newb password problem

[dfnkt]

Hello All,

Would like to thank all those who have put into making backtrack what it is. I am fairly new to linux and have installed backtrack2 in a VM on workstation 6. I recently logged into BT and changed the default root password. Today after trying to login I receive "login incorrect".

I am certain I know what I changed the password to and my question is: Is there a way to change the root password in BT without being logged in? Is there a key that I need to hold on boot to edit the kernel or something similar?

My second question is: Is there something you need to do after changing the root password if you're logged into BT and in the GUI? It seems I've changed passwords in linux before and after a reboot it never accepts the new password.

Third question: How do you add user accounts in BT? As operating under root is not a smart idea, I need to setup a least-access account for myself.

Thanks everyone for any help and also if anyone has any links handy that cover the basics of BT (other than the wiki) I would glady read them, Thanks!

[dfnkt]

I have fixed myself, feel free to critique my steps:

1.) Rebooted with BT live cd
2.) Logged into Live cd with default root/toor
3.) mkdir /tmp2
4.) mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /tmp2
5.) cd /tmp2, cd /etc
6.) cp ./shadow ./shadow.bak
7.) sudo nano shadow (maybe the sudo is superflous?)
8.) erased root password hash, ctrl+o to save, enter for default filename "shadow"
9.) rebooted without cd room
10.) logged into bt with "root" no password.

I guess I could've dumped the hash and ran john on it? I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again.

[bofh28]

Hello All,
I am certain I know what I changed the password to and my question is: Is there a way to change the root password in BT without being logged in? Is there a key that I need to hold on boot to edit the kernel or something similar?

Boot into single user mode. Basically add a s to the end of the lilo entry. I use grub so I don't know the exact series of steps off hand. Do a google search of single user mode lilo and it should help you. When at the # prompt type in passwd and put in a new password.

My second question is: Is there something you need to do after changing the root password if you're logged into BT and in the GUI? It seems I've changed passwords in linux before and after a reboot it never accepts the new password.

I never had that problem. All you do is use passwd and put in a new password.

Third question: How do you add user accounts in BT? As operating under root is not a smart idea, I need to setup a least-access account for myself.

at the # prompt type in useradd username
then do a passwd username and put in a password

[Archangel-Amael]

One must also bear in mind that when adding user accounts to backtrack that they will not be able to use most of the tools provided with out su as these need root level access.

[fatou]

Hrm, just had the same situation.

It seems the problem was that I was using a custom keyboard layout when setting the passwd. The login shell still uses the 'us' one by default, so it got the password wrong since it contained characters.

The solution: check how to spell your password under 'us' :P

[borntobehacker]

its happen to me in my BT2.. i change the root password via KDE ( after login ) and crash...

after that i reboot and login with username : "root" & password : "toor" the result: can't login...

But successfully login with username : "root" & a blank password... :-)

search this forum and found how to change the root password with "passwd" hahahaha not from the KDE :-P

[V0IDANC3]

Just wondering is it possible to copy the shadow file of the Linux partition to a windows disk edit it by assigning a new MD5 hash and overwriting the original. In theory i believe that should work.

I think next time you install backtrack it might be a good idea to create a wheel account as well as a backup in case you changed the root password

[thorin]

You can just boot with the CD and replace the passwd and shadow files on your drive with those on the CD, then you'll be back to root/toor