Ok, my hubby bought a comp at the pawn shop and when we got it home and tried to start it it popped up with this weird sign in screen that said kubuntu. I have never worked with anything but windows so I was lost. So it turns out kubuntu is linux? Or something that works with linux? At any rate, we don't have the user name or password, so we can't sign into the comp. Is there any way to get around this? I know absolutely nothing about either one of these programs. Please help!
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
Hah -- so when you told your husband "get me a computer" you prolly never imagined the horrible consequences that he would bring into your home!
Seriously, you're in about the same situation as if he'd brought home a Windows system with password protection on it. In other words, you got the hardware, but you won't be logging into it, or adding any users or doing anything else productive. :P
If you want to have some fun and read the previous owner's data, any Linux Live CD, including a Kubuntu Live CD, will work nicely for that purpose -- it doesn't look like he was very protective of it.
You'll have to install your own OS with your own passwords (or not). You can't use a Linux system without having an account, and you can't give yourself an account without the root password. :P -
Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
So...basically I am just screwed then? I really don't care to read his stuff, I honestly could care less. What is a linux live cd?Comment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
As far as using the installed system, you are screwed -- it is password protected and unless the root password is something really stupid like "root", you have no ability to do anything with it. So you've got the hardware, and of course the ability to do anything you want with it.
If you think you might be interested in setting it up with Kubuntu again, then we'll be happy to help you. It would be nice to know whether it is a 32-bit or a 64-bit CPU in there -- a Live CD could help with that, and also demonstrate Kubuntu so you could see if it looks like something that you might like to try.
If you want to pick your continent here: http://www.kubuntu.org/download.php#latest
and then pick a server, and download the file named "kubuntu-7.10-desktop-i386.iso", and if you can burn that "as an ISO" to a CD, then you can boot it and you'll be able to run Kubuntu Linux on that PC, and see how well it seems to work. Plus you'll be able to open the KInfoCenter and tell us what the CPU and memory and graphics situation is, which is helpful to installing the OS.
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
There are several ways to get root access without the password (though I'd recommend starting afresh with a clean installation of linux...or windows if you have a windows installation media, especially if you're not bent on running linux on the machine).Originally posted by dibl
Resetting the passwords requires a bit of tinkering, but just in case you choose to go that way here's a short howto (ask for more specific instructions if you need them):
This is a bit on the technical side, but for root access (and you can reset passwords as root) in (kubuntu) linux, you can (in order of simplicity):
1. Boot into recovery mode (press ESC during boot when prompted and choose recovery mode)
- works if the root password is not set
2. Add init=/bin/bash to boot options (press ESC during boot when prompted and press E to edit kernel boot options)
- works if a grub password is not set
3. Boot with a livecd or other boot media and chroot to the harddisk installation
- works if the machine boots from external media
4. Change BIOS settings to boot from external media and do #3
- works if the BIOS password is not set
5. Plug out the CMOS battery from the motherboard (or use the jumper switch) to reset BIOS password and do #4Comment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
Without the password you are unable to get into the operating system (short of following kubicles guide). So this basically means you will have to install a new one.
You could go and buy a copy of windows however the catch is this would be very expensive.
Alternately you could reinstall a linux distro such as Kubuntu which is free. Kubuntu is installed from a 'live cd' (it allows you to try the OS from the cd before you install it). There are two ways to get the live cd. One, as dibl detailed is to download it and burn it to cd (although given your computer doesn't work you may need to get a friend to do this, its about 700 megabytes). Or you can get one shipped to you, either for free but slowly, or fast but paid.
Given the expense associated with buying windows I would suggest you at least try out kubuntu (downloading and burning the live cd is easiest) and if you choose this option this forum should be able to answer any questions about it you have.Comment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
Is this not the business about editing (from a live CD) the /etc/shadow file to reset the root password?An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way. Charles BukowskiComment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
Well, I wouldn't have a problem trying Linux out, I'm posting on here from my computer, the pawn shop one is one my husband bought so that he could have a comp to himself, as I tend to be a computer hog.
So, I just go there, download that file, burn it to a cd, and then pop it in the other (linux) comp...does it automatically start installing, or do I have to do something? I doubt there is a subject on the face of the earth that I know less about then Linux, so I need all the help I can get!Comment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
When you pop the live cd in it will show a menu, just let it time out or select the top option, it will now boot up kubuntu from the disc (this is the 'live' aspect) and should you wish you can actually use any of the applications from here (although it is slow as its running from the cd). Once it has loaded you will see an icon on the desktop called 'install'. This will open the installer itself and there are 6 (if I remember correctly) little steps to completing the installation. The steps are generally pretty self-explanatory, but fell free to ask if you are confused about any of them.
Note: you will want Kubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) [each version, released every 6 months has a number, year.month, and a name] as this is the latest stable version.Comment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
I might add to make sure you burn it as an ISO and not just a reg burn like you were making a music CD. I made that mistake the first time I tried.
JamesComment
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Re: New comp has kunbuntu, linux...I am lost
Yay! It works! I can't believe it. Thank you guys so much!! Now, to figure out what I'm doing here...Linux is so different than windows.Comment
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