Why am I such a muppet!!!

[ITWombat]

After congratulating myself on a sucessful OS rebuild, i have just discovered that my admin password is perhaps a little too strong for my muppet brain to recollect :banghead:

 

I'll be alright so long as I don't want to install software or burn CDs

[russdev]

what os??

 

If mac then it easy to get around as i found out recently when i had to install something on pe deaprtments laptop

 

russ

[Joedetic]

There's a live CD that you can download from various sources on t'internet that boots up and gives you a tool to change the local NT passwords.

 

It's NT only obviously so it'll work on XP but not mac or owt like that.

 

If i can remember the link for the ISO i'll post it.

[webman]

Offline NT Password & Registry Editor?

[W32Jbot]

Joedetic,

It's called ERD Commander, it's by winternals and the utility in it is called "Locksmith"

[Joedetic]

Yh what webman said

[russdev]

if on mac then use install cd boot into it and gives you handy util to reset it

 

Russ

[john]

Joedetic,

It's called ERD Commander, it's by winternals and the utility in it is called "Locksmith"

But that does cost "money" to purchase, and if I remember correctly, quite a lot to get it as part of the command suite of tools they do.

[Joedetic]

The one i was rambling about that webman gave the link for is free

[ico2]

Why am I such a muppet!!! <---- I put it down to genetics, seems to be in my case anyway.

[ITWombat]

After all the helpful 101s on a cracking a windows box, I am glad to say that it was Linux root logon that I misplaced. I suppose data will always be vulnerbale on an unencrypted file system but hopefully *nix makes it a bit harder.

 

In the end I just took a deep breath and just did rebuild of the system partition. It was interesting to see the line "Installing Foomatic -filters". Probably nothing but sounds impressive. "Scotty, are the Foomatic filters insalled? OK warp 9 Mr Sulu, engage"

[webman]

I read a while ago that for sorting a forgotten linux password was to boot live CD, mount HD in read/write mode and overwrite the root entry in /etc/passwd with a new password. But I think there are other complications such as shadow now, not too sure.

[Geoff]

No need for boot cds with Linux. Just load up in single user mode and reset the password.

[ITWombat]

No need for boot cds with Linux. Just load up in single user mode and reset the password.

 

Eh... this can't be right or Linux secuiryt wouldn't be worth spit anywhere outside a server room. Could you imagine having a classroom of Linux boxes and student readers of eduGeek. Nightmare!!!!

[webman]

BIOS passwords, unable to boot from any media except harddrive. Can't beat physical security.

[Geoff]

No need for boot cds with Linux. Just load up in single user mode and reset the password.

 

Eh... this can't be right or Linux secuiryt wouldn't be worth spit anywhere outside a server room. Could you imagine having a classroom of Linux boxes and student readers of eduGeek. Nightmare!!!!

 

As Webman said, Bios passwords.

You can also password the bootloader (well you can with grub).

 

Any software based security can be easily defeated by physical access. This is why you shouldn't trust your desktops/laptops.