commit 589879f0cedaca217af217a036d9ca286dff6e69
from: Alex Arx <aa@manpager.org>
date: Sat Mar 08 10:56:20 2025 UTC

add an article on resetting passwords in OpenBSD single-user mode

commit - 8d8aa43123fc37b4de387a2db113c8f701f44009
commit + 589879f0cedaca217af217a036d9ca286dff6e69
blob - 53fc05fb97e57b9e2fbb67a70d79f016777dc6ec
blob + bfe74c48a3175fe2850ed3363e594893bc723f5c
--- art/21.install_openbsd_with_encrypted_home.txt
+++ art/21.install_openbsd_with_encrypted_home.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-INSTALL OPENBSD WITH ENCRYPTED /HOME
+Title: Install OpenBSD with encrypted /home
+Author: Alexander Arkhipov <aa@manpager.org>
+Created: 2025-03-07
+Modified: 2025-03-08
 
   Boring intro
 
blob - /dev/null
blob + b06df359c195ba273c73249b6b55a90d68443534 (mode 644)
--- /dev/null
+++ art/22.resetting_passwords_in_single_user_mode_on_openbsd.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+Title: Resetting passwords in single-user mode on OpenBSD
+Author: Alex Arch <aa@manpager.org>
+Created: 2025-03-08
+Modified: 2025-03-08
+
+Recently I've been careless with my password management, and lost
+passwords for my openbsd.amsterdam VM. Thankfully, the system is pretty
+DIY, and I was able to reset them by running the VM in single user mode.
+
+It's pretty simple to do, really. Here's how.
+
+The below commands are only really specific to openbsd.amsterdam up
+until the boot prompt. After that it's the same so long as you have a
+physical (in my case a "physical" serial) connection to the machine.
+
+$ ssh myuser@serverXX.openbsd.amsterdam
+$ vmctl status | awk '$7 == "myuser" {print $9}'
+vmX
+$ vmctl stop -w vmX && vmctl start -c vmX
+
+Wait a bit, and you should get the boot prompt (">"). Quickly type
+"boot -s":
+
+> boot -s
+
+Prompted for the path to shell, either just press enter, or type
+/bin/ksh if you need that.
+
+Enter pathname of shell or RETURN for sh: /bin/ksh
+
+Finally, you can customise your input.
+
+# kbd us.dvorak
+# set -o vi
+
+Remount the root partition as read-write, and mount the /usr partition
+(you'll need passwd(1), which is in /usr/bin/passwd).
+
+# mount -uw /
+# mount -w /usr
+
+If that doesn't work, you might find 'sysctl hw.disknames' and
+disklabel(8) to be helpful.
+
+Regardless, after mounting the necessary partitions, you should be able
+to reset the passwords and reboot.
+
+# passwd root
+# passwd myuser
+# reboot
+
+If you are on a serial console like me, press ~. (tilde dot), possibly
+preceeded by Return (Enter) to disconnect.
blob - eaa4661ab010a4560b60dea798333b4e6fe676b1
blob + c3ecbfb77afdab305b96fc448fe1460b5c770c82
--- plan.txt
+++ plan.txt
@@ -21,3 +21,9 @@ Entry: 2025-03-07
 
 Install OpenBSD with encrypted /home:
 art/21.install_openbsd_with_encrypted_home.txt
+
+
+Entry: 2025-03-08
+
+Resetting passwords in single-user mode on OpenBSD
+art/22.resetting_passwords_in_single_user_mode_on_openbsd.txt