How do I log on as root?

megaloman · 02-24-2012, 09:16 AM

Hello everyone,

I'm newbie to Linux.

I tried to login as root in order to install a modem driver. I'm pretty sure that I typed the correct password for the root account, but it just couldn't let me login.

I thought I forgot the password but I didn't.
I've tried this with Ubuntu and now Fedora, both didn't let me login as root.
This is my own PC and I installed the Linux by myself.

Do I miss something?

Thanks in advance!

acid_kewpie · 02-24-2012, 09:18 AM

We don't know if you missed something, as you've not shown us what you did. On either box, when logged in as a normal user, open a terminal and run "sudo -i" and enter your USER password, and you'll probably be logged in as root. Otherwise, run "su -" and enter the root password again.

cascade9 · 02-24-2012, 09:22 AM

With ubuntu, unless you have changed stuff you cant login as root. The /root account is locked in ubuntu by defualt.

acid_kewpie · 02-24-2012, 09:23 AM

/root ??

You can log in as root, just indirectly.

megaloman · 02-24-2012, 09:24 AM

I had not logged in yet.
It's the opening screen with login options: my own name and "other".

acid_kewpie · 02-24-2012, 09:25 AM

As above, log in as a normal user and open a terminal. You should NEVER log into XWindows as root, there is never any need to.

megaloman · 02-24-2012, 09:27 AM

I see, I thought it's like Windows' Administrator account.

Thanks, I'll try logging in as normal user account and using 'sudo' instead.

cascade9 · 02-24-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acid_kewpie

/root ??

You can log in as root, just indirectly.

Is that in reply to my post above yours (post #3)?

BTw, I agree, you shouldnt ever have to login to 'X' as root, even if your distro allows it.

acid_kewpie · 02-24-2012, 09:29 AM

Well, it is, and I never log into my win 7 machine as Administrator, i right click and run as, and that's the closest thing you'll find on windows to sudo. Running sudo -i is the same as running cmd as Administrator. Sort of.

---------- Post added 24-02-12 at 03:29 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

Is that in reply to my post above yours (post #3)?

BTw, I agree, you shouldnt ever have to login to 'X' as root, even if your distro allows it.

Yes, you seem to have confused the /root directory and the root account. Hardly matters actually. I appear to be in a petty mood.

suicidaleggroll · 02-24-2012, 09:57 AM

Unless you've added your user to the sudoer file in Fedora, you won't be able to use sudo.

In Ubuntu:
log in as user
open terminal
sudo <command>
enter user's password

In Fedora:
log in as user
open terminal
su -
enter root's password
<command>

cascade9 · 02-24-2012, 09:59 AM

Yeah, that was a silly mistake. But only a / mistake, you still cant login as root to ubuntu, the account is locked. Sudo isn't root, it just gives the privileges of root.

Pretty much as petty as picking on a /, maybe its going around?

ricstirato · 02-24-2012, 01:25 PM

"sudo su -" is root ...

edit: on Ubuntu, for example

acid_kewpie · 02-24-2012, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricstirato

"sudo su -" is root ...

edit: on Ubuntu, for example

no no no. sudo -i.

ricstirato · 02-24-2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acid_kewpie

no no no. sudo -i.

I'm not aware of differences (except for the hard effort of typing 2 more characters of course

)

snowday · 02-24-2012, 03:48 PM

According to the official documentation at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

sudo -i is similar to sudo su -

and

sudo -s is similar to sudo su

More discussion here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...26&postcount=4