From:	SMTP%"carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU" 11-JUL-1994 09:54:57.23
To:	EVERHART
CC:	
Subj:	Re: what do you do when..

From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
X-Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: what do you do when..
Date: 11 Jul 1994 08:08:45 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
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Distribution: world
Message-ID: <2vqumd$4l6@gap.cco.caltech.edu>
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
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To: Info-VAX@CRVAX.SRI.COM
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In article <Csqty1.BpL@sed.csc.com>, bob@sed.csc.com (Bob Smith) writes:
=What do you do when your system administrator has quit, changed the
=system password from the one they left in security, and no one
=has the password to enable users?
=
=Our vms system adminstrator left in a huff.  It is just a little microvax
=3100 with vms on it and everyone's account has been disabled, the passwords
=on file in the safe in security are all changed and we can't use the system.
=
=The sysadmin person is really peeved with the company and won't help.
=We don't want to take any legal action but is there anything else we can
=do short of redoing the system from scratch?
=thanks

Assuming you mean the SYSTEM account's password, rather than the SYSTEM
password, you do a conversational boot, and:
	1)  SYSBOOT>SET UAFALTERNATE 1
	    SYSBOOT>CONTINUE
	2)  Wait for the boot to complete
	3)  Log in as SYSTEM (any password will do from the console)
	4)  $ DEASSIGN/SYS/EXEC SYSUAF
	5)  $ MCR AUTHORIZE MOD SYSTEM/PASS=known_password
	6)  $ MCR SYSGEN
	    SYSGEN> USE CURRENT
	    SYSGEN> SET UAFALTERNATE 0
	    SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT
	    SYSGEN> EXIT

If your disgruntled system manager was a bit more clever, the above won't work. 
Instead, you'll need to do a conversational boot and:
	1)  SYSBOOT> SHOW/STARTUP
	    SYSBOOT> SET/STARTUP _OPA0:
	    SYSBOOT> CONTINUE
	2)  Wait 'til you get the $ prompt;
	3)  $ SPAWN
	    $ SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM
	    $ MCR AUTHORRIZE MOD SYSTEM/PASS=known_password
	4)  $ MCR SYSGEN
	    SYSGEN> USE CURRENT
	    SYSGEN> SET/STARTUP value_noted_in_step_1
	    SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT
	    SYSGEN> EXIT
	5)  $ EOJ
	6)  $ @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN 0 1 0 1 0 1 NONE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.