How to reset root password?

[Marc Lefebvre]

Guys,

I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I cannot log
into it.

Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode on this
CD.

The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the same
kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error (certainly
not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).

Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this machine?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Marc.

[snogfest hosebeast]

"Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<vluj2d5i7hoq93@corp.supernews.com>...

> Guys,
>
> I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I cannot log
> into it.
>
> Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode on this
> CD.
>
> The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the same
> kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error (certainly
> not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).
>
> Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this machine?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Marc.

I can only think of a couple of possibilities.
1/ Is sudo installed ?
2/ check /etc/passwd for other users that have a SUID of 0
3/ look around for files owned by root with 777 permissions, use this
to modify /etc/security/passwd. Same applies to any cron jobs that
root runs
4/ bludgeon to death the person who didn't document the root password
(hope this isn't you).

Henry

[André]

Marc Lefebvre wrote:

> Guys,
>
> I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I
> cannot log into it.
>
> Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode
> on this CD.
>
> The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the
> same kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error
> (certainly not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the
> machine).
>
> Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this
> machine?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Marc.

Hi,

A long time ago, i used this under AIX 3.2.5 and AIX 4.1.5, you can try !!!
:

- Boot in maintenance mode
- open a shell
- use "continue /dev/hdisk(x)" where (x) is your rootvg located
- you are now in limited shell under root without passwd
- change or suppress root pasword
- reboot

[Nenad]

"snogfest hosebeast" <snogfest_hosebeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2818e58d.0309101424.22c1155e@posting.google.c om...

> "Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:<vluj2d5i7hoq93@corp.supernews.com>...

> > Guys,
> >
> > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I cannot

log

> > into it.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode on

this

> > CD.
> >
> > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the same
> > kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error

(certainly

> > not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).
> >
> > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this machine?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Marc.

>
> I can only think of a couple of possibilities.
> 1/ Is sudo installed ?
> 2/ check /etc/passwd for other users that have a SUID of 0
> 3/ look around for files owned by root with 777 permissions, use this
> to modify /etc/security/passwd. Same applies to any cron jobs that
> root runs
> 4/ bludgeon to death the person who didn't document the root password
> (hope this isn't you).
>
> Henry

Make a mksysb tape, and boot from tape. After boot import rootvg from disk
and change the passwd...

Nenad

[Marc Lefebvre]

The question now is:

How do you boot in maintenance mode if you do not get any CD to boot from?

Marc.

"André" <a.porruncini@free.fr> wrote in message
news:3f602072$0$13290$626a54ce@news.free.fr...

> Marc Lefebvre wrote:

> > Guys,
> >
> > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I
> > cannot log into it.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode
> > on this CD.
> >
> > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the
> > same kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error
> > (certainly not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the
> > machine).
> >
> > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this
> > machine?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Marc.

>
> Hi,
>
> A long time ago, i used this under AIX 3.2.5 and AIX 4.1.5, you can try

!!!

> :
>
> - Boot in maintenance mode
> - open a shell
> - use "continue /dev/hdisk(x)" where (x) is your rootvg located
> - you are now in limited shell under root without passwd
> - change or suppress root pasword
> - reboot
>
>

[Marc Lefebvre]

Nenad,

A mksysb on a tape can only be made once you logged in, no?

I do not know any of the passwords on this machine.

Marc.

"Nenad" <nskrijelj@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bjp8nm$o49$1@balder.stud.idb.hist.no...

> "snogfest hosebeast" <snogfest_hosebeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:2818e58d.0309101424.22c1155e@posting.google.c om...

> > "Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> news:<vluj2d5i7hoq93@corp.supernews.com>...

> > > Guys,
> > >
> > > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> > > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I cannot

> log

> > > into it.
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode on

> this

> > > CD.
> > >
> > > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the

same

> > > kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error

> (certainly

> > > not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).
> > >
> > > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this

machine?

> > >
> > > Any help would be appreciated.
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > Marc.

> >
> > I can only think of a couple of possibilities.
> > 1/ Is sudo installed ?
> > 2/ check /etc/passwd for other users that have a SUID of 0
> > 3/ look around for files owned by root with 777 permissions, use this
> > to modify /etc/security/passwd. Same applies to any cron jobs that
> > root runs
> > 4/ bludgeon to death the person who didn't document the root password
> > (hope this isn't you).
> >
> > Henry

>
> Make a mksysb tape, and boot from tape. After boot import rootvg from disk
> and change the passwd...
>
> Nenad
>
>

[Marc Lefebvre]

How to do this?

To check, you need to boot on a CD in maintenance mode. I have no CD
available.

Marc.

"snogfest hosebeast" <snogfest_hosebeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2818e58d.0309101424.22c1155e@posting.google.c om...

> "Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:<vluj2d5i7hoq93@corp.supernews.com>...

> > Guys,
> >
> > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I cannot

log

> > into it.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode on

this

> > CD.
> >
> > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the same
> > kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error

(certainly

> > not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).
> >
> > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this machine?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> > Marc.

