how to rescue my files

[alefshin]

I am new in linux. here is my problem:

My fedora is not working anymore and I can't log into my system. every time I enter my password, authentication prompt stays without any change. Any way, is there any way that I can copy my files to my external hard drive, without doing log in?

I really need to rescue some of my files before reinstalling fedora.
BTW, I am using fedora 14.

[marriedto51]

Personally, I would...

Either: switch to a virtual console (press Ctrl-F2) and log in as root, then use the text interface to mount the external drive and copy files.

Or: use a live CD version of Fedora (or any other Linux distribution) to boot your computer, then do the copying from there.

Hope you can get what you need off the disk.

[Vasiliy]

if prevous instructions can't help you, try to start Fedora in single mode .

To do in you should press tab afeter bios start screen, edit the boot comands (add "single" keywork to the end of command with boot parameters).

[ShellCode]

Is it not working completely or you just cannot log in? Are you sure you type in the correct password? Try this:

• When login window shows up, press ctrl+alt+f2
• Log in as root
• Type:
  

  passwd your_username

• Type in new password
• reboot and try to log in using new password

If your system is dead, and you can't do anything to save it, use live cd to rescue your files. You will have to mount your linux partition (mkdir /mnt/sos; mount -t ext4 /dev/sdaX /mnt/sos) and then copy your files to usb, or another partition maybe.

Good luck

[jpollard]

It would help to look in /var/log/messages for login errors.

You can also check your passwd entry and verify that everything is working (can also quick check by using a console terminal to login).

Remaining failures should show up in the logs.

[alefshin]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all of your useful answers. Fortunately I could rescue my files and mounted them on flash drive.

but for future references:
It is not a incorrect password problem, i tried changing password, but either this or switching to single mode didn't help me. I had a same problem two months ago, apparently when you install other packages or even Fedora's update packages, you should accept the fact that there is a minor chance after rebooting your system you would not be able to log in to your system any more.
You would see user name and password authentication box, and when you enter your password, it recognizes the correctness because it doesn't give you any error but meanwhile it does not allow you to see your desktop. Authentication prompt just stays in there and you can't do anything beyond that.
* when you switch to Virtual Console by entering your password you would have access to your files. but you can't pass that authentication prompt. the question is: is there anyway that I can disable that authentication prompt?

[jpollard]

That sounds more like a bug in gnome.

Try KDE and see if the problem goes away.