Linux - lost login

[dualstow]

Hey, what's the simplest solution to this problem?

I have a linux laptop that I almost never use, but I'm finally free enough to play again. I started out with Linux Mint 10 which stopped updating at some point but which kind of worked.

Later, I installed Ubuntu and had it set up to dual boot. In Ubuntu, the things that didn't work in Mint worked, although a few things in Mint no longer worked in Ubuntu.

I failed to run electrons through the battery every month but the old thing still works if plugged into an A/C outlet. However, it boots up in Ubuntu and I can't remember the password for it.

- Perhaps I could review how to force a dual boot, as I know the Mint password. Is there a generic key combo for that?

- If necessary, I could wipe the whole machine clean and start anew, I suppose with a USB drive, but how do I do that w/ out the Ubuntu login password? I guess there's another key combination to boot from USB?

- Or, is there some other way around the login screen?

Thanks in advance for any ideas. This is a 2010 machine, I barely used it, and there is nothing crucial on it. Just feel like trying it again.

[Pointedstick]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LostPassword

[dualstow]

Looks scary for a novice like me, but I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[WiseOne]

Internet advice sometimes works wonderfully, but often not.  If you're stuck:

- Put bootable something (Knoppix, Ubuntu, whatever) on a USB drive and then boot off the USB. 
- Copy the files you want to save to another USB key. 
- Run fsck on the drive, wipe it and reinstall Ubuntu.

Better yet, if it's an old laptop put in a fresh sata drive...maybe things aren't working because there are hard drive errors.  Linux is usually not a problem on older machines, because other people have figured out the bugs by now.

[dualstow]

Thanks, WiseOne.

The drive should be ok even though even though the missus sat on the machine once or twice. It's an SSD and still fast-- at least, last time I used it.

[gizmo_rat]

- Perhaps I could review how to force a dual boot, as I know the Mint password. Is there a generic key combo for that?

- If necessary, I could wipe the whole machine clean and start anew, I suppose with a USB drive, but how do I do that w/ out the Ubuntu login password? I guess there's another key combination to boot from USB?

Tapping the <shift> key as it boots should get you the GRUB boot options menu (purple screen probably) which should allow you to choose Mint if it's still in there and / or start the lost password procedure.

Tapping the <F12> or <escape> key as it boots gets you the BIOS boot options (normally black screen) allowing you to choose which drive to boot from, including USB if inserted.

There's many potentially fiddly ways to fix it, but personally I'd just copy off any data you want to keep, reformat and reinstall. 

BTW If you're in the mood for fiddling about and wiping the machine in anycase the Windows 10 technical preview is worth a look. 

[dualstow]

Thank you! Using just SHIFT sounds familiar. It's only been a year. My memory's not great.
Will try tonight!

That's the plan: copy any notes I typed into some weird stripped down text editor and then format anew.

[MachineGhost]

Thank you! Using just SHIFT sounds familiar. It's only been a year. My memory's not great.
Will try tonight!

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[dualstow]

Lol. Thanks, MG. I think my memory is quite beyond the reach of supplements. Waiting for some kind of A.I. help, although I won't be half as charming when I'm a cyborg.

[MachineGhost]

Lol. Thanks, MG. I think my memory is quite beyond the reach of supplements. Waiting for some kind of A.I. help, although I won't be half as charming when I'm a cyborg.

Nonsense.  You ought to give it a try!

[dualstow]

Inspired by Pug's cheap-device-as-newspaper thread, I fired up the old Zareason laptop. Turns out I just had to press F10 and was able to get to the boot menu where I could choose Mint. I still know the password for Mint.

That Zorin OS that Coffee mentioned looks tempting.

[dualstow]

...and the laptop won't connect to the Internet anymore while running Mint. 
I think I'll stick with Mac stuff.

[dualstow]

Yeah, it's definitely designed for Windows users.

[dualstow]

As long as I'm posting Linuxy stuff today:

Mum tries out Zorin OS

https://youtu.be/IiHe_0_bCO0