Resetting password on Linux

I know nobody will tell me on here on the board, but I was wondering how or what program to use to reset a password on a ASUS EEE PC 4G 700 Series. PM me if need be.

It's got a custom Linux - not sure what distro it's based on.

I have used a Hiren's disk with the usual tools on the KB Tool (won't use it's name as I don't want ppl to miss use it), but it just resets and returns to Hiren's menu.

I can reset the device, but I am not sure if the user wants his password reset. As his son may have home work on the device. I am from the uk so here it is the school summer holidays a period of over 1 month and 2 weeks or there abouts.

Anyhow he can't reach the school technicans because they are gone, and he done it after they broke up. Hopefully he hasn't got home work on, and a reset will be possible.

If anyone wants to know how to boot or reset a Asus netbook it boots from a USB Device by using the esc key before the main OS boots. Also it's F9 to perform a factory reset.

Hmm,

The booting from a USB stick sounds strange, as if it is an additional security device?

When do you get the password prompt, like how far do you get?

From the sounds of things you can start the machine OK, so it hasn't got a power on password set.

The next password I would expect would be the Administrator password for the BIOS, although with some you can set a user password here......the user password won't let you change the BIOS.

The next thing you might find is a hard drive password.

Finally you get to the operating system and the user account password.

I guess that my real question is does the USB dongle thingy work? If it doesn't then I guess that it is game over. There is obviously something on it that is required to proceed, and resetting that on the netbook won't help.

Also, what happened to cause the problem?.....that might give us some clues.

:)

I am not sure exactly what password you are talking about. Could you take a pic with a digital camera and post a pic? That might give us a bit more to work with. Oh and also, you don't really have to worry about discussing konboot here, it is a valuable tool. If you are able to boot off of Hiren's, you should be able to boot a live cd, and back up the homework, if any... unless they are making use of encryption.

I don't like the sound of this :(

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If anyone wants to know how to boot or reset a Asus netbook it boots from a USB Device by using the esc key before the main OS boots. Also it's F9 to perform a factory reset.

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I have searched the net for half an hour or so and I can find absolutely no mention of this. That suggests to me me that it is some third party security device I have never even heard of. Probably works along the principle of token keys and swipe cards.

It isn't a power on or BIOS administrator password because you can boot a live CD, and you wouldn't get that far if either of those were set.

Assuming that my guesswork is correct, a factory reset would be totally useless, please don't go there, even if it will let you ;)

From what I can gather, that model has a 4GB solid state hard drive. If this security is any bloody good it will lock the HDD until it gets the password from the token (USB device), if it is better, it will also encrypt the drive :eek:

Do not think about removing the drive and slaving it to another machine......you would still face the password and the damn thing is HARD SOLDERED to the motherboard. :cry:

So, at the moment it looks as if it is a HDD password we are dealing with? From the Hiren's or other live CD can you access the HDD? If not then it is pretty certain that it is an HDD pass.

OK, so what to do next?

Have a good look at this USB device. Does it have any sort of hatch or disassembly screws? If it does then it may have a battery. I somehow doubt it though, but you never know. If it has a name or other data on it please post it here.

Try sticking it in another machine and see if you can read what is on it, hopefully it will be recognised as just another external storage device.

I replied to this message earlier :S - sorry it's a note book I created a usb memory stick. I used it to try and crack the linux distro.

To access the boot sequence you need press esc key too :S dumb even though the 1st boot device was the usb memory key :S

Anyhow to cut to the chase I just formatted the device using F9. That has solved my issue, so thanks for the help :)

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Originally Posted by Zorolord

Anyhow to cut to the chase I just formatted the device using F9. That has solved my issue, so thanks for the help :)

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oooft
little drastic don'cha think?
couldn't work out if it is actually the school's laptop?
if so, you are not allowed to do that :eek::rolleyes::D

did school support here in UK for a while, and the PC's, let alone the lappies had a shell to get through before you got to the standard login screen

and wouldn't the format kill off all files stored on the beast too :(
something doesn't ring quite right here
probably just me :p
but to just format it - not right

