username/password

[birdman]

3: delete etc/passwd from the directory structure of the extracted backup file
4: make a new tar.gz file so it doesn't contain etc/passwd, making sure it contains otherwise the same directory structure as the original one. Copy it back to the usb stick

In which case I'm surprised that you didn't just say to edit out the root password from etc/shadow.

[nottsdeano]

Thanks for the advise I have reflashed the box and up and running ..

[jukkal2]

In which case I'm surprised that you didn't just say to edit out the root password from etc/shadow.

Right, I forgot etc/shadow. That should also be removed from the edited backup copy.
Like I said, I haven't tried that myself..

[birdman]

Right, I forgot etc/shadow. That should also be removed from the edited backup copy.
Like I said, I haven't tried that myself..

It shouldn't be removed. You need to empty the password field for root in it and leave all files in place.

[jukkal2]

Right, I forgot etc/shadow. That should also be removed from the edited backup copy.
Like I said, I haven't tried that myself..

It shouldn't be removed. You need to empty the password field for root in it and leave all files in place.

Remove FROM THE SETTINGS BACKUP COPY. So, when you flash the image, the file gets loaded from the image, and that one will remain on the box when there isn't another version in the settings backup to replace it. Isn't that how restoring the backup copy works?

[birdman]

Remove FROM THE SETTINGS BACKUP COPY. So, when you flash the image, the file gets loaded from the image, and that one will remain on the box when there isn't another version in the settings backup to replace it. Isn't that how restoring the backup copy works?

Apologies. Good point. You're right.
If you delete shadow and passwd from the backup and restore to a freshly flashed image it will work.

[jukkal2]

If you delete shadow and passwd from the backup and restore to a freshly flashed image it will work.

Now that I think about it, you can also do it after after flashing when the password has been reset, so you can copy the backup file from the receiver to the computer and the modified version back to the receiver via the network connection, without usng the usb stick.
So, the procedure without using the usb stick:
- make a backup copy to the receiver's disk
- reflash
- copy the backup file to the computer
- extract the files from the backup file
- remove etc/password and etc/shadow from the backup directory structure
- make the modified backup file
- copy the modified backup file back to the receiver
- restore settings from that backup file

[ferrarie]

go to your network settings, password - and put your password there (example: root) then you can do what you want user root, password root , good luck, stay save, and have fun