How To Change Root Password If You Don't Know It

Legless

Be gentle, first post.

I'm completely new to the whole Dreambox scene so forgive me if I'm teaching people how to suck eggs.

I got my first Dreambox today, a DM500S, and found that I couldn't log in as root. Seems the little bugger is set up as a cardsharing machine and the bloke I bought it off won't answer my emails asking for the root password. He seems to think I'll be happy to pay 300 bucks a year for the privilige of using his Cardserver.

So, I had to go hunting for ways to reset root without flashing the machine. And here's what I came up with after a *lot* of googling.


First off, you need to have TuxBox commander. You can download it via the Blue Panel then ADDONS. Just select the Gemini Server and, when it's downloaded the catalogue, select PLUGINS and download Tuxbox Commander.

Once thats installed you can access it through Blue Panel, PLUGINS (Tools).

Fire it up and navigate to var/etc

Select the passwd file. Hit 4 to edit it.

You'll see something like this:

root:$1$$3er43323sBBCAw.ofBbt.:0:0::/:/bin/sh
sshd:*:65532:65534::/:/bin/false
ftp:*:65533:65534::/:/bin/false
nobody:*:65534:65534::/:/bin/false



Your root password will obviously be different to the above. What you need to do is replace the first line with this:

root:$1$$34NPeumc9sBBCAw.oUaM80:0:0::/:/bin/sh

And you have to be *exact*.

That resets the password to "dreambox" (without the quotes - password is now dreambox) and you're good to go.

Obviously, I make no promises and won't take any blame if it screws up. But it worked for me.

Cheers

Legless

mhku

If you don't know your password you've nothing to lose.

I'll test this tomorrow and add it to the Idiot's Guide if it works

Legless

It should.

And, if it does, I'll get one of my fixes added to an idiots guide on my first post which makes me go "WOO!".

I did try a *much* more convulted way of changing the password but it failed.

Basically, I setup a webserver and DNS, pointed the dreambox to my DNS and added an entry for download.blue-panel.com - the people who make the Gemini image.

The I wrote a quick PHP script that echoed the contents of the gemini catalog xml file to the browser. My reasoning was that if I could fool the installer into thinking it was talking to the Gemini server, I could add my own package and get it to execute that as root. All my package did was over write the passwd file with a known good password.

Failed miserably.

Got the dreambox to accept the server OK but it wouldn't open the xml file and whined about an "XML Parse Error". No idea why.

Still, now I have root, I can backup my box to an image and then I can really start messing around with the box.

Only thing I need now is a null-modem cable. Any idea how hard they are to buy in OZ? They're like rocking horse-shit.

BTW - I'm a recent migrant to Australia and most of my techie shit is in a container somewhere on the Indian Ocean. That's why I have no null-modem cable. Or a box with a bloody serial port. (But I do have a usb to serial convertor)


Cheers

compufunk

Nice,

You could also delete the password altogether and use 'passwd' at a command line to reset it, This would be easier than typing in with the remote control.

Just delete the part marked in red, between the colons.
root:$1$$3er43323sBBCAw.ofBbt.:0:0::/:/bin/sh

I haven't tested this on a Dreambox yet, but it works on one of my linux machines at work.

compufunk

You could rewire 2 serial cables into one nullmodem cable, I've done it, its not the best solution, but it worked.
I've read that some people have been finding that they are not as reliable as they would like.

Legless

Arrgah.

You bar-steward!

You know that I now *have* to try that?

But first, backup and then restore so I have faith in the recovery utilities.

Then I'm going to give that a bash. I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers

mhku

Your dns spoof method is mentioned in an old post here.

I'm sure fleabay Oz has null modem cables? Or they're AU $6 poste from fleabay UK to a land downunder.

hameed

If anyone cares to know, I just tried this and it worked like a charm...now I have my box back! Many thanks!

Myhd

There is no listing of Gemini server when accessing bluepanel>addons, not possible to download Tuxcom.
How to set addons to gemini server ?

mbiayi

hi ,
l download tuxbox via blue panel but when l want to open it ; he ask me to enter the password .
and l don t have it
so what can l do now ?
thank you

compufunk

The search tool would have found you this.
Reset Root Password, Plugin

TOSGamer

there r 2 files 1 on them named passwrd n the other 1 is passwrd-
which file should i edit?
and will changing the first line with
root:$1$$34NPeumc9sBBCAw.oUaM80:0:0::/:/bin/sh
will effect ccam?

youceff

this works perfect
delet all whats in red goto DCC> in password type> passwd and it works!