[xubuntu-users] need help for logging into xubuntu 13.10

[Fred Roller]

On 03/16/2014 03:26 AM, som wrote:
> hi fred,
>
>
> Have you tried clearing your password [assuming you use one] from the /etc/shadow file to see if it is an authentication issue?
>> Fred
> no, i did not. actually never heard of it. have no idea how to do that. i will do some googling. thanks for the advice
>
> regards,
>
> som
>
> -
>
copy file. JIC ;)

sudo cp /etc/shadow /etc/shadow.BAK

Open the /etc/shadow file in an editor such as vi from command line:

sudo vi /etc/shadow

and find your user name.  Each line is a colon delineated list and your 
password is the second item.

username:yourpasswordencrypted:other:stuff::

delete the password only, leaving the colons in place.

username::other:stuff::

save and exit. Password has been removed, try to login from login screen.

further reading here:

http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/understanding-etcshadow-file/

Hope it helps, good luck

Fred