forgot admin password

In Ubuntu, you don't really have an administrator password. In fact, you just decide if an account can become an admin or not. Then when an operation requires admin rights, it asks for the user account password to "upgrade" the rights.

If you forgot the password of your account, you can reset it using the recovery mode. Boot the computer, hold the SHIFT key, it should show you the boot menu. Select the recovery mode option, then you should have a new menu. Select the command line boot. You will then be able to enter commands.

You must remember the login of your account.
Then type :
passwd YOURLOGIN
It will ask you for your new password and replace the old one. Please remember that you will not see what you are typing for security reasons.

Then type "reboot now", it will reboot your computer and you can use your new password.

 I am amazed: approx. one year and 2 weeks ago (2010-10-15) I sent
up a flare asking for help. I was (and to a large extent still am)
new to ubuntu and the processes/operations and how-one-does-what.
Today (2011-10-31) I receive an answer to my simple request for help.
Now, I know o0ne usually prioritizes one's work...AND, my question was
really rather naive and not of earth-shaking portent...AND, I should
be (and really am) grateful that anybody bothered to answer it at
all...BUT, c'mon guys, why did it take over a year (and thank you for
botherin g to do it at all)?

On 10/31/11, Eliah Kagan <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #129671 on shadow in Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow/+question/129671
>
> Project: sudo in Ubuntu => shadow in Ubuntu
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

--
jill
480-947-0340

You didn't just receive an answer.

You got an answer the same day you posted. It's post #1 as numbered at https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow/+question/129671, and you should also have received notification of it by email. Since you never posted again to indicate this answer was insufficient, the general assumption was that your problem was probably fixed, and no one posted since.

The email you quoted was just a notification that I reclassified this thread from being about running programs with administrative (root) privileges to being about authentication.

If the answer you received did not enable you to solve the problem, then please see http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword. If that solves the problem, please go ahead and mark this question as Solved. Otherwise, please post a reply, so that it is known that you still need help, and someone (me, unless somebody else gets to it first) will reply to provide additional assistance.