linux + when change passwd we get permission denied

Question

We have installed Redhat Linux 6.5 from scratch the VIA kick start installation and booted into single user mode because I don't have the root password.

But when I perform the following:

passwd root
changing password for user root
passwd: permission denied 

Please advice what are the reasons that I get permission denied and how to resolve the problem.

Solution

you are in single user mode so you don't specify users

make sure your root filesystem is mounted in read/write

mount -o remount,rw /

then

passwd

Comments

[dandan]

I still get permission denied

[Sum1sAdmin]

does the prompt say root@host ?

[dandan]

yes I get root@linux_test

[Sum1sAdmin]

was this server joined to ldap? you may need to look into your /etc/nsswitch.conf in the meantime tell passwd you want to use the local possword file and not reset an ldap password, try: passwd -r files root

[dandan]

no - this server not joined to the ldap

[Sum1sAdmin]

passwd -r files root

[dandan]

when I run this I get passwd bad argument -r

[dandan]

I have redhat release 6.7

[Koen van der Rijt]

were u able to fix the problem? I was curious

[dandan]

no still not I have the same problem