Setting up a root password is a mandatory part of a Fedora installation. If you forget or otherwise lose your root password, there are procedures to reset it.
- If you have set a password for your boot loader, refer to this section.
- If you want to reset the boot loader password, refer to these instructions.
- If none of these scenarios apply to you, proceed to the next section.
Fedora uses run levels to determine the services being run when you start your system. Run level 1 can be used as a rescue mode. Booting Linux under run level 1, which is also called single user mode, will display a root prompt on bootup, from which you can reset the root password.
🔗 Entering Rescue Mode
🔗 Using GRUB legacy
While your system is starting up, hold down the Ctrl key or Esc to see the boot loader menu. After you see the menu:
- Use the arrows to select the boot entry you want to modify.
- Press e to edit the entry.
- Use the arrows to go to kernel line.
- Press a or e to append this entry.
- At the end of the line add the word single or the number 1.
- Press Enter to accept the changes.
- Press b to boot this kernel.
A series of text messages scrolls by and after a short time, a root prompt appears awaiting your commands (#).
🔗 Using GRUB2
While booting the system the GRUB2 menu will be displayed, to boot into the rescue mode follow these steps:
- Use the arrow keys to select the boot entry you want to edit
- Press e to start editing that entry
- Use the arrow keys to go to the line that starts with linux
- If you have a UEFI system it's the line that starts with linuxefi
- Go the the end of that line add a space then the word single or the number 1
- Press Ctrl-x or F10 to boot that entry
🔗 Changing root password
As root, changing password does not ask for your old password. Run the command:
# passwd
Enter your new root password twice. Congratulations! You now have now reset your root password. You can type reboot and press enter to restart your system.
🔗 Reset Password Using a Fedora CD/DVD
🔗 Using the Fedora DVD (non-Live media)
- Boot from the install or rescue CD/DVD.
- Select "Rescue installed system."
- Answer the prompts for language and keyboard. Starting the network is optional and not needed.
- Let the rescue mode mount your file systems in the read/write mode.
- Hit Enter to get the shell prompt.
- At the prompt, enter the following commands. Do not enter any # mark or the text following it. These comments are shown for explanatory purposes only.
chroot /mnt/sysimage # Change to your disk file system passwd # Change the root password exit # Exit the chroot environment exit # Exit the rescue mode
The system now unmounts the file systems and reboots.
🔗 Using any of the Fedora Live Media
- Boot the Live installation media
- After it finishes booting and starts the live session, open a terminal and switch to root (using
su
, it won't ask for a password) - Create a directory where you can mount the filesystem of your installation:
mkdir /mnt/sysimage
- Mount the filesystem of your installation (/dev/sda1 is just an example, be sure to fill in the actual device node of your installation root / partition):
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sysimage
- chroot to your installation:
chroot /mnt/sysimage/
- Change the root password:
passwd
- Exit from the chroot:
exit
That's it, simply reboot your system and then boot the installation from the HDD as usual.
🔗 Reset Password When BIOS is Password Protected
If you cannot enter rescue mode because you forgot the BIOS password required to select an alternate boot device, you have three options:
- Refer to your computer's documentation for instructions on resetting the BIOS password in CMOS memory, usually by moving a physical jumper.
- Physically change the boot order.
- Temporarily move the system hard disk to another machine, and follow the procedures above to reset the root password.