Reset forgotten/lost main user password in Linux Mint

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Alexio

Score: 21
votes: 29
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Reset forgotten/lost main user password in Linux Mint

You can reset your password following the next steps:

Reboot your computer / Turn your computer on.
Hold down the Shift key at the start of the boot process to enable the GNU GRUB boot menu (if it does not show)
Press ESC at the GNU GRUB prompt.
Press e for edit.
Use the Arrow keys to highlight the line that begins with kernel and press the e key.
Go to the very end of the line and add rw init=/bin/bash
Press Enter and then press b to boot your system.
Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.
Type in passwd yourusername
Set your new password.
Restart your system.

Tags: reset user password
Created: 2 years ago.
Last edited: 2 years ago.
Reviewed: 1 year ago.
Read 3122 times.

Comments
3 weeks ago	vonoctra	Thank you to Alexio and bugmenot. Extremely helpful. I am no guru, but if anyone does have results, this is what did: 1) start computer, press f10 to launch the boot screen. (I use multiple operating systems so there were many options) 2) Using the arrow keys, I moved to Linux mint (not Linux mint in recovery mode) and hit "e". 3)again using the arrow keys, i moved down to the line beginning with linux/boot etc.. etc.. (as posted by bugmenot) 4)using the arrow keys I started replacing the command as directed. NOTE: THE RW HAD TO HAVE THREE SPACES AFTER IT BEFORE TYPING INIT=/BIN/BASH example: rw>>>init=/bin/bash NOT rw>init=/bin/bash (> being a space) 5) after replacing the command I used the arrow keys and moved up to the very top line then hit Ctrl+x. I dont know why but that is how it worked for me. Also, if anyone is new to this like me, this might help. Step 9 is type "passwd yourusername". if your username is john you would type "passwd john" the system will then request a new password. when entered my new password the characters were not visible, and the cursor did not move. BUT IT DID WORK. Thanks again
3 weeks ago	uzbad	Well, dunno about how to get GRUB in Mint 14 menu as I had it from beginning, but to get things going I edited the rescue mode by replacing everything in the line starting from ro to the very end of it with init=/bin/bash, then pressing F10. This worked for me.
3 months ago	iamclam	I want to try this on my Linux Mint 14 but for some reason it wont go to the GRUB menu when I boot holding shift. I hold shift, turn it on, keep holding shift, and it just boots right up to the desktop.
3 months ago	josefg	Excellent! Worked on Linux Mint 13.
4 months ago	arafs	how about linux mint 14? does it work?
5 months ago	kentmint	I think you should update the article according to bugmenot's comment. As of Linux Mint 14 RC (Nadia), bugmenot's comment is correct. Thank you, Alexio and bugmenot.
6 months ago	Marcy	What about Linux 9? Am a TOTAL Linux (but not computer) newb. Installed Linux (Isadora, it says) on HP Omnibook 6000. Made it as simple as possible: I know my user name, I know my password. I enter them in their boxes as they appear/are requested (first one, then the other, but both never appear on the same screen. Also tried UC and LC letters, or first letter UC) Box(es) return(s) for me to fill again -and again - and again - and again..... (ad nauseum) :x NOTHING else happens, not even an error msg. :?: :?: :?: Have rebooted -several times. Have reinstalled and rebooted. Same result. :evil: Attempted the fix but got same result as djbyardie. Ready to go back to Ubuntu, no matter how slow it was (and will be again) because at least it WORKED and made sense! Would be a shame to quit now, but this...is...bloody...annoying :!: :!: :!: The only good news is that this is a new install and I have nothing to lose, except time and my temper. Help!
10 months ago	Gutknecht	Did not work on Linux Mint 13 even with @bugmenot clarification. Hit Ctrl=X or F10 screen went blank and nothing...... I see a reinstall in my future. But it shows me how much more secure Linux is....
10 months ago	Alexio	@stefi - You are welcome!
10 months ago	stefi	Thank you so much! Months ago i wanted to change my password, meanwhile anything happend and i went back from my netbook.... and was only able to log into my sons account whithout any permissions. THANKS for bringing the files into my life again!!
11 months ago	djbyardie	Could not get it to work.After Step 7 did its thing for a while then came up with the following: bash:cannot set terminal process group(-1)Inappropriate ioctl for device. bash:no job control in this shell Any further help would be appreciated as i am new to Linux
11 months ago	kencameron	I made it up to step 9 (using bugmenot's variation) with everything looking ok, but then couldn't proceed - didn't know and couldn't work out how to set a new password or to restart my system. I am an absolute beginner with linux. Any further help would be much appreciated. My situation is that I can log on without a password but then am asked for a keyring password, which I put in successfully, but when I try to install apps putting in what I think is the correct password (the keyring password is the only one I have ever used on the system) I get "sorry...".
1 year ago	Alexio	@bugmenot & @compuman2004 - You are welcome!
1 year ago	bugmenot	In Linux Mint 12, the line to edit begins with "linux" and not "kernel" Follow steps 1 through 4 above. In step 5, navigate to the end of this line: linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=[letters and numbers]\[letters and numbers] ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 replace ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 with rw init=/bin/bash so it looks like this: linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=[letters and numbers]\[letters and numbers] rw init=/bin/bash Press Ctrl-x or F10 to boot with these options Follow steps 8 through 11 in Alexio's tutorial as normal Thanks to Alexio. Saved my box from a reinstall.
1 year ago	mcfaiaz55	It does not work.
1 year ago	Tazmanian-Hat	Thanks for this. but I can't get past step 3. It won't respond to anything at the GNU GRUB screen.
1 year ago	cutabovehost	There is no line that begins with kernel as described in step 5

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Reset forgotten/lost main user password in Linux Mint

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