OS X forgets password

[hm_murdock]

here it is. I knew it would happen some time. the inevitable had to occur. being UNIX-based, a password issue WOULD HAVE TO COME UP.

good thing there's that "reset password" utility, right? WRONG

I use it, change the password, restart, give it the password, and oops... it's wrong. WHAT??!? how can the password I just gave you be WRONG?

FW disk mode, here I come. time to back shit up and ERASE THE FARKING HD

UNIX is nice, but goddamned passwords and permissions suck ass. why can't OS X have a "single user" mode that turns it all off? I'm the only person that uses it, multi-user is just a bother and it's bloat anyway.

now the muti-user aspect has turned into a multi-gigabyte backup nightmare.

thanks UNIX

[Faust]

quote:being UNIX-based, a password issue WOULD HAVE TO COME UP.

What?  I haven't had any password issues...

   

quote:good thing there's that "reset password" utility, right? WRONG

Yeah there are pretty obvious reasons for this.  Do *YOU* want a user able to reset someone elses password?

   

quote:UNIX is nice, but goddamned passwords and permissions suck ass. why can't OS X have a "single user" mode that turns it all off? I'm the only person that uses it, multi-user is just a bother and it's bloat anyway.

Because it's more secure this way.  Yes it gets annoying when you forget the password, but would you like a user to be able to start up your server and just "reset" your password?  I appreciate your a bit annoyed right now, but if you want something that sacrifices that much security for a little more user friendliness, use Windows.  It does have a single user mode if its anything like Linux, just reboot into run level one.  If its well set up you'll still need the root password though.

What the hell happened to the password anyway?  Did you forget or did something mess it up?  If it's the later I wouldnt be running that program again...

Hmmm...  second read, do you mean an install option that removes all need for a password and has full permissions for the user?  Just reinstall and only use root.  Then dont password root.  I wouldnt be running any servers on that though...

edit1:

 

quote:thanks UNIX

Don't like it don't use it.  Don't like a specific vendors version (Apple) use another.  Jesus, there are 600+ unix/linux/bsd versions now, you have a choice.  Or you could just use Windows...

edit2:

Or if you dont like the fact that Apple is now based on Unix I guess you can tell Apple (email should be at www.apple.com) or start using Mac OS 9.

[ September 09, 2003: Message edited by: Faust ]

[psyjax]

Note to anyone offended  

I helped to solve (partialy) jimmies problem.

Folks, since Apple is FreeBSD based it's actually quite easy to fix your password (assuming you know the root password).

Simpley hold down Ctrl+C at boot up. You will boot into text mode.

login as root.

issue this command:

passwd <username>

It will prompt you for a new pass.

reboot.

Login and your off.

Alternetly, on the graphical login screen, type >console for your username. This will boot you into text mode.

And finaly, inputing root as your name in the graphical login, will log you in as root as well.

Jimmies problem seemed to be that somehow or other, OSX woulden't boot the Aqua server. Even after reinstall!

Im not sure what the issue is, but I suggested he call apple because it sounds like something serious.

Hope this helped!

[hm_murdock]

UNIX isn't the best thing for single-user environments... sorry.

It's good that OS X is, for the most part, abstracted from the piddlings of UNIX, but it's still under there, and it's still as unforgiving as it ever was.

As for a password reset util... yes. it's there on the OS X install disc. After all, they intend this OS for home users as well, you know.

What happened with the password is unknown. I went to change my pw as I do occasionally, and afterward, I couldn't login anymore.

Re: entering "single-user mode", it would be nice if you could install it and never have any user accounts, no user-level security, none of it. It sounds odd, but coming from the classic OS, it's a little bit of a step backward to suddenly be inconvenienced by this.

I can't delete the file?!? WHAT?!?

The last time I installed OS X, it was when I went from 10.1.5 to 10.2, and I used "archive and install". This moved all the previous system files into a folder on the HD and then installed the system clean. You can then toss the old system folder in the trash.

No, you can't, because the folder is owned by root. By default, the root user isn't enabled. You can't login as root at all. The user doesn't exist. You have to enable it manually. It sounds odd, but it's something that comes from NeXT (NeXT and OS X don't expect you to think about UNIX. you're very well shielded from it).

