Text console password not recognized.
 

Hi: I run arch linux:Zen installs arch to disk. The arch version it uses I really don't know. Anyway the problem is this: I am in the GUI, which starts automatically after boot. Now I press ctrl-alt-F2 (console 1 is taken by X). I see the login prompt. I type 'root', then the password, which is let' say p1 and it's rejected. However when I installed the OS p1 is the password I gave for root and, when I open a terminal in the GUI and issue 'su -' p1 is accepted. How can this be?

Many distros don't allow a login directly from the console as root. They allow you to use su (or, in the *buntuverse, sudo) in a terminal window to assume root privileges, but not a direct log in.

It appears that Arch may be one of them. https://tutorialforlinux.com/2016/01...-command-line/

Try logging in as user, then using su as described in the article at the link and let us know what happens.

By the by, you can generally determine your release version with the following command; with the wild cards, it seems to work with most distros:

I already had used this but, as you can see, it doesn't tell the arch linux version.

Using su - root's password was accepted. This in the text only console. So, in arch, I must first login as a regular user and then su to root! But why should I make in two steps what can be done in one?

In two words, security theatre.

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I don't use Arch so I don't know about version thing. Could they have given up on version numbers upon becoming a rolling release?

will also give you version in most Linux - the version number updates with every new Arch release.
not sure if there's a good reason to always be logged on as root unless the only thing you log on for is to compile?

especially when compiling one should NOT be root.

fwiw, i can login as root just fine on my archlinux machines.

does OP even run archlinux, or some arch-based distro/installer?

this:
suggests it is not self-installed arch, therefore your problems are not arch-specific, but zen-specific (whatever that is).
also, everyone that uses arch should know that there are no "arch versions". it's a rolling distro.

I had originally an Arch iso image in a pendrive (usb stick), booted from the stick and that was all. I was incapable of installing to disk (hard disk). I had also tested with some distros such as Manjaro, which are Arch derived. Finally I was lucky enough to find this Zen installer who was the first time I could have a running operating system on disk on this machine (eMMC "hard disk").

whether its referred to as a "version" or not is really pointless,
the Ops reference clearly states so is running zen built on 4.16.3-1 release.
linux-zen is in the main Arch repos

^ what you are talking about is a linux kernel, not a distro version or which installer was used, both things that OP clearly specified - wrongly.
the kernel is not concerned with console passwords.
the distro and/or installer is.

thing is, if you install archlinux you KNOW which password you defined where.
hence my remark was relevant.

Hey stf92,

I agree with ondoho's comments.

• Arch has no versions - it is a rolling release
  
  
• The uname -a command will give you the name and version number of the linux kernel you are using in Arch.
  
  
• You can log in as root in Arch. As ondoho stated, you seemed to have installed Arch, or a derivative of Arch, using something other than the usual, completely manual way (the "Arch Way" to quote the verbiage ... ;) ...). Something in the installation process may have applied a constraint to logging in as root. You'll have to do some digging into whatever method you used to install.

Hope this helps !