This truly is a big error. I can't even get into Linux. Several things will happen: A) When Linux is setting up, it randomly freezes mto the point where I have to hold the power button much longer than normal to turn the computer off. B) I get in, manage to log in, and after that, a number of errors relating to GNOME pop up and it goes back to the login screen. i log in again and it repeats. Rescue doesn't work either. When I enter Anaconda, it terminates with error code 11. What can I do? It would help to fix this, but even how to reformat the hard drive in this condition would work. I am working on a few things, and will tell you if I fix it. Thanks in advance. EDIT: Fixed thread name. Scott Simontis e-mail:ageofscott@comcast.net AIM:ssimontis [edited by - sSimontis on October 25, 2003 7:41:39 PM] [edited by - sSimontis on October 25, 2003 7:59:52 PM] [edited by - sSimontis on October 27, 2003 7:46:52 AM]

Sounds like a disk read error or corrupt file. If you have a CD for RedHat that''s bootable that should let you reformat and reinstall.

I think I found it. It was a new stick of memory. It was PC 2100 and I already had 2700. I could check if I remembered my username and password. I forgot, though. Also, I don't know the admin password I set.
EDIT: Forget it. Time for a reformat.

Scott Simontis
e-mail:ageofscott@comcast.net
AIM:ssimontis

[edited by - sSimontis on October 25, 2003 7:41:19 PM]

If you forgot your passwords, you''re basically screwed. Linux is meant to be secure, and if you could bypass those things, that would ruing the security. However, if you forgot your passwords, how can you tell it''s broken without also being able to tell that it''s fixed? And what front side bus speed is your processor running at?

Okay. I tried to reformat from one of my Linux boot disks. I still get exit code 11 when I try to start it up. I am running it 1t 100MHz system bus, as it was set that way in the BIOS in the first place. If it maters, here are my specs:
AMD Athlon XP 2000+
512MB PC2700 RAM
Radeon 9200 64MB video card
40GB 7200RPM 8MB cache Maxtor HD
AU13 mobo

Scott Simontis
e-mail:ageofscott@comcast.net
AIM:ssimontis

quote: Original post by cowsarenotevil
If you forgot your passwords, you''re basically screwed. Linux is meant to be secure, and if you could bypass those things, that would ruing the security. However, if you forgot your passwords, how can you tell it''s broken without also being able to tell that it''s fixed? And what front side bus speed is your processor running at?

That isn''t true. If you have direct access to the machine, you can boot it into single user mode and have full access to the machine. From there you can change any passwords you want or modify files, or whatever else you want. It is possible to prevent someone from doing this (for example, you could set things up so that a password is required to boot into single user mode), but by default there is nothing preventing anyone from doing this. Unless you''re doing something that requires maximum security, there is no reason to password protect the boot loader, especially on a home machine.

Bad memory will cause random freezes and crashes. You may not need to reformat, boot with a recovery disk and reset the root password. (or set it to nothing by editing /etc/shadow directly) remember to reset it afterward.

I found it! A BIOS setting was set to the wrong thing. I fixed it and it works now. I got new passwords, too.

Scott Simontis
e-mail:ageofscott@comcast.net
AIM:ssimontis