That's great, but the question was about the default password put in by Linux Mint. Which if you don't know it, you can't log back in, when Linux asks for this password. or add an account, or change the PW, I can't even add myself. Sure if I wait a while it will log me back in.....I saw that....but that's not my question....
I misspoke about the Logout screen. That does timeout and log you back in after 30 seconds (timer in upper right corner of screen).
But if you press the Switch User key instead in the Live session, you are stuck on the Logon screen and there is no timer to log you back in. You are stuck without a working login or password and no obvious way to exit the screen. I asked this question on the Linux Mint forum and so far no answer. Someone there did comment, the same thing happened to them.
The only way out is to press CTRL-ALT-F1 to exit to a terminal screen and then press CTRL-ALT-DELETE to reboot the system. CTRL-ALT-DELETE does not work on the Login screen.
P.S.
Okay, someone on the Linux Mint forum posted a keystroke solution to get back into the Linux Live session.
Press CTRL-ALT-F8 from the Logon screen. That will pop you back into the Live session. Still no password and this keystroke solution is not well documented, but it works.
Last edited by Antilope; 27 Oct 2015 at 19:30.
Hi,
In the meantime is there a way to create new user accounts so that this situation can be circumvented?
I did look around (it's actually pretty much like Windows and very fast too) but did not find an obvious way to do this.
I'm sure I must have overlooked the obvious but still.
As a further thought, not that I tried to mess about with my own Windows install, but booting into Linux from this stick gives anyone access to the entire computer it is used on. No passwords, no nothing needed.
While you probably won't be able to actually open most files, it does seem to allow for copying, deleting, moving them etc. So much for security......
TIA,
On a Linux Live CD session, there isn't suppose to be a password or login. Pressing the Switch Users button and it requiring a password and login, is probably a bug or fluke. Pressing CTRL-ALT-F8 will place you back on the Linux desktop in the Live session.
If you are using Windows Professional, it comes with the BitLocker program that will encrypt the hard drive. Linux shouldn't be able to make sense of anything on an encrypted drive. Of course, then if you have a problem, you need rescue software that can accept a password and decrypt your data to make your data visible. That potentially could be a worse problem.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I found my way out of it but trying to login with a username/password unknown to the system isn't working naturally.
So I tried to figure out how to create a new user but to no avail.
All it does is bring me back to the current default user which apparently is password protected.
Other than that I quite like it but as it stands its use is just too limited for what I had in mind. I'm sure this will get fixed soon enough.
Yeah..... I could encrypt my drives but I never felt the need. it just struck me how easily mint gave access to the Win 10 systems, all versions really.
Anyhow, thx for the help.
I had no luck installing Mint on a 16gb stick. It failed with one error or another. So I gave a 60gb partition on a HD to it and can boot it using bios. It was a something of a PITA compared to Win. I might experiment with it a bit, but frankly I see no advantage to using it over the live stick, except to play around. And play around I will.
When you boot up Linux Mint from a bootable USB. Everything is loaded into RAM and run from it. Since it is a live Linux, there's limitation of what you can do until you actually install it then you'll be able to create your own user and password.
Yes. The default user for live CD is: mint and password is blank. The user/passwd information is stored in the file: /etc/passwd. Right click on the desktop->Open in terminal then type: cat /etc/passwd , you'll see the format of the password file, all fields separated by a ":". the second field in the file is an "x" which indicates that the encrypted password is stored in another file: /etc/shadow.
Here's an explanation of the fields in the /etc/passwd file:
Understanding /etc/passwd File Format
All that said. Yes, you can change the password for mint user. Right click on desktop->Open in terminal:
- type: passwd
- when prompt for current password, just hit <RETURN>
- will be prompted for a new password, for testing, just type: abc12345
- repeat step 3.
Now you can logout and log back in using: mint and password is: abc12345.
NOTE: In Linux, case is sensitive.
However, since everything is run from RAM and will be erased in the next boot from Live Linux. The password will be defaulted back to blank.
Hope this helps !!!
This does NOT work on the Linux Mint USB version, the password shows 6 stars, typing using blank, or mint, does not work. also user name is blank, shows no name. no fields are shown except where the password field is, that shows 6 stars. Log off and you go to the Linux screen saver, try to log right back and it asks for your password. Wait about 30 sec's and Linux will put you back on its desktop.When you boot up Linux Mint from a bootable USB. Everything is loaded into RAM and run from it. Since it is a live Linux, there's limitation of what you can do until you actually install it then you'll be able to create your own user and password.
Yes. The default user for live CD is: mint and password is blank. The user/passwd information is stored in the file: /etc/passwd. Right click on the desktop->Open in terminal then type: cat /etc/passwd , you'll see the format of the password file, all fields separated by a ":". the second field in the file is an "x" which indicates that the encrypted password is stored in another file: /etc/shadow.
Here's an explanation of the fields in the /etc/passwd file:
Understanding /etc/passwd File Format
All that said. Yes, you can change the password for mint user. Right click on desktop->Open in terminal:
- type: passwd
- when prompt for current password, just hit <RETURN>
- will be prompted for a new password, for testing, just type: abc12345
- repeat step 3.
Now you can logout and log back in using: mint and password is: abc12345.
NOTE: In Linux, case is sensitive.
However, since everything is run from RAM and will be erased in the next boot from Live Linux. The password will be defaulted back to blank.
Hope this helps !!!
Thought I did, but just tried your steps again, and this time it worked. After changing the PW I logged out, went to screen saver then clicked on screen that asks me to log back in asking for my PW and all I did was click login and Linux bought me right back to the desktop, no problem. Before it would not, because it always reported wrong password. Would make me wait 30 sec's.
But like you said, the password is only temporary, wish it wasn't. BUT you were right, if the user follows your steps, it works!! :)
But another point, IF you don't change the PW Before logging out, when you get to the screensaver on Linux where it asks for your password, nothing works, without changing the password 1st. Hit the enter key and Linux will tell user wrong password and then user has to wait the 30 sec's.
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