Ubuntu

Don't know the username or password for a donated computer.

Asked by debra

I,too, am having trouble with a donated laptop that requires a username and password which I don't have! I completed all the steps you said but after I get to the retype new unix password the next line says passwd: Authentication token lock busy

What now!
To discover your user and restore the password you can:
Start the pc the when you see the GRUB row...
Press ESC.
Press "e" for edit.
Highlight the line that begins kernel ………, and press "e"
Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash
press enter, then press "b" to boot your system.
Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.
Type in grep -i 1000 /etc/passwd
The system must show a row with your user name at the start of the row
for example:
danilo:x:1000:1000:ubuntu,,,:/home/danilo:/bin/bash
Here my user is danilo
Then to change your user password type in:
passwd username
change username with your real user
Set your password.
Type in reboot

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DDay
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Best DDay (thedday) said : 		#1

Hi debra,

     Try this http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=650394&page=2. It was covered in the forums and works to reset your password.

             tempo

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debra (addzblack) said : 		#2

Thanks DDay, that solved my question.

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Joe Vargas (csmjoe) said : 		#3

Hello,
I'm new to Ubuntu so please bare with me. I was given a pc by a friend with Ubuntu 8.10 installed in it.
My friend added me as the only user with no other OS system on the Hard drive. I can't get past anything
past the desktop and the Internet. I've tried the ubuntu forum the ubuntus free "Pocket Guide" but to no avail. I can't find the correct answer or the correct commands to work for me.
I tried all of the above re question #42770 but when I got to the reboot and typed in "grep -i 1000 /etc/passwd then enter... I did not see any other info. and I coudn't type anything else and had to reboot.
I can't do anything without a password which I need badly. Please help!!! I'm at my wits end.

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John Pohl (johnmpohl) said : 		#4

I am in a similar situation where a coworker gave my wife his old computer and we cannot access it without a username or password. Office Depot said they could reset it, but then said they couldn't with the Windows software they thought could do it. I will try the above and let you know if it worked. Thanks for the info.