LinuxQuestions.org
Welcome to the most active Linux Forum on the web.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Debian
User Name
Password
Debian This forum is for the discussion of Debian Linux.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 03-22-2006, 10:54 AM   #1
Deelk
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2006
Posts: 71

Rep: Reputation: 15
root


Hi,

When I try to login as root from the login menu i get an error that says that the system adminstrator cannot login from this menu...How can I login as root?

thanx in advance
 
Old 03-22-2006, 10:59 AM   #2
camorri
LQ 5k Club
 
Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Somewhere inside 9.9 million sq. km. Canada
Distribution: Slackware 15.0, current, slackware-arm-currnet
Posts: 6,213

Rep: Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848
It is not recommended to log in as root, unless absolutley necessary. Most tasks can be done by using su ( switch user ). Open a console, type su and enter. It will ask for your password. Enter the root password and press enter. You will be logged in and can do most root commands.

Not sure why you can not log on graphically as root. Did you create a root password when you installed?
 
Old 03-22-2006, 11:02 AM   #3
Deelk
Member
 
Registered: Mar 2006
Posts: 71

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by camorri
It is not recommended to log in as root, unless absolutley necessary. Most tasks can be done by using su ( switch user ). Open a console, type su and enter. It will ask for your password. Enter the root password and press enter. You will be logged in and can do most root commands.

Not sure why you can not log on graphically as root. Did you create a root password when you installed?
Yes I've created a password.But the problem is,I only can acces the mounted NTFS partitions if I'm root.And I want to edit a conf file,but I can because I'm again not root.is there a way to do it via the terminal?
 
Old 03-22-2006, 11:27 AM   #4
weibullguy
ReliaFree Maintainer
 
Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Distribution: Slackware 14.2
Posts: 2,815
Blog Entries: 1

Rep: Reputation: 261Reputation: 261Reputation: 261
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deelk
When I try to login as root from the login menu...
If I understand correctly, you're trying to log in using your GUI environment as root. Because you can hose things up real bad as root, typically you're prohibited from being root except in a terminal.

To edit a file, open a terminal and do what camorri told you to do:

Type su <ENTER>
When prompted for a password, enter the root password.

You'll see a prompt similar to [root@localdomain]$. You are now root. Before you edit any config files, make a copy. Go here if you don't know how to use the cp command. Depending on what you're editting, backup your system. Go here to read about one command you could use to back things up.

After you make a copy of the config file (and optionally backup your system), you can edit the original using vi, vim, gedit, or whatever text editor is available in the terminal environment. Once you are done, type exit and you will no longer be root.
 
Old 03-22-2006, 07:07 PM   #5
camorri
LQ 5k Club
 
Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Somewhere inside 9.9 million sq. km. Canada
Distribution: Slackware 15.0, current, slackware-arm-currnet
Posts: 6,213

Rep: Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848Reputation: 848
Quote:
I only can acces the mounted NTFS partitions if I'm root.And I want to edit a conf file
If you are trying to edit a file on a NTFS file system, you will not be able to wirte the file, weather you are root or not. Linux only supports reading NTFS, not writing to NTFS. There is some exparimental stuff around to write, but it does not come with most distros. I would not recommend usin it for anything other than experimenting. You could mess up your NTFS file system.

If you need to edit a file on your NTFS file system, why not use windbloze to do it?
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
RHEL3 Mounting USB after reboot and between reboots: root and non-root users Luis Nunes Linux - Hardware 0 07-20-2005 08:32 AM
Boot Error: Root file system /dev/root adtomar Linux - Networking 0 12-27-2004 10:50 AM
Scanner to work as USER and not forced as ROOT Root (Suse 9.1) 1kyle Linux - Hardware 0 07-10-2004 08:51 AM
IntelliMouse thumb buttons work as root, broken as non-root user, wheel works always digital vortex Linux - Hardware 7 03-02-2004 04:14 PM
root files: create as root:root or root:wheel? pcass Linux - Security 1 02-07-2004 04:14 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Debian

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:35 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration