Ubuntu
shadow package

I don't know the user password how to find or change

Asked by lynne gilham

Hi anyone who can help,
I have a second hand laptop which has ubuntu 10.10 maverick installed.

The person I purchased it from said they have never used an authentication password & don't know it.

Therefore I can't download flash or other things without this password.

I've tried all the recommended things I've seen on this site, but none work to change it.

Does anyone have any ideas please, I'm not that computer savvy, so plain words & easy to follow instructions would be appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation, Lynne

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#1

try this http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword

here other thread about reset the password:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow

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lynne gilham (lynngilham) said : 		#2

Thanks for your info Marcobra, I've tried the psychocats. net reset instructions, but I get as far as typing in the ls / home & then it says ls: cannot access home: no such file or directory. I have ignored that & tried to proceed as instructed, but to no avail. I've been looking on launchpad for a couple of days, but still getting nowhere.
Is my only option to take off ubuntu & re-install? or is there anything else I can try?

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