Linux Format forums

tonyfromardleigh · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:52 am Post subject: Password and printer problems

I am new to linux having just installed Ubuntu 11.10 on my PC which also has Vista as a dual boot. I have 2 overlapping problems. When I installed Ubuntu I provided a password for my user - the only user for this OS. I decided I didn't need a password and removed it. Now when asked to authenticate actions I can't. It won't work whether I put my password in or just press enter. Means I can't change anything Sad

I have a fairly standard Canon printer (Pixma ip4200). Ubuntu has detected my printer and correctly identified it but won't print anything. The printer dialog box shows the printer as "paused". I can't unlock the dialog box because of the password problem above.

I suspect I will need to go into root or the command line to fix this neither of which I have done. Don't know what the root password is...

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:58 am Post subject:

This may help:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/resetpassword

If you are a dual booter, this tool may come in handy in the future

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/
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tonyfromardleigh · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:56 pm Post subject:

The password work round didn't work! Having looked around the internet it seems that Ubuntu locks the root. When I tried to login as root I was prompted for a password... I wouldn't let me use sudo at the command prompt either.

I have reinstalled Ubuntu and it now works fine. Although I haven't done anything different the printer now works Smile

I now have 2 copies of Ubuntu on my hard drive, one of which is very limited. I suppose I ought to delete it...

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:16 pm Post subject:

the printer probably failed because the Linux printing system expects an authenticated user (empty password is a nono)
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nelz · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:51 pm Post subject:

Setting up a user with no password is a bad idea, and sudo won't allow such a user to perform administrative tasks. If you don't want to type in a password when you login, set up auto-login for the desktop. Then you'll only need your password for adminstrative tasks.

It's a bit late now, but you didn't need to reinstall to fix this, you can rest the password from a live CD. Mount your Ubuntu partition, say at /mnt/ubuntu, and run

tonyfromardleigh · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. A case of all that ends well...
I didn't realise that no password would cause such problems and Ubuntu willingly offered the option with no warning of the dire consequences.

towy71 · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:54 pm Post subject:

wyliecoyoteuk · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject:

Think of it as an example of the basic differences between Linux and Windows.
Windows will let anyone mess with your stuff, Linux expects you to act responsibly.
A password is the minimum you should protect your PC with:)

That basic protection is part of the reason why it can actually be quite difficult to catch a virus on Linux.
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