Howto reset root password

From Netmon

Using a CD ROM

To restore the root password, we must first create a bootable CD ROM which will allow us to mount Netmon's hard disk and reset the root password.

You will need CD burning software capable of burning ISO images to a disk. The iso can be downloaded at

http://live.debian.net/cdimage/etch-builds/current/i386/debian-live-etch-i386-standard.iso

After burning the CD, place the disk in your Netmon device's CD drive and reboot. You may need to go into the device's BIOS settings to ensure that the CD ROM is in the list of bootable devices, and that it will boot before the hard drive is booted.

After the device boots from the CD ROM, it will bring you to a command prompt. Run the following sequence of commands.

sudo passwd

Enter 'netmon' as the new password

su

Type 'netmon'.

mkdir /mnt/hd
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/hd
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/hd/var
chroot /mnt/hd /bin/bash
passwd

If your device uses IDE hard drives instead of SATA, you will run

mkdir /mnt/hd
mount /dev/hdc1 /mnt/hd
mount /dev/hdc2 /mnt/hd/var
chroot /mnt/hd /bin/bash
passwd

Enter what you wish to be your new Netmon root password. Then type:

exit
halt

Take out the CD ROM and power on the server. The root password is now reset.

Using a USB Key

Required: 128MB USB key

**WARNING** the contents of your USB key will be erased!!

To restore the root password, we must first create a bootable USB key which will allow us to mount Netmon's hard disk and reset the root password. First we need to download the tool which will allow us to write the image to the USB key. We can use WinImage, which can be downloaded from:

ftp://ftp.winimage.com/winimage/winima80.exe

Run this file to install WinImage. After installing WinImage, download the USB key image at

http://live.debian.net/cdimage/etch-builds/current/i386/debian-live-etch-i386-standard.img

Insert the USB key into your Windows workstation. Select 'do nothing' if Windows prompts you about what you would like to do with the USB key. Run the WinImage tool. Select File > Open and pick the .img file you just downloaded. From the Disk menu, choose the USB key drive, which will probably be drive E:. Choose Disk > Write Disk to create the bootable USB key.

Insert the key in your Netmon device and reboot. You may need to go into the device's BIOS settings to ensure that the USB key is in the list of bootable devices, and that it will boot before the hard drive is booted.

After the device boots from the USB key, it will bring you to a command prompt. Run the following sequence of commands.

sudo passwd

Enter 'netmon' as the new password

su

Type 'netmon'.

mkdir /mnt/hd
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/hd
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/hd/var
chroot /mnt/hd /bin/bash
passwd

Enter what you wish to be your new Netmon root password.

exit
halt

Take out the USB key and power on the server. The root password is now reset.