Reset Red Hat Linux Enterprise root password (lost roor 0_0?)

I had a request from a customer on this, and the procedure is fairy simple and breaks down to this:

• Reboot the current system.
• When presented on the boot screen (hit any key to enter menu).
• Press the letter A (which reflects the term append) < this will get you to grub and there will be a line representing the boot configuration.
• Add to the line the word single and hit enter.
• This will get you to the single user mode shell.
• Type: passwd root
• You’ll be prompted to enter a new password.
• Once done, reboot the system and you’ll be good to go.

Also I’ve created a video based on RHEL 6.4 (Santiago), the topic is a bit spooky to some but people at Red Hat know how to keep it simple stupid :-D.

Also I’ve created a quick video on it, but as always I would urge anyone to try these things in a lab environment prior to trying them on production servers.

Update [18/12/2014]:

• You can try rescue mode: boot from the RHEL CD -> press ESC -> type linux rescue -> next -> next -> dont start network -> next -> continue -> chroot /mnt/sysimage -> root passwd -> exit
• You can try to force single user mode: on boot -> a (for append) add init=/bin/bash to the end of the kernel -> mount -r remount,rw / -> passwd root -> exit and reset the system.

 

(Abdullah)^2