HowTo: Reset (forgotten) root password on a Linux system

Last Update: 15.07.2009

Boot the machine with a rescue cd/dvd and once logged in and being root in the rescue system, type the following commands:

mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
mount --bind /dev/ /mnt/dev
mount -t proc proc /mnt/proc
chroot /mnt
passwd

/dev/sda2 is in this case your affected root (/) partition.