Log-in name for root? Fedora 10

gururaj.jois · 06-25-2009, 01:00 AM

Hi All,

I have Fedora 10 and has root password, but does not know root user name.
If I give user name as "root" and provide password, fedora is giving error "Unable to authenticate user". This password works well for "su" !!
I tried user name "su", "master" and "root".
I tried seeing the "User and groups", and the root user name is "root" itself.

Thanks,
Guru

billymayday · 06-25-2009, 01:08 AM

F10 doesn't allows logging into the GUI as root by default if that is what you are trying to do.

gururaj.jois · 06-25-2009, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billymayday

F10 doesn't allows logging into the GUI as root by default if that is what you are trying to do.

Then how is it different from "su"; files can be corrupted by "su" too!!!

billymayday · 06-25-2009, 01:36 AM

You need to be able to su to root in the CLI to do certain things (leaving aside sudo), whereas sitting as root in the GUI is unnecessary in any case and presents a security risk.

Wim Sturkenboom · 06-25-2009, 01:44 AM

I think the main reason is not so much 'corrupted files' but security.

You will probably run extra programs when you login as root in a gui (e.g. firefox, ooo). A vulnerability in one of these programs or a script (javascript, macros) exposes the whole system instead of only the user's files.

John VV · 06-25-2009, 02:52 AM

you could use KDM and not GDM ( if KDE is installed ) to login as root .
or ( NOT VERY RECOMMENDED DO NOT GET INTO THE HABIT OF DOING THIS )
start nautilus as root from the terminal