FreeBSD reset or recover root password

FreeBSD reset or recover root password

by Vivek Gite · 10 comments

With FreeBSD 5.4 and above the booting procedure is slightly changed. Under ilder version of FreeBSD use boot -s option at Ok prompt.
However, with version FreeBSD 5.4+ you don't have to type any command. Here is the procedure to boot FreeBSD into a single user mode to reset root password.

In this tip I will explain how to boot FreeBSD into a single user mode to reset root password.

Procedure: Reset FreeBSD root user password

Step # 1: Start FreeBSD server/workstation

Step # 2: Press Enter key at boot loader

At Welcome to FreeBSD! boot menu press spacebar key to pause default booting

Type number 4 key (type 4 number) to boot into single user mode

(click to enlarge)

Next you will see following prompt from system:
When prompted Enter full pathname of shell or RETURN for /bin/sh:

Press Enter key to boot into single user mode. Next, you will be immediately dropped into a single user mode without a root password.

You need to remount / (root) file system in read and write mode with mount command, type following two commands:
# mount -u /
# mount -a

Setup a new password with passwd command:
# passwd

Next type exit command to boot FreeBSD into multi-user mode environment:
# exit
OR You can just reboot the system:
# sync;sync
# reboot

For more information read man pages of passwd and mount command.

 

From: http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/howto-freebsd-reset-recover-root-password.html