lost root - another option besides reinstalling?

[Megalan-Robert]

Hi

I was working late in the night when I was already at a concentration lowness and I somehow managed to create this brilliant new password for root. It made totally sense back then, and now when I wake up I can pull my hairs out considering that it was so brilliant even I can't remember it now.

So, that's basically it. A working DA box with admin SSH access without root. Is there any other way besides formatting the system and starting over to get root back?

Regards

 

[Megalan-Robert]

While the question still seems interesting enough I managed to remember the brilliant password, thank God...

So it leaves the theoretical question now, as there's not much practical use anymore

 

[nobaloney]

Linux can be restarted from a keyboard with "control-alt-delete" which does a safe shutdown and reboot. During the reboot a local user can restart linux in "single user" mode (linux single) without a password, and then you can set a new password for root with the passwd command and restart the server again.

I'm sure there's a way to do it in FreeBSD as well, but I'm not sure of the details.

Jeff