[gentoo-user] Resetting the root passwd

[Tanstaafl]

Ok, I did something really dumb...

I changed the root passwd for a system I manage last week, but neglected 
to write it down, and now what I *thought* I had changed it to isn't 
working... I know, I know, really *really* dumb, but that's where I am...

I know I can boot into Single User mode, remount the root partition 
read/write, and edit /etc/shadow (removing the encrypted passwd), then 
rest it using passwd, but...

Some of the accounts in /etc/shadow have a '*' where the encrypted 
passwd would be, and some have a '!'... (ie, one is sshd:!:... and 
another is halt:*:...)

Does it matter what I change it to? Should I use a *, !, or nothing at 
all (so that there is *nothing* between the two :: that would normally 
contain the encrypted passwd)?

Thanks...