It's little crappy things like that. but it's a trade-off that has to be made I guess. Now, however, I'm going to worry about my password... if I change it, will it break everything again?

All is well now. Psyjax and I had a go at seeing what we could do, but it wouldn't budge. Something  got mossed up and wouldn't go back together, so I tossed all my programs and files onto the G5 via firewire and just erased and reinstalled.

So it's all good now

[flap]

Having 'multi-user' security isn't only useful in multi-user environments. It minimises the risk of accidental data loss through user error, and also greatly minimises the potential damage that malicious/badly written programs can do.

[psyjax]

Jimmy, if you want single user mode, make a root acount and set it as default.

SO the comp logs in as root each time. That will clear everything up.

If you do find a file owned by root, you can unlock it. Right click on the file, select get info. From the pulldown menu select permisions. Unlock the files, enter the password, done.

another tip. PErsonaly, multi-user was wierd at first, but I got used to it and now actually kinda like it.

[bossesjoe]

quote:Originally posted by psyjax: plain 'ol psyjax:
Jimmy, if you want single user mode, make a root acount and set it as default.

SO the comp logs in as root each time. That will clear everything up.

If you do find a file owned by root, you can unlock it. Right click on the file, select get info. From the pulldown menu select permisions. Unlock the files, enter the password, done.

another tip. PErsonaly, multi-user was wierd at first, but I got used to it and now actually kinda like it.

This sounds retareded but can you make a root account as a login option from the login screen?

[billy_gates]

osx does have a single user mode.... just hold cmd s when booting... no passwords required.  But you need to have installed the bsd subsystem to have the passwd command.  but yes you can boot into single user and run passwd username....  Also... to delete the files that are owned by root you do not need to enable the root user... you can do sudo rm file... and it gives u root access.

[hm_murdock]

flap, excellent point. I have to agree.

re: the accounts, I think the possible pitfalls of running as root outweigh the benefits. I'll continue running a separate account and deal with the one or two wierd permissions problems that crop up every now and then. This event is just frelling WIERD.

Oh well, it's working now, and very well. Odds are I can use X for the rest of my life and never see that error again, so I'm not gonna worry about it now. It's fixed. Muchas gracias to everybody for the suggestions, and I'll remember the keys for single-user mode.

As for bossesjoe's question, yes. you can enable root via NetInfo Manager and he shows up as "System Administrator" I think. You can also have an "Other User" button, which lets you log into root if he's turned on.

Hey, just think, if I'd had a problem like this with Windows, all my shit would be GONE GONE GONE!

so, I'm all fine now. I've stopped hyperventilating and I didn't break the cat in half so we're all safe again

[ September 10, 2003: Message edited by: Jimmy James is COOL ]

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmy James is COOL:
here it is. I knew it would happen some time. the inevitable had to occur. being UNIX-based, a password issue WOULD HAVE TO COME UP.

good thing there's that "reset password" utility, right? WRONG

I use it, change the password, restart, give it the password, and oops... it's wrong. WHAT??!? how can the password I just gave you be WRONG?

FW disk mode, here I come. time to back shit up and ERASE THE FARKING HD

UNIX is nice, but goddamned passwords and permissions suck ass. why can't OS X have a "single user" mode that turns it all off? I'm the only person that uses it, multi-user is just a bother and it's bloat anyway.

now the muti-user aspect has turned into a multi-gigabyte backup nightmare.

thanks UNIX

Mandrake has an option to have no "root" Passwrd/user

Mandrake 9.1 PPC

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by bossesjoe: too lazy to post much:
This sounds retareded but can you make a root account as a login option from the login screen?

I would guess you can with OSX, you can with almost any linux distro running KDE

SuSE,Mandrake........not sure about redhat

lets say all KDE preffered Distros OK

[psyjax]

quote:Originally posted by bossesjoe: too lazy to post much:
This sounds retareded but can you make a root account as a login option from the login screen?

Yes you can.

when in the system prefrences, under login, make sure show other ousers is checked.

Then in the login window, click on "other...", then use name: "root" pwd: whatever.

done.