>
> I can only think of a couple of possibilities.
> 1/ Is sudo installed ?
> 2/ check /etc/passwd for other users that have a SUID of 0
> 3/ look around for files owned by root with 777 permissions, use this
> to modify /etc/security/passwd. Same applies to any cron jobs that
> root runs
> 4/ bludgeon to death the person who didn't document the root password
> (hope this isn't you).
>
> Henry

[André]

Which RS6000 model have you ?


Marc Lefebvre wrote:

> The question now is:
>
> How do you boot in maintenance mode if you do not get any CD to boot
> from?
>
> Marc.
>
> "André" <a.porruncini@free.fr> wrote in message
> news:3f602072$0$13290$626a54ce@news.free.fr...

>> Marc Lefebvre wrote:

>>> Guys,
>>>
>>> I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version
>>> machine, because I do not know the password on this machine.
>>> Therefore I cannot log into it.
>>>
>>> Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode
>>> on this CD.
>>>
>>> The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the
>>> same kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error
>>> (certainly not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the
>>> machine).
>>>
>>> Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this
>>> machine?
>>>
>>> Any help would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thank you.
>>>
>>> Marc.

>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> A long time ago, i used this under AIX 3.2.5 and AIX 4.1.5, you can
>> try !!!

>>>

>>
>> - Boot in maintenance mode
>> - open a shell
>> - use "continue /dev/hdisk(x)" where (x) is your rootvg located
>> - you are now in limited shell under root without passwd
>> - change or suppress root pasword
>> - reboot

[Casey J Brotherton]

"Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<vm0fkkmmdlit57@corp.supernews.com>...

> The question now is:
>
> How do you boot in maintenance mode if you do not get any CD to boot from?
>
> Marc.
>
> "André" <a.porruncini@free.fr> wrote in message
> news:3f602072$0$13290$626a54ce@news.free.fr...

> > Marc Lefebvre wrote:

> > > Guys,
> > >
> > > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version machine,
> > > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I
> > > cannot log into it.
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode
> > > on this CD.
> > >
> > > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the
> > > same kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error
> > > (certainly not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the
> > > machine).
> > >
> > > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this
> > > machine?
> > >
> > > Any help would be appreciated.
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > Marc.

> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > A long time ago, i used this under AIX 3.2.5 and AIX 4.1.5, you can try

> !!!

> > :
> >
> > - Boot in maintenance mode
> > - open a shell
> > - use "continue /dev/hdisk(x)" where (x) is your rootvg located
> > - you are now in limited shell under root without passwd
> > - change or suppress root pasword
> > - reboot
> >
> >

I am pretty sure you can still boot up with the aix5.1 cd.
Then you can do the normal access root volume group before mounting
filesystems, and remove the root passwd any number of normal ways.

Including removing the asterik in /etc/passwd.

When you are booted up, you can't do functions such as a clone mksysb
install, it will fail at the end of that due to kernel differences,
but booting into maint mode, and modifying fs's should work.

Casey

[Nenad]

"Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:vm0fmfocb39h62@corp.supernews.com...

> Nenad,
>
> A mksysb on a tape can only be made once you logged in, no?
>
> I do not know any of the passwords on this machine.
>
> Marc.
>
> "Nenad" <nskrijelj@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:bjp8nm$o49$1@balder.stud.idb.hist.no...

> > "snogfest hosebeast" <snogfest_hosebeast@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:2818e58d.0309101424.22c1155e@posting.google.c om...

> > > "Marc Lefebvre" <lefebvrem@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> > news:<vluj2d5i7hoq93@corp.supernews.com>...

> > > > Guys,
> > > >
> > > > I would like to reset the root password on an AIX 4.3 version

machine,

> > > > because I do not know the password on this machine. Therefore I

cannot

> > log

> > > > into it.
> > > >
> > > > Unfortunately, I do not have the AIX 4.3 CD to boot in service mode

on

> > this

> > > > CD.
> > > >
> > > > The only I get is AIX 5.1, but it seems impossible for me to do the

> same

> > > > kind of maintenance prcoedure, because it just falls into error

> > (certainly

> > > > not compatible if running a AIX 4.3 version on the machine).
> > > >
> > > > Is there any other solution than re-installing AIX 5.1 on this

> machine?

> > > >
> > > > Any help would be appreciated.
> > > >
> > > > Thank you.
> > > >
> > > > Marc.
> > >
> > > I can only think of a couple of possibilities.
> > > 1/ Is sudo installed ?
> > > 2/ check /etc/passwd for other users that have a SUID of 0
> > > 3/ look around for files owned by root with 777 permissions, use this
> > > to modify /etc/security/passwd. Same applies to any cron jobs that
> > > root runs
> > > 4/ bludgeon to death the person who didn't document the root password
> > > (hope this isn't you).
> > >
> > > Henry

> >
> > Make a mksysb tape, and boot from tape. After boot import rootvg from

disk

> > and change the passwd...
> >
> > Nenad
> >
> >

>
>

You can make mksysb tape on another system.