Home / server / Questions / 454696
Accepted
Matt
Asked: 2012-12-04 12:01:46 +0800 CST

Parse error in /etc/sudoers on rack mounted box. How can I fix it, since I cannot run sudo?

  • 772

As full disclosure, no I did not use visudo. Had forgotten such a utility existed. Lesson learned.

I was trying to edit my /etc/sudoers to allow password-less command execution for a specific script that will run on cron. I tried to add the 'visiblepw' defaults entry, but apparently mucked it up.

The box is running openSUSE 11.1, on kernel 2.6.27.7-9. It's throwing the following error on any sudo command:

sudo: unknown defaults entry `visiblepw' referenced near line 22
sudo: parse error in /etc/sudoers near line 21

What are my options for fixing the sudoers file? The root password on file does not appear to be working.

sudo

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Since your root password does not work, what you'll have to do is to get the distro install CD and 

     1. reboot in rescue mode; 
 2. mount the root drive R/W;
 3. clear the root password (a temp step) from the MOUNTED ROOT /etc/shadow; 
 4. reboot;
 5. login as root from the console
 6. immediately set a new root password using passwd
 7. then attempt to reedit the sudoers file.
    • 1