Ok,
I lost the root password. I can get to the MP via ethernet. But I cant connect to the serial port on the back of the machine via terra term or similiar terminal application. Therfore I cant send a break to get to the solaris = of OK prompt in HP(what do you call this in HPUX anyways?).
I looked at the other links and all of them assume you have console access, which i dont. I tried putting the cd in the drive but i cant get it to boot off the cdrom. Any ideas out there? This is an hp-1440. What kind of cable do i need to connect to the serial console port?
In HP-UX you call that the ISL (Initial System Loader). And I don't think that there is any way you can connect to it except via the console. You can connect a cross-cable between a laptop and the server and use hyperterminal (or equivalent) to connect to the console. I have never done this myself, but seen the hardware guys do this with a N class server.
I have never heard of an hp-1440 and I couldn't find any info on it. 
ahh darn. I typed the wrong thing its this one
HP 9000 rp3400 server series overview
rp3400
i guess i need a way to get to the BCH
i keep getting this at the console thru the MP
Wait for login retry: ..
login: root
Password:
Account is disabled but console login is allowed.
Login incorrect
You need to get out of console mode. Try cntrl-B. Then in the MP enter command mode and reset the system (force an immediate reboot). I think it's CM to get to command mode and RS to reset the system. BCH (boot console handler) only runs early in the boot process. You get to it by rebooting. That means getting out of the MP and back to console mode. CO should get you back into console mode. HP has all of this in the docs on their website. You probably should download the manuals for your box.
thanks, the key was the RS command in the CM. Then it boots up and viola, press any key to get into BCH, from there you can get into the ISL. Now to figure out how to boot from cd-rom.
That seems like overkill. Can't you just boot into single user mode and reset the password? Typically, from ISL, you just do "hpux -is" and you're in single user mode.