Removing Mandrake Please Help [solved]

[Guest thomas15]

Hello,

 

About 6 months ago one of my "friends" said he'd helpme with a virus problemby removing windows completely and installing mandrake. Thanks.

 

Unfortunately he hasnow left the country and taken with him my root password, is there anyway to remove mandrake so I can re-install XP, (i apologise)

 

I have clue how to use mandrake other than surf the web.

[ianw1974]

The really easy way is just to boot from your Windows XP CD, and when you come to partitioning, delete what is set up, and then create a partition and install Windows.

 

If you have files in the Linux system you want to keep, suggest backing them up to CD/DVD or USB stick or something along those lines before you erase.

 

Your root password can be reset however, if you want to continue using Linux.

[Guest thomas15]

how do i boot from the cd, mandrake just loads up and the cd doesn't auto start

[Guest thomas15]

Ok, another question.in simple terms how do i reset root password.

[ianw1974]

You will need to go into the BIOS of the PC and make sure that it is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive before it reads the hard disk drive.

 

Resetting the root password is a little more complicated, and requires editing a file. You would need to boot from a Mandrake/Mandriva or Live CD, and get to a command prompt. If using Mandrake/Mandriva CD then boot, press F1, type linux rescue. Then choose the option to get a prompt.

 

Once this has been done, we have to find out your partition information. Typing:

 

fdisk -l /dev/hda

 

should list some. If you can tell me what is here, then we can look at mounting, and then editing a file called /etc/passwd.

[Guest thomas15]

bios is asking for a password, though i knewitobviously dont...dont have mandrake CD.

 

i am ruined. think i might just buy new hard drive

[ianw1974]

Just for info, I'm guessing here. We will assume your hard disk is /dev/hda. Therefore, I can assume that your partitions are likely to be /dev/hda5 for the root partition.

 

So, if you want to edit the /etc/passwd file, you need to do this after doing the boot, linux rescue, choosing option to get command line:

 

mkdir /mnt/root
mount /dev/hda5 /mnt/root
cd /mnt/root/etc
vi passwd
press the "i" key
use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the "x" on the line root:x:
delete the "x" using the del key, now it should read root::
press the "esc" key
press ":wq" to write and quit vi
pwconv (and press enter to update shadow passwords)

 

that should have reset it, now reboot the system by typing "reboot" at the prompt (without the quotes).

 

You'll now have your root password set to a blank password. To give a new password, do this:

 

su
passwd (type new password when prompted, and repeat when asked again)

 

and that now means your all sorted to continue using Mandrake/Mandriva if you wish.

[ianw1974]

If you have the instruction manual for your system board, there is a jumper setting which you can change to erase the BIOS settings back to the defaults.

 

This will remove the password and allow you to access the BIOS. If you don't have it, try to find it, or download from the internet.

[Guest thomas15]

mother board is a matsonic ms8308ep. trying to find jumper setting now

[Guest thomas15]

Right, I hope we have sorted it, i removed the hddthen plugged it back in turned it on and it allowed me to enter the bios without the password. I am currently installing XP.

 

Thanks for your help.

[aknetskimo]

Can you expand the fix to include Mandriva 2006.

The file sys structure is different.