RHEL CentOS & Fedora: How to Reset Forgotten Root Password

RHEL CentOS & Fedora: How to Reset Forgotten Root Password

Resetting the forgot root user password usually only takes a few simple steps that will help you through the process of resetting the root password and logging in with the new password.

To begin, restart your machine and select the kernel you want to boot into from the boot grub menu by pressing the 'e' key on your keyboard.

The following kernel boot parameters will appear on the next screen; locate the line that begins with (kernel=) and add the parameter (rd.break) at the end as indicated, then click Ctrl + x.

You'll be taken to emergency mode on the next screen; hit Enter to enter the shell prompt. Now, double-check that you have read and write permissions on the sysroot directory. It's mounted in read-only mode by default, which is denoted by the letter ro.

Remount the sysroot directory with read and write rights, then double-check the permissions. The permissions have changed from ro (read-only) to rw (read and write) this time, as shown.

Then, using the following command, mount the root file system in read and write mode.

Then, using the passwd command, change the root password to the new one and confirm it.

You've successfully reset your root user password at this point. The only thing left is to rename all of the files to reflect the correct SELinux contexts.

To start the SELinux relabeling process, type exit and then log out.

This usually takes a few minutes, after which the system will reboot and prompt you to log in as root using the new password.

Completed!

That’s it, the session was completed.