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From: bdsz@cbnewsl.att.com (bruce.d.szablak)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.internals
Subject: Re: Getting to root when the password has been lost
Message-ID: <1990Sep7.130330.26922@cbnewsl.att.com>
Date: 7 Sep 90 13:03:30 GMT
References: <24412@adm.BRL.MIL>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 11


If memory serves, you should be able to boot off of the boot floppy
provided in the base distribution, mount the root file system and
edit the password file. I did something like this when I clobbered
/unix and had to rebuild it (you should always keep a backup copy;
say: /ounix). You could also accomplish the same thing
from MSDOS using Norton utilities, but that might be a little more
adventuresome (but more educational).

By the way, this is a good reason to ALWAYS lock your PC when the console
is not in use.