# reset root password on sle

**URL:** <https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311>\
**Category:** SLES for POWER\
**Created:** [August 26, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311 "2019-08-26T14:45:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sharfuddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@sharfuddin](https://forums.suse.com/u/sharfuddin)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311/1 "2019-08-26T14:45:54Z")

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Hello,  
Trying to boot the system into single user mode to reset the root password but failed:

```auto
yaboot starting: loaded at 00040000 00067698 (0/0/00c3da70; sp: 089fffd0)            
                                                                                     
                                                                                     
Welcome to yaboot version r22.8.SuSE                                                 
boot'                                                                                
running with firmware 'IBM,FW860.51 (SV860_165)' on model 'IBM,8247-42L', serial 'IBM
,03213F62A', partition 'SOLMAN-PR'                                                   
boot: [I][B][COLOR="#FF0000"]linux single[/COLOR][/B][/I]                                                                 
Please wait, loading kernel...                                                       
/vdevice/vfc-client@30000032/disk@500507680307454a,0000000000000000:1,linux: Unable
to open file, Invalid device 
boot: [I][B][COLOR="#FF0000"]single[/COLOR][/B][/I]                                                                   
Please wait, loading kernel...                                                       
/vdevice/vfc-client@30000032/disk@500507680307454a,0000000000000000:1,linux: Unable
to open file, Invalid device 
boot: [I][B][COLOR="#FF0000"]init=/bin/bash[/COLOR][/B][/I]                                                                 
Please wait, loading kernel...                                                       
/vdevice/vfc-client@30000032/disk@500507680307454a,0000000000000000:1,init=/bin/bash:
boot: [I][B][COLOR="#FF0000"]init=/bin/sh[/COLOR][/B][/I]                                                                   
Please wait, loading kernel...                                                       
/vdevice/vfc-client@30000032/disk@500507680307454a,0000000000000000:1,init=/bin/sh: U
nable to open file, Invalid device                                 
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mfriesenegger](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/mfriesenegger/32/10891_2.png) [@mfriesenegger](https://forums.suse.com/u/mfriesenegger)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311/2 "2019-08-27T16:29:21Z")

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Hello sharfuddin,

Another method is to boot from install media into rescue mode so you can change the password.

Mike

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**Author:** ![syednasr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@syednasr](https://forums.suse.com/u/syednasr)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311/3 "2019-08-29T11:38:29Z")

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Hi Mike,  
Yes booting via iso into rescue helped us ;-). However I wonder how a system could be boot into Single user mode.

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**Author:** ![Eugen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eugen](https://forums.suse.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 12:54pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/reset-root-password-on-sle/34311/4 "2019-08-29T12:54:57Z")

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Hi,

[here](https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc/?id=7001985) you can find some examples for single user mode in older SLES releases. You could try only ‘/bin/bash’ (without init) as that site says:

> [@](#):
>
> “/bin/bash” for more advanced rescue methods and where init or inittab is bad

[Here’s](https://forums.suse.com/showthread.php?6420-Single-user-mode-SLES12) a different thread on the same topic for SLES 12. If the system is up simply run `systemctl rescue`.

Regards,  
Eugen