apt error message

vanigh · 07-24-2006, 08:01 PM

I installed ubuntu yesterday, it went pretty well, today i'm trying to fiddle with apt i'm getting this message, i'm new to linux and have difficulty interperting this error message

neshan@Neshan:~$ su
Password:
asu: Authentication failure
Sorry.
neshan@Neshan:~$ apt-get update
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (13 Permission denied)
E: Unable to lock the list directory
Is it because i'm not loged as root, how do i log as root?

what am i doing wrong, your expert advice is appreciated.

binary_y2k2 · 07-24-2006, 08:22 PM

use sudo insted of su
ubuntu disables root by default (as a security feature)
if you want to enable it just type

Code:

sudo passwd root

enter YOUR password first, then what you want the root password to be twice.

vanigh · 07-24-2006, 08:34 PM

Thank you, it worked, didn't know about sudo, i should collect more info about Ubuntu...

Regards
Neshan

sparton · 07-28-2006, 09:23 AM

Quote:

sudo apt-get update

Save you from enabling the root account