If you have a scsi drive you might try hanging it on a clone and mounting the partion under linux. You could then edit the passwd file in etc and gain access by simply deleting the coded password for ROOT. I am thinking about the same problem with a SUN box and that is the most likely I think so far. Basicly you need to boot single-user which disables all security and destroy the root password. -- ----------------------------------------------------------- Jeffrey S. Worley Technical Services Bits & Bytes Computer Services Inc. 1979B Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803 828-684-8953 - voice 0900-1700 five days 828-687-9284 - 24hr fax Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard disk? Technoid(a)Cheta.net -----------------------------------------------------------

You didn't say if it was the hardware password or root password. Assuming the root password is lost, from the NeXT manual: 1) Power off and then back on w/ Power Key 2) During boot process, *immeadiately* after the "testing system" is replaced by the "Loading from Disk", hold down the right Command key and press the key w/ the tilda on it. At this point, you should be in the ROM monitor at the "NeXT>" prompt. If this is a hardware password problem, you will be unable to complete the rest of this procedure. 3) Start up the maching in single-user mode by typing one of the following at the ROM monitor prompt. bod -s (to boot from optical) bsd -s (to boot from the hd) ben -s (to boot from the network) At this point, the system will go through a series of messages ending at the # prompt. 4) At the single-user prompt, start up the system services by typing: sh /etc/rc & 5) To set the root password, type: passwd root You will be prompted twice for the new password. Once set DO NOT GO TO MULTIUSER MODE before step 6. 6) Power the system off and then on again. After the system boots, you can resume normal operation with the new root password. I don't see the procedure for recovery from the hardware process although it mentions that it is a complex process. Good luck.