LINUX username

Zdrilic

Hello everyone!

So, I could really use some help...

We bought this new laptop today HP625, and got Linux with it. SInce I'm really new with this operative system, of course I have some troubles from the beginning

SO, I've turned on the laptop, when start-up was over, I had to log-in into Linux, and it asks me my username and password. But I don't have any!

What shall I do? Anyone?

Thanks

Goineasy9

You should contact the retailer that sold you the laptop. Usually when a Linux system is pre-installed on a computer, the first thing that comes up is a prompt asking for you to set up a User-name and password. If you can't get an answer, we night be able to help you reset both the user name and password, but it's usually easier just to find out from the seller.

BTW - There were no instructions that came with the laptop? A setup guide?

saqman2060

I agree with goineasy, the manufacture should supply a user guide with the system and a limit user account. Call the manufacture.

marc

In this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUFF5G4ZhfY

It says you should be able to set the user accounts on the first run :S

It is strange that it came with a user predefined.

Keep in mind this is not a Linux fault, imagine that you tried to login into Windows and had no user account :S

ben

I don't own an HP625 as you but I know what HP does with their devices with Linux.
They use SuSe Linux most of the times, when you boot the machine for the very first time you'll see a totally automated installation process, you've an hidden partition in your HD and the installation process simply wipes your first usable partition (your boot and root partition) and installs SUSE on it. After a while (formatting the disk, copying the contents) you'll see another boot and then the graphical installation starts. You've to agree SUSE Linux conditions by checking two check boxes (as with Windows) and then it starts the user installation process. You'll be asked to input an username/password for your everyday usage (like Windows), you may apply whatever you want there (user "ben", password "idonttellyou" for example) and then follow the installation process (locale settings, software choice, ...)

If you're stuck in what I've described above you've to enter an user/passwd suitable for you, if you see the suse login screen then someone else as already executed the installation process for you (not HP) so you may need to ask him/her.
HP doesn't preinstall linux for you (there's no default user/passwd), they "preload" it in a shadow partition, exactly the same as with Windows PCs.

BTW a screenshot may help so I can assist you in some way. If you're stuck in the installation process and you don't want to send a screenshot here you can always restore the laptop to their factory settings, after all you'll see the installation process I tell ya

ben

@Marc: you're too fast for me :-), I was writing the same thing when you've replied :-)

marc

ben wrote:

@Marc: you're too fast for me :-), I was writing the same thing when you've replied :-)

Hahaha it's just that my answer was shorter

Very clear explanation by the way

Regards

Zdrilic

In installation process, it was asked from us to set-up a password, but not username also!
So we're set up password only. It's confusing

I tried everything! I think I'm gonna take my laptop to some Linux expert, I've been Windows user my whole life, so I know only basics of Linux.

Zdrilic

The instructions we got is only about HP Laptop, nothing about Linux! Strange, right?

Well, can I reset somehow this username! May I remind you just, I can't log into Linux at all.

chekkizhar

If you are totally new to linux, instead of trying with Linux, you can install Windows by inserting its cd/dvd then reboot.

Boot from optical drive. Without promt you anything it will install and overwrite MBR [he is very expert ! in this ].

Then enjoy your new laptop for some days, mean while learn more about linux then try to do dual boot.[having windows and linux in same machine].

Boz, since you new to linux, you may feel difficult to manage some un-expected situation. So, I suggest you to have dual boot

marc

Zdrilic wrote:

The instructions we got is only about HP Laptop, nothing about Linux! Strange, right?

Well, can I reset somehow this username! May I remind you just, I can't log into Linux at all.

Maybe you set the root account?

Try with "root" as username.

If that works we'll then proceed to creating a new user account!

Regards

Zdrilic

Tried root already before, sadly not working!!! !"#$$%&

mfillpot

Since you do not know the username or password you will need to use a liveCD to access the system to view the users and change the password(s). A good guide to using knoppix to reset passwords is at http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-reset-a-forgotten-root-password-with-knoppix

ben

You may have one or more DVDs supplied with your computer from HP, there's a CD called Recovery or something like that, if you don't have it try to follow the nice video discovered by Marc on youtube. What I'm trying to tell you is to restore your computer to factory default settings, from there I'm absolutely sure you may supply your username/password during the installation process, that's what I've already done with other HP machines.
If you don't know how to do it try to read /etc/shadow and /etc/passwd files with a Live CD as Matthew suggested, then use that user to enter in your system after a reboot (you may even blank the password if you can alter /etc/shadow file)

Let me know how it goes
Ben

Zdrilic

So, we "resolved" it - took it back to the store, and got a new laptop back, cause they also didnt know the username...

marc

Zdrilic wrote:

So, we "resolved" it - took it back to the store, and got a new laptop back, cause they also didnt know the username...

How do you like your linux environment?

mfillpot

Zdrilic wrote:

So, we "resolved" it - took it back to the store, and got a new laptop back, cause they also didnt know the username...

Can you please tell us if the initial setup prompted you to enter a user name and if not what name was the default?