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Recently given a laptop with Ubuntu 12.1 installed alongside Windows 7. Can only access Ubuntu, which is fine for everyday use (LibreOffice, Firefox, etc.) but there's an authentication password required to install the 500+ updates, and when trying to run anything in terminal, it asks for "quiz's" password. It won't allow me to go into root mode to bypass the password (if that's even a real thing?). I'm completely new to Linux, but am fascinated at the capabilities and would like to mess around some more, but keep getting stopped by these passwords. What do I have to do? Uninstall and re-install? How does one do that if I don't even have access to the Windows 7 OS because it is password protected as well? Thanks in advance for any information and help.

user287494
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    Welcome to the world of GNU/Linux! As with most questions, this one can be solved by utilizing this shiny new thing called Google. There are 141,000 hits for "ubuntu recover lost password", here is my favorite: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword Hope this helps! – kraxor Jun 01 '14 at 21:48
  • Is there any particular reason you can't talk to the person who gave you for help on this as well? – Marc K Jun 02 '14 at 00:01

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Assuming that you no have need to keep the previous users version and configuration of Ubuntu, I would say that you most logical and easiest course is to just reinstall Ubuntu. There's tons of tutorials on how to do that. Its dead easy anyway. Just burn an iso image of Ubuntu to disk to get started.

In your case, your issue might be your windows partition. If you are content at loosing it, You can just overwrite it and have your new Ubuntu use the entire disk. In that case you have no problem there.

If you do expect to somehow regain acces to the windows installation, you will want to leave that partition alone. You might have somebootloader issues to solve later, but those can be fixed usually.

Before you do anything permanent, check that your system meets minimum requirements for the latest Ubuntu version (14.04). If not, try an older version (12.10 obviously works. because thats what you have now). Also, check if ubuntu will run off the dvd/flash memory drive (Option: Try Ubuntu)

Best of luck

matv1
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