To reset a user's password, use passwd command. You have to change it to a different password.
Login as the root user
Open terminal or shell prompt
Type the following command:

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# passwd username

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For example, reset a tom's password, enter:

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# passwd tom

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@ donaldsmith:

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Login as the root user

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And how would you do that if you don't know the password? If you check Zorolord's earlier posts, he says that they cannot access the school IT administrators because of the summer vacation. They would have the root password. ;)

Are you some sort of bot?.........your posts seem to be classic textbook solutions that totally miss the point :cool:

Gentlemen! we really must be more careful in front of the children.......we Brits cannot be seen to be having difficulties with our own language? :eek:

Zorolord; now I understand you:

1. You were locked out of the OS by the user password.
2. You created a USB memory stick to reset or change the password.
3. On that device you hit ESC to bring up the boot device selection menu.
4. It didn't work when you tried the reset/blank or whatever option.

I would guess that is because it is a bespoke Linux distro for that machine (Xandros?)

So, when you took the F9 option did it actually "format" the HDD, or did it simply restore the factory settings and get rid of the password that way?

I think the confusion arose because you used the term "sequence"; in my understanding that is something you have to go into the BIOS to adjust.

I am afraid that I find the terminology rather confusing as manufacturers don't seem to be consistent. :( I have noticed from recent laptop jobs that they do protect the user's data though............provided you keep it in its own partition.

you have to set a new password.

Open the terminal (with CTRL+ALT+T). To set a new user password type:

sudo passwd user

Press enter and type the new password.

Do the same for the root password, typing

sudo passwd

sorry for the late reply folks donaldsmith - thanks for information - I need shot if it's that easy.

Foxy and nihil - I meant I restored it to factory default I didn't format the drive.

According to the lads Father there were no documents on the device. So I thought what the hell, and performed a F9 due information from a friend.

I am a bit unless on linux so even the basic of problems can delude, in the past I would have had a go - but the fella wanted it back quickly. So I didn't have the time to try and clean it quickly.

I used a peace of software called kon boot but that failed - works fine on Windozes.

So I thought to hell with it and reset it lol

I would like to thank again everyone for their advice and smug comments foxy :P cheers folks :)

Hi Zorolord,

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I need (to be?) shot if it's that easy.

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Only after ten sighting rounds at the school's IT administrators.......?:lildevil:

I somehow feel that if it is that easy to hack a Linux box (issued into a school environment)...........nobody here would admit to booting Linux? :rolleyes:

donaldsmith is a bot in early Beta testing I would say.......?

What happened does make sense............it just set stuff back so the student could use the machine..........quite impressive if you think about it? :)

OK, first:

Using a USB key to boot, is pretty simply; When you install Linux, you're given options as to how you want to handle booting, and, one of those options, is to install the whole thing on a USB Key, which makes it so that when you dual boot, it will load whatever OS you have on there by default, and only boot Linux when the key is inserted. Slackware for example, allows you to install to either the MBR, the root partition in case you already have a Boot Loader, such as boot Magic, or, a USB drive, Floppy Disc, and so on. So that's common.

Second, if you forget root's password, drop it into single user mode and change it that way. Why you took so much time on this without learning about single user mode is beyond me.

Third, WOW.... Donald, you can't change a password for root without firs being logged in as root with passwd.

Your other option is simply cracking the password file.

As for what version it is:

uname -a

That shows you what version you have for the Kernel, and what type of distro it is.

I've done very similar things back when I'd install Linux on a machine where my Mom was going to use the machine, and She doesn't know much about boot loaders, so instead of using Boot Magic, or Lilo, or Grub, I'd instead just have it install it onto a Floppy or USB Drive. This way, when you turn the Computer on, it boot straight into Windows, and only boots the Linux Partition when a Floppy or USB drive you created during install is inserted.

Single user mode CAN be protected, so it won't always work, but, unless you're dealing with someone who knows something about Unix security, you can simply boot into single user mode, and do whatever you want.