I am trying to install an application called Parallel Tools on Fedora 15 inside a Parallels (a virtual application for Mac) version 7. The problem I'm running into is that the installation is requesting root permissions, but when I enter my password get an error that authorization failed. I can run sudo in terminal 1st and the password is accepted, but then I can't get the installation to start. The parallels forums gives a step-by-step document for how to get this, and there are about 6 different ways. Each way I either get the auth failure or the installer will not load. What I would like to do is create another profile and add root permissions to it so that when i need to do stuff like this I just login with that account. Is that possible?

Open a root shell with
sudo bash
Then start the program.

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You're trying to use Fedora like it's Ubuntu, that's not how Fedora is designed to work. Unlike Ubuntu, Fedora has a real root user, you don't just add sudo permissions to an existing user like you're trying to do.
When you installed Fedora, you set up a password for your user, and you also set up a password for root. Use "su -" and the root password to switch to root, not your user's sudo-capable password. Once you're logged into the terminal as root, run your installation.


Your last comment, "What I would like to do is create another profile and add root permissions to it so that when i need to do stuff like this I just login with that account. Is that possible?", is exactly what you should be doing, and that user is root, you just need to remember the password you set up for root when you installed Fedora.

Since he didn't use root I assumed it was like Ubuntu. Sorry for the answer.

Just one thing, Ubuntu does have a real root, but you don't know the password. If you sudo passwd and change the password you will be able to log in as root. The user is there, it's just unavailable for regular users.

krystmasjones you might want to read the fedora documentation
and learn how fedora works
http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/index.html
and have a read through the wiki
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_Project_Wiki

1 members found this post helpful.

Thank you for the answers, but they didn't work. I think the problem is that with the Parallels application, you can download a pre-configured Fedora and never get prompted to set a root password. I've put in a support ticket with Parallels to get my root password. I have a Red Hat and Ubuntu installation and I am able to get the software to install on each. I didn't know that the Fedora installation was supposed to ask me for a root. The Fedora links are extremely helpful however.

no you don't ( the live cd maybe if you do not install . )

anaconada ASKS for for you to MAKE root password on like the third screen

for EVERY update you HAVE to type in the root password ( a nice pop-up window pop's up )

Yes you do in Parallels. This is a virtual application for Mac and it has three operating systems that you can download into the virtual environment that are already configured. You get the option of download chrome, fedora, and beta of windows 8. They are not Live CD's, and the fedora install already has a root password. I was able to solve my issue by getting the root password from Parallels support (stupid me, it was actually on their webiste) and changing it. I now have access to root when needed.

Thank you for the links, but they didn't have what I was looking for. I had to go to Parallels Support to get the password setup in the virtual OS provided and change it. Once I did that, I was able to get access to root to finish my software install.... which is all I was trying to get done.

I was able to solve it myself. From Parallels support, they give the default root password. I changed it to my own and was then able to get my software to install. Just to be clear, for anyone else that ever looks for this, a Parallels pre-configured version of Fedora and a LiveCD or downloaded iso from an actual linux distribution site are different. The parallels install is already installed. Its everything, including a pre-set root account. You have to change the root account's (don't know why) password before you will have access to root.

Thank you for all the help.