1.) start server up with live linux CD. Mine was ubuntu deskop
2.) start up “Terminal”
3.) sudo -s to log on as root
NOTE: /dev/sda5 is the partition we want to “Hack” we are after a file called state.tgz this is where all local users are kept
4.) in terminal type mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
NOTE to check type cd /mnt now ls -l and look for state.tgz
5.) type cd /tmp
6.) cp /mnt/state.tgz /tmp
NOTE: Now we want to untar state.tgz
7.) tar xzf state.tgz
8.) tar xzf local.tgz
9.) cd /tmp/etc
NOTE: now we want to vi shadow and delete the encryted password for root
10.) remove everything after root: up to the other : so the root file looks like this root::15391:0:99999:7:::
11.) save and quite
Note: Now we want to tar /etc/ and put the file back in the /mnt
12.) cd /tmp
13.) tar czf local.tgz etc
14.) tar czf state.tgz local.tgz
NOTe: check time stamp on the files to make sure the commands are working. ls -l
15.) cp state.tgz /mnt
16.) umount /dev/sda5
17.) NOW REBOOT SERVER AND LOG BACK IN AS ROOT WITH NO PASSWORD.