# Login and password help



## INNEEDOFHELP (Jun 12, 2010)

Hello, 

Please please can someone help us. Our brother tragically died yesterday and we need to access his computers.  The first prompt that appears is for FreeBSD.

We have tried several login and passwords that he uses which we know of but none of them work. Is there any way to access the computers without a login and password or can we reset it without deleting all of his stuff?

Any advice you may be able to offer would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks
x


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## nekoexmachina (Jun 12, 2010)

boot livecd/liveusb; use fixit mode; mount what you need.
to change password - chroot & look for his accounts & use passwd $NAME


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## mk (Jun 12, 2010)

simply put:
boot the machine
there will be menu with deamon holding pitchfork
press 4 (four) to go in Single User Mode.
after big amount of text the last line will ask for shell - hit enter for default
after that type *mount -a* then type *passwd root* this will ask you for new password.
type it twice.
after that press letter D from keyboard while holding control button.
then again text will flash and you will got prompt.
user will be root (system administrator) and input the above password.
now should be easy for you to obtain your important files.
beware - there will be no graphical user interface, but something called shell.
if your are not ok using it, type this at the prompt: * ls -l /usr/home * the output should contain one line - the user name which is used on daily basis - this one is not system administrator but the user your brother use. again regain password with *passwd USERNAME* as above.
pres alt+F2 and will have another login prompt there write the user and it's password. if again you have black screen type *startx* this will give you graphical interface.
if you need additional help - let us know


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## Erratus (Jun 12, 2010)

Dear good fellows!

Just present a good story and get help to break into a computer system.
This might have been a criminal act on that you helped. Or the "died person" never wanted that his "family" ever get access on his files. 

Now come on and flame me!


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## nekoexmachina (Jun 12, 2010)

> This might have been a criminal act on that you helped


the information i've provided is very basic and there is nothing that overage person can not get from google or manuals or handbook, so...
And if that is a criminal act, well, if your criminal can physically access your valued hardware, it's your own security problems.


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## Erratus (Jun 12, 2010)

If the information on how to break administrator's passwords can be found elsewhere there is no need to spread this kind of information here in this forum. While a person might still sit legally in front of a computer, breaking passwords of systems you do not own is considered illegal if the legal owner has not agreed to do so.
You never know the facts behind a (i.e. faked) story presented like this. Just think twice before posting questionable advice that might be harmful to third persons.


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## mk (Jun 13, 2010)

freebsd faq is helping spreading of this crime


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## Erratus (Jun 13, 2010)

Wrong altruism is a pain in the neck. Let triade members RTFM themselves as breaking into computers is a time sensitive job. Reacting to heart breaking fake storys (here within less of an hour) is not a sign of a strong personality. 

*For all those who now feel in peril about their root password: See FreeBSD handbook Chapter 18.16*


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## mk (Jun 13, 2010)

wow


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## zeiz (Jun 14, 2010)

Indeed. Reading from the beginning I refused to believe my own eyes. 
I'm sure this forum is for BSD people and it's not a help desk for one-time strangers. 
"If it's too hard for you, dear, I can make it even easier...with gui... please don't hesitate ask again, we are here to serve you better!" Are you crazy, guys? Or you were born just yesterday?
Do you ever think that even if the story is true it is a fortiori illegal to break into personal computer of a diseased person?
Yes, any information exists somewhere but it's not so easy to get it without such "volunteers". 
Unbelievable...

This thread must be closed and deleted immediately. What do moderators think?


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## mk (Jun 14, 2010)

check your attitude. make a point for removing this thread in private message to moderators.


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## SirDice (Jun 14, 2010)

Odd story, yes. Can this information be easily found on the internet, yes. Should anything illegal be handled by police/justice department, yes. Are we accomplices by answering a question, certainly not.

In short, to reset a root password, boot to single user mode.

```
fsck -y
mount -u /
mount -a -t ufs
swapon -a
passwd
```

Anybody relying on this type of security should have their head examined.


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## DutchDaemon (Jun 14, 2010)

SirDice said:
			
		

> Odd story, yes. Can this information be easily found on the internet, yes. Should anything illegal be handled by police/justice department, yes. Are we accomplices by answering a question, certainly not.



Agree.


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## zeiz (Jun 14, 2010)

*Should we answer Mr.X?*

Just like to know your opinion, guys. This appeared yesterday.
Let's take the story for real: A FreeBSD user dies. A family member wants to take over his private data. Not being familiar with FreeBSD such family member finds a shortcut: instead of exploring unknown field just ask BSD people (the only comprehensive result of his search) for help and gets the help.
Now let's imagine only a couple of some possible consequences. Wife and kids of the deceased are loosing sustenance. Some affairs of the deceased become revealed to his wife and kids (could be with a further purpose). If deceased is a female her husband gets informed that his kids are his best friend's kids (I know true story like that). To be continued if turn on imagination. 
Now tell me what good can happen out of such "help" and then balance results.

Yes, everything is exposed to Internet nowadays. But it isn't easy to quickly find and comprehend a knowledge required in totally unknown field. Even a search itself requires some skills while time matters.
If somebody asked a chemist how to produce drugs, poisons or explosives he should not "help" for sure. Because such "help" would not serve good purpose moreover himself could become a reason of something really bad that wouldn't happen otherwise.

What drives such "helpers" to answer a stranger who even forgot his registration alias and put just X as a signature?
What makes some others think that we are not responsible for our actions?

Anybody cares?


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## sk8harddiefast (Jun 14, 2010)

If i had a brother, i would never get into my computer!!! Even touch it
If the story is true (me too i read it), i can understand his pain and probably wants photos were they are together etc.
But questions like how to break my dead's brother password i don't think that should be answered
If his brother wants from INEEDFORHELP to have access to his computer, the password should be already known
Yes. If google probably will find the answer, but i don't think is right to be answered from here
Except people of freebsd community that we know them, we have discuss with them, we know that they are active members, they are part of the family, familiar with bsd system and we understand exactly the reason that they ask for it
INEEDFORHELP is unknown on this forum!!! I can not trust him and of course i am not sure if this story is true
If i was sure that is telling the truth maybe i was helping him and i say maybe because there is the point (If his brother never wanted to have access on his computer?)
But on the world of internet is almost impossible to know were is the truth and almost impossible to prove that you are telling the truth
I think that on this cases thread should be closed immediately and discuss with moderators private.
And also don't forget that "How to break a bsd root password" is a vulnerability for the system by own


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## nekoexmachina (Jun 14, 2010)

I totally agree with what has *SirDice* said in that thread.


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## fronclynne (Jun 14, 2010)

If you spend any time on the forums that craigslist provides, this question comes up dozens of times day.  Now things are a good bit less polite than here, but the usual advice is "Stop stealing computers."


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## DutchDaemon (Jun 14, 2010)

Guys: long story short: *I'm the moderator, it's my call*, and I agree with SirDice: public information is public information, and comparing a user forum (divulging what is already public information) to a chemist giving away bomb recipes is ludicrous (like those are a big secret anyway ..). 

Sure, the opening post can easily be read in a distrustful and paranoid way, and I'll be the first to admit that it sounded suspect. But at the end of the day, it is a simple request for public information, and no one should feel bad for answering, because that's the function of these forums. Not answering it would have left plenty of Google links to click, and the section of the Handbook was probably somewhere on the same results page.

That's the end to this topic. Don't start a new one.

@sk8harddiefast: stop the multiple exclamation marks. I'm fed up with editing your posts and warning you. Drink less coffee.


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