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When I tried the "shift" key to get a "recovery-mode" Ubuntu just started up as usual with GUI screen."authentication passwd" is asked for when I try to "install updates" from the "software updater" Old computer don't have passwd but can open "Terminal" so how would I get to the "root" to either recover/change passwd? I have already tried looking into the "How to set or reset administrative password" section.

Ochila Luna
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  • What?? do you ask? – LittleByBlue Dec 21 '14 at 16:43
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    Thing is... you can but you need the password you do not seem to know. "Old computer don't have passwd ". Yes, it does since it would be blank if it had not ;) – Rinzwind Dec 21 '14 at 16:59
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    You did press and hold the shift key at boot time until the Grub menu comes up? – Jos Dec 21 '14 at 17:01
  • Okay the problem is I do not have the password for the root and need to change it for me to access the software updater etc. Nothing in the FAQs section works for me the holding down of the "shift" key does not stop the computer from booting up. @Jos I do not know what a "Grub menu" is or looks like I want to update this PC that has a Version 4.10 Xfce Desktop Environment distributed by Xubuntu I know nothing PLEASE HELP – Ochila Luna Dec 28 '14 at 22:22

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If you want to access "root" from your "terminal" follow these steps:

ctrl + alt + t

Next enter this into the "terminal":

sudo su

This will prompt you for your password so go ahead and enter it in... This will bring up a "root" prompt for you to do "root" activities on.

If you want to change your password for your username, this is what you do this under "root":

passwd username

Make sure that "username" is the name you have set for your user account.

philipballew
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  • Okay the problem is I do not have the password for the root and need to change it for me to access the software updater etc. Nothing in the FAQs section works for me the holding down of the "shift" key does not stop the computer from booting up. @Jos I do not know what a "Grub menu" is or looks like I want to update this PC with a Version 4.10 Xfce Desktop Environment distributed by Xubuntu I know nothing PLEASE HELP – Ochila Luna Dec 28 '14 at 22:21
  • Would something like this be what you need? Once you get to a root shell from here, you can use the command above to change your password for your account. http://askubuntu.com/questions/121698/how-do-i-reset-a-lost-password-using-recovery-mode-requires-me-to-type-the-pass/121805#121805 – philipballew Dec 29 '14 at 02:37
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    Now if you want to make sure that grub comes up though, as you said you were having trouble with this, use thus answer before: http://askubuntu.com/questions/16042/how-to-get-to-the-grub-menu-at-boot-time – philipballew Dec 29 '14 at 03:40