Author Topic: can't reset admin username / password  (Read 7648 times)

kevinmccarthy

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can't reset admin username / password
« on: September 08, 2011, 02:29:25 am »
I am the sys admin and want to change the username/password to something more secure. When I choose System>General and enter the current username and password and then the new password, the system says it is saved. When I log out and try to log back in, the only combo that works is the old u/p. Help please.

aspangilinan

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2011, 04:53:46 am »
try to change password on command line.

thanks.

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2011, 05:23:02 am »
I was said you would say that, haha. I don't have a clue how to do command like work. Still learning all this server stuff. Once I get to the cmd prompt, what would be the command? :)

Thanks

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2011, 05:24:18 am »
*said=afraid haha

christian

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2011, 06:53:57 am »
First point, you're question, aside problem you're facing, is an interesting one: Zentyal targeting SMBs where we will have potentially often people not knowing Linux command line, how to investigate such problem using Zentyal itself?

Then I would rather try first to debug this problem before applying workaround.

Once you have command line (either via console or connecting through SSH), can you have a look at /var/log/ebox/ and search for related message in ebox.log. You can have a look also at error.log but, as there is no timestamps there, it's more difficult.

If there is nothing obvious in /var/log/ebox/ebox.log, look also at /var/log/syslog

DWAM

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2011, 10:01:40 am »
On Zentyal destop, open "Administrator console",
You are prompted for the admin password, type it,

type :
passwd ADMIN_USERNAME

(replace ADMIN_USERNAME with your admin username)

PS : You may have a problem if you choose a very simple password, the system can "refuse" to take it. Choose a complex one.

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2011, 05:20:28 pm »
I tried Dwam's command and received the following in the console...

Authentication token manipulation error... password unchanged.

Checking the logs now (hopefully)

DWAM

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2011, 05:26:44 pm »
My post was meant to change zentyal admin password only... not the couple username/password.


kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2011, 05:51:03 pm »
Okay, I was able to determine that the password was locked and then unlocked it. However, I have still been unsuccessful changing it in the GUI or from the command line.

I checked the error.log and see a repetitive line that reads something like:

use of uninitialized value $reason in length at (eval 2989) line 74... (the eval number is different in each repeat of this error.)

Also, Use of uninitialized value in concatentation (.) or sting at /usr/share/perl5/EBox/Menu/Separator.pm line 44

And many other errors.

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2011, 06:22:45 pm »
in the command line I am typing: passwd chad - d to delete the password and getting nowhere. Am I using the commands incorrectly?

If I want to change the current admin user of "chad" to "admin" and the current password of "xxxxx" to "xx", what would that look like exactly in the console?

Thanks again. Or, maybe there really is an issue that is blocking this change. This would be unfortunate since I just fired the guy who set this up (Chad) and he would have access to my server. Ugh. Thanks again for the help. (And, yes, I am looking for a new guy right away to replace the other guy who had to be released unexpectedly. So, thanks for your patience with my novice questions.)

DWAM

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2011, 06:31:58 pm »
- Do you know chad's account password ?
- Can you login to Zentyal using this 'chad' account ?

If yes :

On Zentyal desktop, open "Administrator Console",
You are prompted for chad's password, type it.

Then type :
passwd chad (and press enter)
The prompt invites you to type a new password

Normally it should work this way. And this will suffice to prevent Chad from accessing your server.

To change 'chad' into 'admin', it is possible but maybe this will be the first mission for the new guy!

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2011, 08:44:23 pm »
Ugh, that is what I am doing to no avail.

I enter the admin console. The prompt shows:

root@nas: /home/chad#

I enter passwd chad and press enter

The next line is
passwd: Authentication token manipulation error
passwd: password unchanged
root@nas: /home/chad#

DWAM

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2011, 09:16:00 pm »
I just did it on my server, it worked exactly as I said...

Check this :
http://forum.zentyal.org/index.php/topic,7038.msg28313.html#msg28313

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2011, 10:20:34 pm »
Dang, now I'm screwed. I went to that blog and used this command.

chage -d 0 chad

It certainly seems to have disabled Chad from accessing. But, it also disabled me now. None of the user passwords work. I cannot access the panel. Ugh. I really am a novice.

kevinmccarthy

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Re: can't reset admin username / password
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2011, 10:42:13 pm »
I no longer have access to the console. It won't recognize any of my known passwords. Is there a default u/p that ships with the install?