Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => TCB Q&A Forum => Topic started by: Guy on July 13, 2009, 10:36:21 AM

Title: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: Guy on July 13, 2009, 10:36:21 AM

Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?

Tiny Core is good for one's own personal use, but if it was used in another environment, anyone can have root access.

Title: Re: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: roberts on July 13, 2009, 10:44:33 AM

Use boot option secure to set passwords at boot time.
Use passwd command to set  passwords after boot.
Add etc/shadow to /opt/.filetool.lst to persist passwords.

Title: Re: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: Guy on August 17, 2009, 12:36:39 PM

If I set up passwords, I can perform administrative tasks without needing them. I can also log in after rebooting without needing them.

Is there something I have missed?

I appreciate that Tiny Core is being developed, and not everything can be done at once.

Title: Re: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: roberts on August 17, 2009, 02:45:03 PM

If you log out you will need the password to login. If you try to ssh in you will need the password.

If you are talking about the autologin, then you will need to remaster to prevent that.
The secure option is to set passwords so that others will not have easy access to your system.

However, if you wish to boot to login prompt then you will need to adjust /etc/inittab

Also for consideration would be /etc/sudoers, but adjusting that will likely cause many hassles, as many scripts expect  sudo to function as expected..

Title: Re: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: Guy on August 17, 2009, 03:03:34 PM

It didn't work for me.

I put the word secure in menu.lst. I added etc/shadow and etc/passwd to .filetool.lst.

If I leave secure in menu.lst for the next boot, it asks for new passwords again.

If I boot without secure in menu.lst, it boots without a password.

Are you supposed to leave secure in all of the time, or only once to set passwords?


Also I can type sudo and any command in the terminal, and it doesn't ask for a password.

Is that how it is supposed to be?


I am trying to work out exactly how it is supposed to be done, to find out if I may be doing something wrong. There may be something simple I don't understand.

Are there any extensions which need to be installed for secure to work?

Also are passwords just for login, or also required for performing administrative tasks?

Title: Re: Are there any plans to introduce a root password in Tiny Core?
Post by: roberts on August 17, 2009, 04:03:44 PM

As I stated it will boot without a password as set by /etc/inittab and /etc/sudoers controls those that have access to 'administrative' tasks. The restored passwords are to prevent outsiders from access to your running system. secure is only needed once to set passwords at boot. You could of course set passwords after boot as well. But what you seem to be after would require a remaster.