Some basic tasks that will come in handy when using Ubuntu 13.04 are resetting the root password, changing your username, locking and unlocking accounts. These simple tasks can be carried out even if you don’t have access to Ubuntu desktop session. Anyone with the physical machine can carry them out, that’s the scary thing about it.
By default, Ubuntu comes with the root or administrator account disabled. In order to login as root, you must re-enable the account and create a new password to login with. You can also use these tips to reset your forgotten passwords and username in Ubuntu.
To accomplish all of the above tasks, you must sign to Ubuntu Recovery Mode. The Recovery Mode lets you sign into Ubuntu with limited sets of utilities and tools to help you troubleshoot and restore Ubuntu, fix broken packages and repair the boot menu.
The only downside with it is that anyone with physical access to the machine can carry them out without authentication.
To get started, hold down the Shift Key on your keyboard and turn on Ubuntu. When the boot screen comes up, scroll down and select ‘Advanced options for Ubuntu’
Next, select ‘Ubuntu with Recovery Mode’
Then scroll down and select ‘root’ to drop into the root shell prompt.
When you’re there, run the commands below to remount the root directory with read/write access.
mount -rw -o remount /
That’s it! Now you can easily unlock any account, change any password and username, fix packages repair grub and carry out many others tasks from this root shell prompt.
To unlock the root account, run the commands below. For other account, replace the root username with the account username.
sudo passwd -u root
To create a new password for the root account, run the commands below. For any other account, replace the root with the username of the account.
sudo passwd root
To change your username in Ubuntu run the commands below. You can also use the command below to change the root username.
usermod -c "Real Name" -l New_username Old_username
To change your forgetting password, run the commands below. You’ll be prompted to create a confirm a new password.
passwd username
To enable root login, so you can login as root, you must enable manual logon from the logon screen in Ubuntu. To do that, run the commands below.
sudo sh -c 'echo "greeter-show-manual-login=true" >> /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf'
or run the commands below to open lightdm.conf file, then add the line highlight below into it and save.
vi /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf
Add the line below into the file and save it. To add the line, type I key on your keyboard. when you’re done adding the line, pres the Esc key. To save it, type :wq characters.
greeter-show-manual-login=true
Now on Ubuntu logon screen, use Login, then type root username and password. When you’re done using the recovery mode, type exit
That’s it! Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the root password in Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail without desktop access?
You can reset the root password in Ubuntu 13.04 by booting into Recovery Mode, dropping into the root shell prompt, and running the necessary commands to reset the password.
What steps can I follow to change my username in Ubuntu 13.04 without logging into the desktop?
To change your username in Ubuntu 13.04, you need to enter Recovery Mode, access the root shell prompt, and execute the appropriate commands to change the username.
How can I lock and unlock user accounts in Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail?
To lock or unlock user accounts in Ubuntu 13.04, you can use the 'passwd' command with the appropriate options for locking (-l) or unlocking (-u) an account.
What is the default status of the root account in Ubuntu 13.04?
By default, the root or administrator account is disabled in Ubuntu 13.04. You need to re-enable the root account to log in as root.
How can I enable the root account in Ubuntu 13.04 to perform administrative tasks?
You can enable the root account in Ubuntu 13.04 by booting into Recovery Mode and accessing the root shell prompt to run the necessary commands to enable the account.
What is Ubuntu Recovery Mode, and how can it be used to troubleshoot Ubuntu 13.04?
Ubuntu Recovery Mode provides limited utilities and tools to troubleshoot and restore Ubuntu, fix broken packages, repair the boot menu, and perform various system maintenance tasks in Ubuntu 13.04.
How do I remount the root directory with read/write access in Ubuntu 13.04 Recovery Mode?
To remount the root directory with read/write access in Ubuntu 13.04 Recovery Mode, you can use the 'mount -rw -o remount /' command from the root shell prompt.
What command can I use to unlock the root account in Ubuntu 13.04 using the root shell prompt?
To unlock the root account in Ubuntu 13.04, you can run the 'sudo passwd -u root' command from the root shell prompt to enable the root account.
