How to Reset Your Linode Root Password

We’ve all been there, losing passwords is like leaving the keys in the couch. Luckily, Linode has a lost-password solution built into the Linode Manager:

Linode Manager Reset Password Screen

Resetting from the Linode Manager:

1. Click the Linodes tab. A list of your Linodes appears.
2. Select a Linode. The Linode’s dashboard appears.
3. Click Shut down to turn off your Linode. Monitor the Host Job Queue for a message indicating that your Linode has shut down.
4. Click the Rescue tab. The rescue webpage appears.
5. Select your primary disk from the Filesystem menu.
6. Enter a new password for the root user in the New Password field.
7. Click Reset Root Password. The Linode’s dashboard appears.
8. Click Boot to turn on your Linode.

Resetting from Rescue Mode:

1. Put your server in rescue mode
2. LISH in
3. Mount and chroot into your disks
4. Then run a passwd command.

You can find the steps to mount and chroot here, but if you’re using a KVM enabled host, please change the referenced xvda to sda.

Happy sys-admin-ing!

If your server still does not recognize the changed password despite manually changing it, there may be something wrong with the filesystem and you’ll want to run a filesystem check.

Helpful Guides:

• Accounts and Passwords
• Troubleshooting — Rescue and Rebuild

Check out other Linode articles:

• Apache vs Nginx: Choosing a Web Server
• Configuration Management: 4 Tools Reviewed
• Choosing a CMS: WordPress or Drupal