root pw AIX 4.1.5

[Vinware]

Is it possible to remove the root pw?

I do not have the AIX 4.1.5.CDs..

Thank you

 

[psi07004]

If you know what it is, simply use "passwd" and hit a return at the prompt.

If you don't know what it is you will need the cd's.

 

[Vinware]

I guess, I need the CDs after all...But where would one find this old version? My machine is sooo old that it will only take 4.1.5 and below!!

Let me know if you have the CDs...I will pay $$...

thank you

 

[DukeSSD]

Do you have a bootable mksysb, I think you could boot this instead of the install CD to boot into a maintenance shell for system recovery to recover the lost root password.

 

[Vinware]

DukeSSD.. I'm not sure if this machine has a bootable mksysb image nor do I know how to access it without the CDs. I guess, I should stop the boot process and get to the maintenance shell. But How??? BTW, this is an IBM RS/6000 laptop....

 

[mrn]

Do you have any access to a shell prompt on the machine?

If so have a script that can give you root access on AIX 5.3 and below, you can then use passwd to change the root password.

Mike

"Whenever I dwell for any length of time on my own shortcomings, they gradually begin to seem mild, harmless, rather engaging little things, not at all like the staring defects in other people's characters."

 

[cspilman]

Do you have a NIM server you can network boot this system off of? If you do, you can then drop into the Maintenance Mode for System Recovery shell and change it that way.

Regards,
Chuck

 

[2rArne]

It depends what you mean about "Remove root password"

If you have problems getting into the server because of a lost root password - and do not have any other ways to gain root access (example via ssh key authentication from a trusted server) aso. you have a more difficult task ahead.

*** Most potential solutions require downtime and console access
-> as also stated by DukeSSD

Rule #1 as a unix sysadmin is to remember the root password

You mention this is a laptop running RS/6000...

Helping cracking a laptop does not sound as a good idea - sorry.
I would require that you showed up with the machine and prove it's your's

Contacting a IBM support (even without contract) would cost $$ but they could probably both help you with recovering the password or save the data from it.

/2r

 

[ogniemi]

on some old news groups I found a brute way:

"Failing that the other possibility is to extract the hard disk out of
the system and plug the disk into a SCSI adapter on a PC and use a low
level disk editor (such as Norton) to hack the passwd file.

NB: you've really got to know exactly what you are doing for this to
work.

Basically look you look for a pattern similar to:-

root:
password = kskdi/ew35r

or in hex:-

0a 72 6f 6f 74 3a 0a 09 70 61 73 73 77 6f 72 64
\n r o o t : \n \t p a s s w o r d

20 3d 20 39 45 34 31 37 63 46 59 75 58 6a 49 59
= 9 E 4 1 7 c F Y u X j I Y
^
|
change this byte to 0a


and change the first byte (i.e. the first non whitespace character
following the = sign) of the encrypted password to a NL (i.e. 0A in hex)

Put the disk back in your RS6k and power it all backup. Then when you
login as root it won't ask for a password. You are then free to repair
the damage you've just done on /etc/security/passwd file.