Topic: How do I connect to this box? stumped

[winecooler]

So we had a tech install a sme server to perform backups for windows servers. He was let go, he did not document it and now refuses to divulge any documentation whatsoever on the box, including passwords. Of course a few days after he is gone, one of the servers has a nasty crash and I need to restore from backup. All I know about this is that it has SSL errors cascading down the console (like this).

So one step at a time, I need to connect to it to see if it even has any recent backups. I try root / <insert all our known site passwords here> to no avail on the console. So then I try connect to the box via web interface from another local workstation (all I know is its name, "backserver", and it's IP), it says (111) connection refused. I tried telnet which resulted in "cannot connect on port 23". I downloaded putty and tried all the protocols, and connect is refused. I'm assuming he has it locked down fairly well to refuse connections from other machines. So back to the console I go.

It seems the only way to reset the root password is to log in to do it, or at least see what I'm doing on the screen. In order to fix the SSL errors that prevent me from seeing what I'm doing on the console, I need to log in to fix it. Catch-22.

Any suggestions?  thanks

[janet]

winecooler

Download the sme 8 iso & create a boot CD
Boot the server to the CD
Start up in single user mode & you can reset the root & admin passwords then.
Search forums & Google for how to do this ie password change command

You can also boot ftom CD & select Rescue mode.
This will allow you limited access. Search here also to learn about Rescue mode.

At a normal command prompt that is displaying scrolling error messages & is "unusable", you can open another iteration of the console with
Alt F2 (IIRC), search for this also.
Switch between them with Alt F1.
You can open another with Alt F3 & so on.
The second & third console will allow you to "do things" & find out why errors are scrolling (without actually having all those errors appearing on the screen).

That should get you pointed in the right direction re how to approach & resolve your initial access issues.
There is probably a lot more that needs to be said but you can search for all the required commands etc now you know the general approach.

[winecooler]

Thank you for your suggestions janet! That'll get me started o the right path

[winecooler]

Oh one more question: how can I confirm it's v8? Suddenly I'm not sure. I don't want to try to reset with a different version.

When I do a restart, I see the SME screen but it flashes by too quick, I see no version numbers, then one of the first dozen or so lines in the bootup process it says version 2.8x or something... goes by so quick. Pause key doesn't work. :[

[janet]

winecooler

There is a point in time quite early in the sequence when initial screens are displayed showing the kernels installed, when you can press any key to pause the start up at that screen
The kernel version will identify what SME OS version you are running.
You have to watch carefully & be ready & quick. Try rebooting again if you fail.

It should not matter greatly if you boot to a CD because you are booting to the version on the CD & in rescue mode you will mount the local file system on the server hard drive, whatever it is.
You could even use a Knoppix boot CD disk or many other Linux boot CD versions.

The password reset command is generic between recent versions.

[janet]

winecooler

Things improve with time compared to the old post below.
You do not even need a boot CD.

From the current FAQ (linked at top of forums)
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Documentation:FAQ:Section01#Reset_the_root_and_admin_password

Reset the root and admin password

1. Restart your server and at the beginning of the boot-up use the arrow keys to select the kernel you would like to boot into.
2. Press A , to allow you to append parameters to your grub boot settings.
3. Be careful not to change anything, only add the following after the A (Be sure to put a space before "single"):

  single

4. Press enter. you will be presented with a prompt.
5. At this prompt type the following two commands (each followed by a return). You will be asked to provide a new password. Reset both your root and your admin password and set them to the same value:

 passwd root
 passwd admin

Reboot your server and everything should be okay now.


Here's an old post still applicable AFAIK except for using sme instead of e-smith
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,2751.msg9312.html#msg9312

I think nowadays use
sme single

It also tells you how to reset the password

[winecooler]

beauty! thanks !

[guest22]

I think nowadays use
sme single

It also tells you how to reset the password

Simply add the word 'single' to the boot options.

after boot:

passwd root
passwd admin

reboot.

[winecooler]

I have successfully changed the passwords, thank you for this tip

[guest22]

I have successfully changed the passwords, thank you for this tip

This also implies that root and admin can have different passwords. e.g. root only console access and admin only server-manager.