Resetting a root password in Linux without external media Improve Improve Improve Like Article Like Save Article Save Share Report issue Report We have to follow 8 steps to crack root password without using any external media Step-1 :Â Reboot the system and interrupt the boot loader countdown timer by pressing any key except enter. Step-2 : Â Find the entry that is normally booted, and change it to halt execution during the initial ram disk. 2.1. Use the cursor keys to highlight the entry that is normally booted and press e 2.2. Use the cursor to move to the line that has the kernel and kernel arguments. This line normally starts with linux16 or linuxefi. 2.3. Move the cursor to the end of line by pressing End, and add rd.break. 2.4. Press Ctrl+x to boot using the modified stanza and you will get a command line interface. Step-3: On command line Interface you have to write command # mount -o remount,rw /sysroot Here we are mounting the system read-write . The file system is mounted under /sysroot. Step-4 : Change the working root to /sysroot directory. # chroot /sysroot Step-5 : Now you can change password #passwd root Step-6 : Now make sure that all the unlabeled files(like /etc/shadow) get relabeled during boot so run the command #touch /.autorelabel Step-7 : Now by running command exit you can exit from interactive shell. # exit Step-8 : Now again run exit command by which you can exit from command line interface and booting process will start again with new root password. # exit Last Updated : 29 Sep, 2022 Like Article Save Article Previous Processes in Linux/Unix Next Minimum Perimeter of n blocks Share your thoughts in the comments Add Your Comment Please Login to comment...