Ubuntu

incorrect password when logging

Asked by leo

I have just installed (through the graphic installer) Ubuntu 7.1 on my laptop from a live DVD bundled with linux magazine #90. Everything's OK but, after having rebooted, when I try to login the system recognizes neither my username nor my password, even after 5 different installations....Even though I'm not a linux geek, I've already installed lots of linux distro in the past and I'm pretty sure there is no spelling/upper-case issues with this one. By the way, the setup program does not ask for any root password. I really don't get it..

Thnks in advance

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marcobra (Marco Braida)
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Jonas Jabs (jonas-flinux) said : 		#1

maybe you could try to get the live cd from ubuntu version 8.04?
by the way its normal that ubuntu is not asking for a root password since it does not setup a root account per default. For single administrative tasks you normaly use sudo( which only needs your user password). This is because the usage of a root account means a security risk since you easely forget to logout. if you want to setup a root account anyway you have to do it afterwards the installation.
if the default ubuntu 8.04 live cd is not working too you should try the alternate cd. its more text based and has more install options.
you can get it here:
http://ubuntuusers.de/downloads/

important: make sure to choose "Alternate CD (textbasierte Installation)" under "Edition"

good luck!

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Jonas Jabs (jonas-flinux) said : 		#2

uups sorry didnt see its answered

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Bhavani Shankar (bhavi) said : 		#3

Hello :

To reset your username and password by following the below steps:

Boot into recovery mode (usually 2nd option in Grub menu) or from a livecd and type in this command on the console:

cat /etc/group | grep 1000 *

* you'll need to change the path of /etc/group to where you mounted your system hd if booting from a livecd

It should display the username you have chosen to the default user.

Or you can also do this in recovery mode

cd /home

Then

ls

hen, enter:

passwd <username>

and follow the prompts. Note: your password will not appear, not even as ***** as you type it.

Regards

Bhavani Shankar.

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leo (detourmignies) said : 		#4

Thks for your answers both of you but I still have the same trouble :

1. I can't dowload a full ubuntu cd because I'm half the internet amount MB allowed by my provider
2. I have gone through the console stuff as indicated by Bhavani but ubuntu does not recognize my username and thus cannot change my password with the 'passwd' command. I'm sorry but I have forgotten nearly everything I knew about the shell. Is there a command to get the existing usernames, because I'm logged under root username (in the console mode) and cannot loggin under root in the graphic environment.....

Thanks

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Best marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#5

Type

cat /etc/passwd | cut -d: -f1,3 | grep -i 1000

to get your user name

To change the password, type

passwd your_returned_by_previous_command_username

You must type the password twice.

Then to reboot your pc type

reboot

hope this helps

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leo (detourmignies) said : 		#6

Many thanks for your help, it is Ok but I do not understand why the hell Ubuntu installer did not properly register my name and password as the only user given by the system was Ubuntu and the password 1000 ! Nothing to do with what I typed... This looks like a pre-registered username and password.

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leo (detourmignies) said : 		#7

Thanks marcobra, that solved my question.