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How to recover from a root password loss in a Linux machine using a Live Linux CD.
What is this Tip?

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This tip will help you to reset the root password in a Linux machine using a Live Linux distribution like Knoppix.
How to implement this Tip?

1. Boot your Linux Machine from the Live Linux Disk.

2. After booting up access a terminal window and type su to access root.

3. Now type the below given command to create a directory in your /mnt directory.

mkdir /mnt/mhd

4. Now type the below given command to mount your actual linux file system residing in your hard disk. Please replace the /dev/hda1 with your actual disk partition on which linux is installed. (If you are having a SATA disk then it will be like /dev/sda1)

mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/mhd

5. Now your file system is mounted and all you want to do is to get into the root of that file system. Use the below given command to do that.

chroot /mnt/mhd

This command will drop you into the root of your original file system.

6. Now you can change the existing root password by using the passwd command. After that just exit the shell and un mount your file system using the below given command.

unmount /mnt/mhd

7. Now just reboot the pc.