How to enable auto login as a root
 

I am using Ubuntu 10.4 beta lucid Lynx, Gnome enviroment and GDM.
I have already added root to user list and can login as ROOT when system starts but want also make it enable to auto login like any other user. I tried to make some changes in GDMSETUP but with no succes.
Can anybody help please?

I'm no guru, but everything I've read over the years suggests auto-login as root is a real bad idea, and I doubt it's possible to set up the system to auto-login as root.

Everything's possible in the linux (maybe except "root auto log" in login options :-)).
I spent many hours googling for it and have found that this is very popular topic. Plenty of people are asking for it and some of them have found solution but usually on other distros or older versions. The problem is that those doesn'n work with new ubuntu.
I will be very grateful if somebody more familiar with unix can find it out and tell me how.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=528303
Does that help?

Thanx for a link, but not, it doesn't help.
I have found and tried it already.
This is 3 years old post and going out of topic.
There is still no "root" on the auto login list and you have to type it on start up.

Ubuntu is a distribution intended, by in large, for Windows fugitives looking for a "similar" alternative. The Ubuntu development team has tried to avoid as many of the fundamental mistakes of the Windows family of operating systems while still providing a smooth transition.

One of the truly horrible mistakes made by Mr. Gates was to assume that Windows would always be a single-user, isolated, system. (At the time that DOS was developed, that appeared to be a reasonable assumption.) Thus the core Windows architecture made no distinction between the "administrator" and the "user." As different version of Windows were developed, they were usually designed to be backward compatible with the old DOS system, and, even though users were urged to not log in with "administrator" access, many things were difficult to accomplish without that access, so most users ignored that advice.

Thus many users of Ubuntu GNU/Linux think, quite erroneously, that they will need to log in as an administrator (i.e., as "root") to get anything done. In actual fact, unless you need to do a full system recovery from your backup system, you should never need to log in a "root." And to do that, you should boot in "recovery" mode or from a Live CD.

In contrast, GNU/Linux is built "from ground up" on a multi-user model where a normal user can do almost anything without needing "root" access. (For example, a user can compile and install their own version of almost any command without "root" access, and without impacting any other user. This makes a great testing environment since you can try your changes before releasing them for others to use.)

So, since you are new to this forum, perhaps you could tell us why you want "root" in the list of users displayed for selection in the login screen? I.e., what do you need to accomplish with a direct "root" login that you can't do as a normal user?

<edit>
To finish my thought, if you explain what you need to accomplish, perhaps we can help you do so without loggiing in as "root".
</edit>

1) loging in as root is not a good idea
2) auto login as root -- even worse
3) you are running Ubuntu NOT "Linux From Scratch"
4) and MOST important -- if you need to ask for help to do that( root auto login) then YOU SHOULD NOT be doing this
5) if YOU already know how to do this -- YOU WOULD NOT DO IT !!!

For automatic root login, use Puppy Linux. See the faq where the creator addresses the question of security concerns regarding the root login issue (just scroll down to "Security concerns").

+1 for auto root login a very bad idea!

Yes I am Windows fugitive. I am using windows for almost 18 years and was happy with it until they introduce Vista. Then Windows7 had just confirmed that nothing's going better in MS family and it's high time to find some alternative.
While I am still using windows I have managed extra partition and testing linux for distro which fits best for me. I don't keep any valuable files or passwords on it, it's like a new tool, just to check if it's coming handy and I like it. All I doing on it is installing new packages, plugins, changing settings and using terminal. Everyday after I finish work I'm spending 1-2h with linux and only during this time I have to type hundred times password or sudo. It's just annoying, especially when you know that you couldn't care less about safety and every system collapse is just the reason to reinstall it which you doing every few days anyway. First thing I concidered as a helpful in my case, in new Ubuntu, was to add root to the login window and log in to it every single time.
Works fine but but at every restart you have to remember to choose other user from drop down menu, type root and then password. If you missed this moment, "restart" and typing againg. It will be even more practical for me if I can choose root, in auto login field but this is excepted from choice. I have already written to GDM makers with suggestion to add this option in their new product. It might be guarded with warnings, risk explanatory message or double confirmation request but should be allowed. It's like a "parental control" but whom against? Is there only babies using linux?
They haven't answered yet, so I'm trying to solve it on my own.
Of course when I eventually completelly move to Ubuntu I find it in my own business to establish user account and good root password, but as now I just want to get rid of it.
I am fully aware what I wanna do and I realise all the risk can follow it, so please don't send me moralizing post like "bad idea, +1, DONT DO!!!etc. Every one have freedom of choice how to use his own computer and please respect this right. I dont tend to harm anybody, maybe except myself.
If you can help anyhow then you are welcome. If not, simply don't spam this post.
Thanks everyone for help.
Mark Alfred, thanks for suggestion. I check Puppy linux as soon as I don't resolve this problem. Their arguments sounds very sensible it might be better alternative.

Honestly, I do not see any reason why you should auto login as root. If you want to log in as root, fine for me. It's you pc that is at risk, but auto login is just way too much.

If you don't want to have to keep using sudo, set a root password and then you can use su
Then when you want to do something as root in the terminal enter su then the root password you chose. Keep the terminal open and you will stay logged in as root

Hi Cimek, after you log into Ubuntu (as a regular user, not root!), you can open a terminal and type:

This will give you a root shell where you can install applications, edit configuration files, etc. without the need to "to type hundred times password or sudo".

More information here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RootSudo

Please respect the rights of other forum members to answer your question honestly and completely regarding the pros and cons of automatic root login, just as we respect your freedom to ask the question in the first place.

Tnax Snowpine. That's interesting solution.
I can use it in future but it doesn't help now, whilst I am logging in as a Root.

My intention is not to insult anyone. Ask whatever you want if it helps.
I just trying not to make this post extremely long and boring for others, with little or no help in it. I've spent lot of hours looking for working solution and know the pain.

Just so we're clear, this is a very bad idea, but ask and you shall recieve: http://projects.gnome.org/gdm/docs/2.18/gdm.html
This will tell you how to configure gdm. That's the best I will do for you... Read and learn, and do it if you want. Good luck