Re: [Launchpad-users] how to recover /etc/shadow file from single usermode

[Edwin Grubbs <edwin.grubbs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 7:39 AM, Álvaro García<alvar_sa@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "saikat" <saikat.80in@xxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 1:47 PM
> To: "Launchpad Users" <launchpad-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Launchpad-users] how to recover /etc/shadow file from single
> usermode
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have forgotten the root passwod in my system. I have installed ubuntu
>> 9.04. The /etc/shadow file also been corrupted. Now please let me know
>> how I can recover the file from single user mode?
>
> Ubuntu does not have a root user, but a root group. Any user that is on the
> root group is able to login as root (this means, having to use sudo or any
> other thrust level elevation tool/command.)

That's not true. If there wasn't a root user, there would be nothing
to sudo to. All you need to be able to log in as root without using
sudo is to set the password for the root user.

Saikat, you can get a shell without having to enter the root password
by editing the grub config at boot time.
  1. At the grub screen, hit 'e' to edit the config.
  2. Use the arrow keys to move to the line that starts with "kernel".
  3. Hit 'e' to edit it.
  4. Append " init=/bin/bash" to the line.
  5. Hit Enter.
  6. Hit 'b' to boot.

-Edwin