Default Password for Linux Installs

Discussion in 'Linux Virtual Machine' started by kellyf6, Apr 16, 2023.

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  1. kellyf6

    kellyf6 Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Hello,

    I have used the different Linux options to download and create a VM. Each seems to do an automatic install and leave you ready to sign in with a user account of Parallels. But there is no option to provide a passwword during creation of the machine and yet the user account appears to have one.

    This leave you unable to sign in? So is there a default password or do I need to specify one someplace in Parallels?
     
    kellyf6, Apr 16, 2023
    #1
  2. MotoDC

    MotoDC Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Best Answer
    I got stuck with this one too and the big issue I had was trying to get into the grub menu to reset the password. I would either miss it or end up in a grub shell menu where I couldn't do anything. (another support article on this site suggested turning the boot menu on which was not helpful at all).

    Finally I followed this article to get into the grub menu. The short answer is, at least on an M2 Mac where UEFI us used, you have to use ESC to get into the Grub menu (not the left shift key). It specifically called out for me that if you see the grub shell then you've hit ESC too many times.

    You need to reset the machine and try again. It took me quite a few tries, but what ended up working for me was hitting ESC right after the Parallels logo disappears.

    After that, I then followed tips from this article on resetting the user Parallels password.

    Like others, my MacOS password didn't work and I also wasn't aware you could set a custom password when setting up Ubuntu.

    Anyway, hope this helps someone else.
     
    MotoDC, Sep 30, 2023
    #5
    KrishnaK3 likes this.
  3. Ashley Chumun

    Ashley Chumun Staff Member

    Messages:
    169
    Dear Kelly,
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If you are installing a Linux OS from Parallels Installation Assistant (Open Parallels Desktop > Click on Parallels Desktop Icon on top of the mac menu bar > Control Center > Click on the "+" sign on the top right corner > Choose any Linux OS from the "Free Systems" available below), at the end of the installation, you will be prompted to define a custom password that you will be using for the Parallels Account.

    If you are not using the above option to install a Linux OS, please provide us with the below information:
    1. What is the name of the Linux OS that you are trying to install?
    2. Reproduce the issue > Collect a technical report (click Parallels icon || > Help > Send technical data > check "Attach screenshots..." > press Send Report) and send the report's 9-digit ID in a reply to this message.
    3. If you are installing a Linux OS manually > please provide us the link from the website where you got the .iso image.

    Thank you!
     
    Ashley Chumun, Apr 16, 2023
    #2
  4. kellyf6

    kellyf6 Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Hello,

    Could you tell me more about when this prompt to enter a password is supposed to appear? I use VoiceOver, a screen reader built into the Mac, because I do not see and parts of Parallels work well but others do not. For example, I can read all the menus and such but to pick the OS to install I have to use a tool that runs optical character recognition on the screen and then issue physical mouse clicks.

    Using this method, I have been able to monitor progress, pick the OS install and such. But I've never had a prompt for the password I could find. Once I click on continue, the download starts and I don't touch the computer and in a few minutes as I said am left at the VM being launched and sitting with the Parallels account created and can launch the ORCA screen reader on the VM. But again, no password.
     
    kellyf6, Apr 17, 2023
    #3
  5. Adeboye Adeotan

    Adeboye Adeotan Staff Member

    Messages:
    462
    Hello Kellyf6,

    Upon installation, the default password on your Linux guest is usually your host MacOS user password.
    If however, you are still unable to log into your Linux virtual machine with your host MacOS user password, kindly follow the steps below to perform a password reset.

    1. Start your virtual machine.
    2. On the grub menu, press 'e' on your keyboard before the system starts booting.

    NOTE: If the grub menu does not come up on initial booting,
    Click on the Parallels Desktop icon on the top bar of your Macbook, click on Actions >Reset
    Then on the grub menu, press 'e' on your keyboard before the system starts booting.

    3. Scroll down and locate the line that begins with 'linux' (see sample screenshot)
    [​IMG]

    4. Move the cursor to the end of this line, just after 'ro quiet splash' or 'ro' depending on the Linux distribution you installed, and type "init=/bin/bash"
    5. Press Ctrl + x to boot into single-user mode
    6. Execute the following command in the terminal "mount -n -o remount,rw /"
    7. Reset your parallels account password by executing "passwd parallels".
    8. Type in your new password and confirm it. You should get a 'password updated successfully' message on your terminal.
    9. Execute "exec /sbin/init" to restart your virtual machine.

    You should now be able to log into your virtual machine with the newly updated password
     
    Adeboye Adeotan, Apr 18, 2023
    #4
  6. MotoDC

    MotoDC Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Best Answer
    I got stuck with this one too and the big issue I had was trying to get into the grub menu to reset the password. I would either miss it or end up in a grub shell menu where I couldn't do anything. (another support article on this site suggested turning the boot menu on which was not helpful at all).

    Finally I followed this article to get into the grub menu. The short answer is, at least on an M2 Mac where UEFI us used, you have to use ESC to get into the Grub menu (not the left shift key). It specifically called out for me that if you see the grub shell then you've hit ESC too many times.

    You need to reset the machine and try again. It took me quite a few tries, but what ended up working for me was hitting ESC right after the Parallels logo disappears.

    After that, I then followed tips from this article on resetting the user Parallels password.

    Like others, my MacOS password didn't work and I also wasn't aware you could set a custom password when setting up Ubuntu.

    Anyway, hope this helps someone else.
     
    MotoDC, Sep 30, 2023
    #5
    KrishnaK3 likes this.
  7. KrishnaK3

    KrishnaK3 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    Thank you! This was exactly what I was looking for when I installed Ubuntu for ARM a couple months. I tried UTM but decided I needed Parallels for access to different hardware for what I was trying out.
     
    KrishnaK3, Oct 6, 2023
    #6
    MotoDC likes this.
  8. MotoDC

    MotoDC Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Thanks KrishnaK3, please consider marking my answer as the "Best Answer".
    Cheers!
     
    MotoDC, Oct 6, 2023
    #7

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