Live CD asks for a username and password

The default username is ubuntu, and the password is blank on an Ubuntu LiveCD.

Brent posted the following over on Serverault:

If the username "ubuntu" with an empty password doesn't work, you may be able to add a new user to the system as follows.

Press Ctrl+Alt+F1 and run this command:

sudo adduser username

Meanwhile in some other Ubuntu-Based Distros (especially official ones), the username goes by their distro name (e.g: Xubuntu='xubuntu', Lubuntu='lubuntu' etc) though you can also find the username of it on some distros by looking at the upper-left hand corner.


While it's ubuntu for Ubuntu live images it also depends on the flavor. For Edubuntu it's edubuntu.

Known users and passwords so far (nothing after a colon means a blank password):

  • Ubuntu: ubuntu:
  • Kubuntu: kubuntu:
  • Lubuntu: lubuntu:
  • LXLE: qwerty:
  • Ubuntu-studio: ubuntu-studio:
  • Edubuntu: edubuntu:
  • ChaletOS: chaletos-user:
  • Xubuntu: xubuntu:
  • Ubuntu Mate: ubuntu-mate:
  • Ubuntu Budgie: ubuntu-budgie:

18.04

This is an answer to a very old question. None of the above have ever worked for me.

The last time I had this problem was after trying to move "home" from / to /home using cut and paste, (I was in a rush).

After using rsync to move home, the problem went away.

I have previously seen this problem caused mostly by bad persistence files.

  • Confirm MD5SUM.

  • Check if the problem persists with a live boot (non-persistent).

  • Confirm there is space in the casper-rw file or partition.

  • Try a different boot disk creator program.

  • Try the USB stick on a different computer.

Exceptions:

Syslinux type installers including Rufus, Startup Disk Creator, UNetbootin, Universal and YUMI do not use ubuntu as the default user, they use Live session user instead.

For these installers after logging out you can hit enter to log back in. After a suspend simply pressing the power button brings you back to desktop.

Grub type installers, ie mkusb also use Live session user as user and a blank password when logging back in. After a suspend simply pressing the power button brings you back to desktop.

Live CD/DVD also uses Live session user for user name, it is supplied automatically. After logging out, a password is not asked for when logging back in. After suspend, pressing the power button will bring you back to desktop.

In summary, under normal circumstances, no user name or password should need to be entered when logging into 18.04 CD/DVD and Live or Persistent USB's

Tags:

Live Cd