Blinking underscore instead of shell when using init=/bin/bash

vk13k1

New Member
Sep 19, 2025
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I have a major issue

I forgot the root password and when I try to enter a shell through editing grub boot line and appending init=/bin/bash after quiet but I just get sent to a blinking underscore it boots fine normally and gives me login prompt so I dont think its an issue with the boot partition any ideas?
 
tried the rescue boot option from a proxmox installation usb it could not find the boot partition... i have the installation in a raid5 configuration i cant recall what file system its probably todo with this
 
Maybe you aren't editing and saving the boot line properly?
I'd google for "reset debian root password" and calmly follow the instructions.
BTW, I usually remove that quiet option as I like to see what is happening during the boot.
Anyway, stay calm and don't act in a hurry :)
 
Maybe you aren't editing and saving the boot line properly?
I'd google for "reset debian root password" and calmly follow the instructions.
BTW, I usually remove that quiet option as I like to see what is happening during the boot.
Anyway, stay calm and don't act in a hurry :)

I edit the boot line by pressing e when prompted with the grub selection and then editing the line and doing ctrl + x

tried with and without quiet same result
 
Then I would try to boot from some "Live" USB. Editing the grub line won't be needed.
If after booting you are able to mount the slash filesystem you will be able to edit the shadow file.

Possibly one could use chroot and passwd command but when I have no time to check the exact command I copy the shadow file to (for instance) shadow.bck so that I always have a backup before I start messing with any file, then I edit the root line and empty the hashed password field.

Then I boot from the disk and immediately set a password usual way.
 
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