No root password!

[dklloyd]

We've been given an RS6000 F50 PCI box which is very nice. However the root password the supplier gave does not work and they cannot remember changing it. There is also no MKSYSB tape or any software disks supplied.
Can I break into this or do I have to contact IBM?

Cheers

DKLLOYD

 

[MendotaGuy]

If you don't have the root password, you will need either install disks or a mksysb tape to get in. You need to boot into Maintenance mode, mount the filesystems, edit /etc/security/password and remove the password entry. Then you should be able to get in.

 

[ElgisRamon]

Try:
1. Boot the machine with an bootable AIX CD in CD unit.
2. When the white screen with PowerPC logo appears press F5, you'll get onto SMS disks.
3. Seek for a boot list, boot order or boot devices menu and boot from another device: the CD unit.
4. You'll get to an IBM menu with AIX intallation options. Select 3 (?) to get to an "Maintenance menu"
5. Search for a menu to get access to an "rootvg" volume group. AIX will show you some disk sets... select set by set until one list volumes named [tt]hd5[/tt] and [tt]hd4[/tt].
6. Select the option to get a prompt (not the one with "without mounting&quot.
7. When you get a [tt]#[/tt] prompt you'll be root in maintenance mode.
8. Run [tt]passwd[/tt] and set your root password.
9. Run [tt]sync ; sync ; shutdown -Fr +0[/tt]

Voilá.
I hope it works...
Unix was made by and for smart people.

 

[aixqueen]

If you do not have any media at all, no mksysb, no original media, IBM will not be
of much help except to sell you the operating system....or perhaps issue a refresh
of the operating system....Maybe the place you bought it from can allow you to use
the OS to at least get into the machine?or try to order a refresh of what was
on the machine legally.....

http://service2.boulder.ibm.com/swdelivery/

The normal procedure is:

Several things... see getting into maintenance mode below and then
you can recover the root password from single user mode.
If you boot from diags..there should be an option to go
to single user mode? If so try
it...Otherwise use the below steps:

Recovering the root password

1.If the system has a Service/Normal key, turn it to the Service
position.

2.With bootable media as the same version and level as the system,
boot the system. The bootable media can be any ONE of the following:

Bootable CD-ROM
NON_AUTOINSTALL mksysb
Bootable Install Tape

Follow the prompts to the Welcome to Base OS menu.

3.Choose Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery (Option 3).
The next screen
displays prompts for the Maintenance Menu. Choose option 1:

Access a Root Volume Group

The next screen prints a warning message and asks you to select 0
to continue. Select 0.

0 Continue

The next screen asks you to select the proper volume group. Select
the proper volume group for your machine.

The console will display information about rootvg and a menu with
two options. Choose option 1:

Access this volume group and start a shell

If you get errors from the preceding option, do not continue with the
rest of this procedure. First, correct the problem. If you need
assistance correcting the problem, contact one of the following:

local branch office
your point of sale
your AIX support center

4.Run the passwd command from the command prompt:

passwd
Changing password for "root"
root's New password:
Enter the new password again:

5.With the key in Normal position (if applicable), issue the reboot
command:

sync;sync;sync;reboot

===============================
Booting PCI-based systems into Service mode

When booting an RS/6000 PowerPC system into Service mode, cd0 or
rmt0 must be before the hdisk in the bootlist. If not, change the bootlist
at boot time. On some models, you can set the machine to use a default
bootlist that includes both cd0 and rmt0. If a bootable CD or tape is in
the CD-ROM or tape drive, the
machine will boot from this device.

For most of the newer PCI-based models, selecting the default bootlist,
with a bootable tape or CD loaded in the machine, causes the system to
automatically boot from that device. Generally, the next menu on the
screen asks the administrator to define the system console.

For all machines discussed here, if you are using a graphical terminal,
you will use a function key such as F5. If you are using an ASCII
terminal, use an equivalent number key such as 5. Use the numbers
across the top of the keyboard, not the numbers on the numeric keypad.
On ASCII terminals, the icons may not be displayed on
the screen; the number can be pressed between the second and third
beeps, the second beep being a series of three clicks.


PCI machine-specific information

The following systems all use the F5 or 5 key to read from the default
boot list, which is written into the system firmware:

MODEL 7017 7024 7025 7026 7043 7137
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
TYPE S70 E20 F30 H10 43P-140 F3L
S7A E30 F40 H50 43P-150
F50 H70 43P-240
43P-260

On these machines, use 5 (on the keyboard, not the keypad) if you are
using an ASCII terminal. On a locally attached graphics console, use the
F5 function key. The F5 or 5 key must be pressed just after the
keyboard icon or message is displayed on the console.

-----------
Accessing rootvg and mounting file systems

For AIX Version 4, choose Start Maintenance Mode for System Recovery
, option 3. The next screen will be called Maintenance; select option 1,
Access a Root Volume Group. At the next screen, type 0 to continue,
and select the appropriate volume group by typing the number next to it.
A screen like the following will display.

Example:

Access a Root Volume Group

Type the number for a volume group to display the logical volume
information and press Enter.

1) Volume Group 0073656f2608e46a contains these disks:
hdisk0 2063 04-C0-00-4,0

Once a volume group has been selected, information will be displayed
about that volume group.

Example:

Volume Group Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Volume Group ID 0073656f2608e46a includes the following logical
volumes:
hd6 hd5 hd8 hd4 hd2 hd9var
hd3 hd1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Type the number of your choice and press Enter.

1) Access this Volume Group and start a shell
2) Access this Volume Group and start a shell before mounting
filesystems
99) Previous Menu

If the logical volumes listed do not include logical volumes like hd4, hd2,
hd3, and so on, you may have selected the wrong volume group. Press
99 to back up one screen and select again.

Now you may select one of two options: Access this volume group and
start a shell ,
option 1, or Access this volume group and start a shell before mounting
file
systems , option 2. Option 2 allows you to perform file system
maintenance on /, /usr, /tmp, and /var before mounting them.

NOTE: If you intend to use SMIT or vi, set your terminal type in
preparation for editing the file. xxx stands for a terminal type such as lft,
ibm3151, or vt100.

TERM=<xxx>
export TERM

Errors from these steps may indicate failed or corrupt disks in rootvg.
These problems should be corrected. For additional assistance, contact
your vendor, your local branch office, or your AIX support center.

---------------

In a nutshell...get some bootable media and then it is a snap. trying to do without is
rough unless they set up trap doors with more than one root user...BE sure you are
trying the password they gave you both in lower and upper case, as it does make a difference.

 

[dklloyd]

Wow thanks for all that info! I shall give it a try.

dklloyd