[Bug 291048] FAQs 6.3 gives incorrect instructions for booting into single user mode

https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=291048

            Bug ID: 291048
           Summary: FAQs 6.3 gives incorrect instructions for booting into
                    single user mode
           Product: Documentation
           Version: Latest
          Hardware: Any
                OS: Any
            Status: New
          Severity: Affects Some People
          Priority: ---
         Component: Books & Articles
          Assignee: doc@FreeBSD.org
          Reporter: bigsneaky@duck.com

To reset a forgotten root password, according to the FAQs:
https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/faq/#forgot-root-pw
https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-doc/blob/main/documentation/content/en/books/faq/_index.adoc?plain=1

> Restart the system, type `boot -s` at the `Boot:` prompt
> to enter single-user mode.
> At the question about the shell to use, hit kbd:[Enter]
> which will display a # prompt.
> ...

However, nowadays restarting the system should not present the user with a
`Boot:` prompt?

Rather than instructing the user on how to reach a prompt where they can use
`boot -s`, surely it would be better to give similar instructions to the
Handbook for entering single-user mode:

https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/basics/#consoles-singleuser
https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-doc/blob/main/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/basics/_index.adoc?plain=1

> The FreeBSD boot menu provides an option labelled as "Boot Single User".
> If this option is selected, the system will boot into a special mode
> known as "single user mode".
> This mode is typically used to repair a system that will not boot or to 
> reset the `root` password when it is not known.

Arguably a technical how-to like "How to reset a forgotten root password?"
belongs in the Handbook not FAQs anyway, to avoid duplication and ensure its
content is more likely to be reviewed for staleness. Perhaps this and much else
of FAQs Section 6 ("Miscellaneous Questions") should simply be removed. But
while the Handbook does mention booting into single-user mode is often done to
reset a root password, it doesn't specify the complete procedure for doing so -
this suggests some FAQ content may be worth moving into the Handbook.

Otherwise, the incorrect information in the FAQs about a `Boot:` prompt should
be replaced by something like:

> Restart the system and select "Boot Single User" in the FreeBSD boot menu
> to enter single-user mode.
> At the question about the shell to use, hit kbd:[Enter]
> which will display a # prompt.
> ...

-- 
You are receiving this mail because:
You are the assignee for the bug.