Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Resetting forgotten password in RH enterprise Linux version

We have installed the latest version Redhat.Enterprise.Linux.v6.UPDATE.2.X86_64 on one of our servers. Probably the grub prompt time setting is set to 0, so we never see a grub prompt when the computer booted. Numerous posts indicate that one has to set the run level to 1 during boot time to set the kernel settings to single user mode, then just type a password. Howver, in our machine, we could not get that prompt at all.

Yesterday, one of my students, Dhritiman Jana was in the lab and he spent around few hours of his time in solving the issue. Following are his note on how to get to the grub prompt:

1. During boot time tap any key and enter into the grub prompt.
2. Goto kernel entry and press e to edit. After "rhgb quiet" enter "1"
to set the runlevel to single user mode.
3. Press b to boot the edited kernel entry.
4. Reset Password by using #passwd 

Hope this solution works for all!