Noob Linux / Ubuntu question

[BerenTebogo]

So I have a Dell inspiron 910 (mini-notebook) that I got last year when they were having an awesome sale. Thing is I haven't had too much use for it since I have 3 windows PC and a windows laptop + I know jack shit about Linux/Ubuntu.

Fast forward to tonight: got around after 8 months to unpacking the last of the boxes from when Caiti and I moved and I found the PC, upon fucking around with it a tiny bit I saw that it has some fantastic math / science applications that I can install.

Or so I thought.

Every time I try to install anything, edit anything, update anything, I am prompted for a password by a message similar to "This action may effect key components of your system please enter password:"

I've tried every single password I've ever used in my entire life. I've tried my phone#, my dob, my SSN, leaving it blank...everything. I don't remember setting a password for my system and right now I'm effectively locked out from doing anything with my computer.

I called tech support in the far reaches of India, they transferred me to a Linux specialist who I can only assumed lived further underground in India and was very unhappy to be on the phone with me. Long story short: warranty expired 6 days ago (my fucking luck) and they want $49 to diagnose and fix the problem over the phone.

I figure if they can fix my problem over the phone someone on BG must know enough about Linux to help me out and save me 50 bucks because, well, fuck that.

[viperlasson]

try "root", or your username for the password. You can download a new ubuntu iso from their site and reformat. Also, ubuntu 10.04 comes out in a month :D.

[BerenTebogo]

Where is the reformat option? Some people on IRC tried to get me into "Recovery boot" but my computer wants none of that.

[Balthasar]

could always unhash your password from the /etc/shadow file...

unless it's a salted hash (shouldn't be by default), a file containing every possible md5 hash can fit on a 1 TB hard drive. Instead of downloading such a file, there are programs that can do it for you. Just from a 30 second google search I found one at http://passcracking.com


edit: actually if you said you were locked out from even logging on, this wouldn't work x,x

[BerenTebogo]

I know it sounds dumb, but I honestly have no idea what you just said.

It wants me to enter a hash or password on the site. Neither of which I know.

[Balthasar]

I know it sounds dumb, but I honestly have no idea what you just said.

It wants me to enter a hash or password on the site. Neither of which I know.

if you were able to log on or access the file system at all, there's a file called /etc/shadow that stores all the user passwords including root's in encrypted (md5) form. An md5 hash is an encryption, meaning it turns a password such as "opensesame" into a bunch of goobley goo such as "lkjf4f$#(ASAm2niknmfiojfkfj23$T)90i$@)!@_(G89sduj 54gdfgj$)::sdfkg903" (that's not the actual hash for "opensesame", I was just smashing the keyboard to show an example).

But if you're not able to get on at all, that is not useful to you

[BerenTebogo]

Let me try that then

Edit: I do not have permission! Sweet. I am running 8.04 ubuntu btw. It's on a mini-dell and in order to upgrade it says I need to burn the new ISO to a disc and then install from the disc, which I am unable to do since no disc drive.

[Balthasar]

Let me try that then

Edit: I do not have permission! Sweet. I am running 8.04 ubuntu btw. It's on a mini-dell and in order to upgrade it says I need to burn the new ISO to a disc and then install from the disc, which I am unable to do since no disc drive.

oh yea... now that you say that, by default only root has permission to /etc/shadow ._. my bad

[pchan]

It's technically possible to install Linux without CD, if you have the iso on your HDD. You need to create a separate partition with the iso inside and the boot images found on the CD then add a line to the bootloader. You can always look for "unbuntu booting from iso" on google. I've done it with another distribution. A bit technical, but creating a partition will probably require a password anyway.

edit : you could try booting from a USB stick too... I've never done it though.

[BerenTebogo]

I just got it. Ubuntu IRC came through for me.

https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/dell-mini/+faq/311

I spent about 1h30 trying to get to the recovery boot because according to the FAQ

If you have an original Dell Mini 9 with Ubuntu pre-installed, you may have a hard time entering the GRUB menu as the default delay is zero. This is particularly problematic if you're trying to reset your password using the passwd command.

which is a huge understatement.

Was like an old school RPG mini-game with the timing of button presses to get access, but I got it.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[Caiyuo]

Just for the sake of curiosity, was booting from a live CD, like Ubuntu 9.04, to access the hard drive manually not an option or not something that'd work? I'm not sure if Linux-to-Linux would allow that or if it'd do any good, but really I'm just curious if anyone knows.

To that point, would using GParted (from Ubuntu Live CD) to partition/format not be an option? I get that recovery would be more convenient than re-installing, but again, I'm just curious about what other solutions, if any, could or would work.

[BerenTebogo]

I have only the vaguest idea of what a partition really is. I am not a computer guy by any means. Give me pretty much any electronic equip and ask me to take it apart and put it back together? No problem. Ask me to program it or diagnose something a first year comp sci major could do? HELP OH MY GOD WHY WONT IT STOP GIVING ME THIS ERROR MESSAGE

[Caiyuo]

lol, that's understandable. I'd try reading this if you're interested in learning more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

As a quick primer, essentially partitions can act as separate virtual hard drives altogether in order to allow multiple operating systems or just different file systems (I have one for NTFS and another for FAT32), to exist on a single hard drive. Nice for laptops which can usually only house one. Multiple operating systems is what you'd call a multi-boot system; that isn't their only function, though, just the most common. Some people create multiple partitions for organizational purposes as well, such as one for Backups, one for Media, but that's just for convenience. I don't want to elaborate too, too much because I really only have a working knowledge of it and may get some of the finer details wrong.

Lots of modern computers from pre-built manufacturers come with multiple partitions, with the operating system installed to C: and a recovery image on a separate partition (D: for instance) which is usually just an exact copy of the way C: looked before it was used by the consumer, but is safe from any changes that would occur on C: for whatever reason.

To give a practical example, what I was thinking originally was to create a new partition on your hard drive and install a newer version of Ubuntu, leaving your old intact if you were ever able to recover what's there, all things you're able to do with a program called gparted that comes with the Ubuntu Live CD.

LONG POST. I can't stop seeing the D: face and the C: gay way people write smilies in this post. lol