[AktiviX-discuss] Breaking ubuntu...

[Alan Dawson]

Quoting Charlie Harvey <charlie at peopleandplanet.org>:


> So I'd say:
> - press ctrl-alt-f1 to get a plain text terminal
> - log in as root, using your usual password 
> - at the # prompt, type: 


But hehe... he can't because ubuntu doesn't have a root password by default,
only allowing sudo account to root.

So unless dan's set up a root password for his box that won't work.

You could maybe boot from a (Ubuntu) Live CD, mount your hardisks somewhere.
chroot and then chmod +s /usr/bin/sudo.  And the chmod 755 /usr/bin again.. and
then find any other apps that have sudo set and/or  need fixing seperately.  

something like .. 

1.  Boot from an Ubuntu Live CD
2.  launch and xterm
3.  sudo su -
4.  fdisk -l /dev/hda ( you will see a list of partitions)
5.  Select the partion that looks like your disk (probably /dev/hda1 or
/dev/hda2) .. work it out from the size.. assuming /dev/hda2
6.  mkdir /mnt/hda2
7.  mount /dev/hda2  /mnt/hda2
9.  chmod 4755 /mnt/hda2/usr/bin/sudo
10. reboot into your disk. and you "might" get sudo back.

Or.. just copy your  home folder somewhere ( like to anther server or PC ) and
reinstall.

Or .. bring to the next hacklab

But yeah  pressing the wrong key as root is evil.  I once was adding a new disk
to a machine and moving /usr to it.  Trying to tidy up I went 

machine:/mnt # rm -fr /usr
instead of 
machine: /mnt # rm -fr usr

oh the pain ;-)



AED
-- 
"If you make decisions about software -- or anything -- based solely on
short-term cost and benefit, someone with a longer view can easily
manoeuver you into a trap from which it is hard to escape."