming too much.
But maybe because you didnt give too much information in the first place.

Is that samba server in
a) a pre-built NAS box? Which brand and product? It should have some way of admin webinterface.
Check the user manual.
b) a self-built server? Then someone built it, obviously not you. Ask the guy who did it.

Also, you just revealed another piece of info:
It is not even possible to enter a user/password from your windows install.
But it is from a linux liveCD.
So *assuming* you have an idea of the possible username/password:
Is it possible to access that share using the linux liveCD?

If so, then the problem is with windows. The greyed out username for sure is. That is not a server issue.
Plus, you still have the problem of not being able to reset the password.
For that you DO need an admin, either a admin webinterface or a admin person

[stringMX]

I will check model tomorrow. Its slim file server, have CD/DVD-ROM drive. looks something like this one:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
run 24/7. I can no reboot it anyway, as this may cause problems.
More precisely, I can no access password protected directory on that server, the rest storage is accessible, not protected.

[Rubberman]

If you are talking about the password to login on the server (vs a Samba password for a user which may be different), then you are likely SOL. Standard Linux/Unix passwords are encrypted with a one-way algorithm and are not retrievable as plain-text. Likewise, LDAP, NIS, or Kerberos authentication methods are also one-way functions. The only thing you can do, is to have an administrator (someone who can login as root, or has sudo privileges) reset the password for you. The alternative is to reboot the system with a live/rescue CD/DVD/USB drive, login as root, mount the file system with /etc on it (usually '/'), and chroot to that file system. Then, you can reset the user password, or access the Samba configuration files to get/reset the Samba password for a user.

[stringMX]

yes i know that Linux/unix password are encrypted, but there is John the Ripper to tool for hashes. I need user/pass for protected dir. The one possible way is to install a password grabber tool from reboot, which will copy user/password and save it in text file on server.

[TaZMAniac]

Wonderful!
Now we are talking p/w rippers and key loggers.
Try that on my server and you will be fired and prosecuted.
But then I am sure that the server you are talking about is your own personal server and you simply forgot the password you set it up with.