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Im sure some else has had this problem before, but I can't seem to find a proper answer. What is the default password for a linux mint live usb?

Most of the other answers say that my install would be corrupt if it is asking me; however, I need to know because I am trying to ssh into it.

jihakuz
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    I think it will be difficult to ssh into a live Mint system. But you can [create an installed system in a USB drive](https://askubuntu.com/questions/16988/how-do-i-install-ubuntu-to-a-usb-key-without-using-startup-disk-creator/942312#942312) (installed like into an internal drive). And then there will be no problem to install `openssh-server` and log in remotely. – sudodus Sep 18 '19 at 19:01
  • But I know that at least some versions of Debian live use the username `user` and the password `live`. So if you want to log into a [(persistent) live system, you can try Debian](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/118965/how-to-create-a-debian-live-usb-with-persistence/538571#538571). – sudodus Sep 18 '19 at 19:13
  • I found this way to connect to a persistent live Ubuntu based distro via ssh: *Create a second user with a password.* See more details in my answer. – sudodus Sep 19 '19 at 10:02

4 Answers4

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According to the official Linux Mint installation documentation:

The username for the live session is mint. If asked for a password press Enter.

Kusalananda
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No (publicly known) password for the default user

There is no (publicly known) password for the default user in Ubuntu based flavours and distros. When asked for a password, for example to run sudo, you simply press the Enter key. But ssh wants a password, so it does not work to log in remotely via ssh into a persistent live drive.

Create a second user with a password

I found a way to connect to a persistent live Ubuntu based distro via ssh. I tested with a recent iso file of Lubuntu Eoan (to be released as 19.10), but I think the method is general and should work for many versions, flavours and re-spins based on Ubuntu including Linux Mint.

  • Create a persistent live drive with mkusb from your iso file.
  • Boot into your persistent live system

  • Install tools

    sudo apt update

    Get packages (unless you have them already)

    sudo apt install gnome-system-tools

    in order to get users-admin and of course

    sudo apt install openssh-server

    The default live user needs no password to run sudo, just press the Enter key, when it asks for password.

  • Create a second user

    users-admin

    and follow the instructions in the graphical user interface. Select a good password with at least 8 characters.

  • Now you have an ssh server and a user with a password, and you can log in remotely to your persistent live system :-)

  • Connect to your network and identify your IP address

    ip a

    I found the following address: 192.168.1.10

Demo input and output

sudodus@m4800:~$ ssh [email protected]
[email protected]'s password: 
Welcome to Ubuntu Eoan Ermine (development branch) (GNU/Linux 5.2.0-15-generic x86_64)

 * Documentation:  https://help.ubuntu.com
 * Management:     https://landscape.canonical.com
 * Support:        https://ubuntu.com/advantage

Last login: Thu Sep 19 07:39:18 2019 from 192.168.1.2
tester@lubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu Eoan Ermine (development branch)
Release:    19.10
Codename:   eoan
tester@lubuntu:~$ su - lubuntu
Password: 
lubuntu@lubuntu:~$ sudo df -h
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev            1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /dev
tmpfs           383M  1.4M  382M   1% /run
/dev/sdb4       1.7G  1.7G     0 100% /cdrom
/dev/loop0      1.6G  1.6G     0 100% /rofs
/cow            9.6G  362M  8.7G   4% /
tmpfs           1.9G  7.4M  1.9G   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs           5.0M  4.0K  5.0M   1% /run/lock
tmpfs           1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs           1.9G     0  1.9G   0% /tmp
tmpfs           383M  8.0K  383M   1% /run/user/999
/dev/sdb5       9.6G  362M  8.7G   4% /media/lubuntu/casper-rw
/dev/sdb1       3.3G   18M  3.3G   1% /media/lubuntu/usbdata
tmpfs           383M  4.0K  383M   1% /run/user/1000
lubuntu@lubuntu:~$

You can see that the root file system / has the same properties as the casper-rw partition. It indicates that it is a persistent live system. You can also see that it is possible to switch user to the default user (here 'lubuntu').

sudodus
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A quick solution is to set a password for the mint user then ssh will work:

passwd mint

Adrian Yorke
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    Assuming that the user in the question can't actually log into their system (they are trying to access the system via SSH), it's quite unlikely that they can get a root prompt to issue this command. – Kusalananda Aug 29 '21 at 09:11
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    @Kusalananda If you are trialing the Linux Mint live usb (as the OP suggests) you will be able to log into the Linux Mint directly. It doesn't matter which edition you use (Cinnamon, MATE or Xfce) they all come with default hostname `mint` and default user `mint` with no password. Perhaps a better, more direct answer to the OP's question would be that there is no password by default with Linux Mint Live sessions but you can set one if required using `passwd mint` - no root prompt is required as the `mint` user has the necessary permissions. – Adrian Yorke Aug 30 '21 at 12:34
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In a shell you can getsuperuser privileges with "sudo -s".
Doesn't prompt for a passwd. mint@mint:/dir/

becomes

root@mint:/dir/

David
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  • Please see the [Help center](https://unix.stackexchange.com/help) guidelines on [writing an answer](https://unix.stackexchange.com/help/how-to-answer). This answer isn't appropriate. Firstly, OP is asking what is the default password of Mint Live user, not root user. Secondly, OP is trying to SSH into the system - you cannot `sudo -s` before you have successfully gained access. – Peregrino69 Mar 14 '23 at 20:38