How do I set the root password in a kickstart file?

Solution Unverified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 / 5 / 6

Issue

  • How do I go about creating an encrypted password that is suitable for use in a kickstart file.

Resolution

  • There are two options:

  1. Set the password in plaintext in the kickstart using the rootpw option, but leaving out the --iscrypted flag. While it is unencrypted in the kickstart file it will be encrypted on the installed system in /etc/shadow.

  2. Using the md5pass utility that is in the syslinux package and then passing the resulting string to the rootpw --iscrypted option in the  kickstart.

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