need root password for Debian i386 XFCE liveCD
 

What's the root password on the Debian liveCDs? It apparently isn't "root," and unlike the liveCDs I usually use, the login screen does not reveal the password. I need it because the Debian liveCDs apparently don't include the driver for my wireless card, and I would like to install the driver so the liveCD's installer doesn't get hung up for a long time on trying to detect my network. (It can still go through installation, but only after wasting a lot of time.) If the password is specific to the version, I'm asking about the XFCE i386 version (debian-live-6.0.4-i386-xfce-desktop.iso).

It's bad enough that distro designers make it unduly difficult for users to log in as root. It's worse that they leave out something important that I can't install without root privileges.

Debian Live-CDs normally have sudo enabled without password, IIRC. As is the case with almost any Live-CD out there, I would think.

My experience in installing Debian 5.0.3 several months ago was that sudo was used on the Live/Install CD and there was no password. During the installation a root user was created and sudo was not enabled by default on the installed system.

Oops...I evidently forgot to try sudo instead of su -. That worked. I guess it's only su - that I can't do. It's strictly the principle. For a distro to make it difficult to log in as root is like giving the user a car with the hood locked shut if not welded. I could get the appropriate tools and destroy the locking mechanism, but why should I have to? For instance, in KDE Trinity, /etc/kdm/kdmrc by default contains the line "AllowRootLogins=False," causing KDM to say "root logins are not allowed"; whenever I install Trinity, one of the first things I do is open the kdmrc file (as root, naturally) and change the line to "AllowRootLogins=true."

"UserIsAnIrresponsibleIdiotWhoWillMisuseRoot=false."

I know this is an old post, but it comes up at the top in Google when I was looking for the answer.

To su -
by using sudo, su - it is still possible. And no password needed.



Edit: corrected my typo "su-" for "su -"

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com

It used to be 'live', maybe it still is, other common passwords are root & toor.

When you have accidently deleted your entire system by running as the root user, you will understand why they lock the root account from the casual user. ;)

you probably shouldn't be using debian 6 anymore, and for newer debian xfce i386 live isos the password may well have changed.
facit: pointless necrobump.

also:

Regular user password is live.

But to su - to root
works.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com

I downloaded the Debian 9 live iso, and burned it to a DVD, then had to look up how to su to root. It's still the same answer with Debian 9 as it is with Debian 6.

Did you run that in Debian live?

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com

I tried root, toor, and debian.

After that I did a google search. :-)
Then I tried live, then found in the google search that sudo worked, so I did the sudo su-

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com

i ran it in debian 9, not live.
i very much doubt it's different on the live disk. in fact i have never heard of a command called "su-".

There is a difference between Debian Live and Debian installed.

Debian Live login "user" and password is "live". Sudo is enabled without password. So sudo <anycommand>. Sudo su makes you root. Without password. Simple, as expected, least surprise.

Once installed, Debian has a normal user, which is not in the sudo group by default. If you add the user to the sudo group a password is required by default for sudo commands.

Installed Debian has a normal root user with a normal password. su works and the root password is required. Sudo su also works for users belonging to the sudo group. If a password is required for sudo it has to be entered.

jlinkels

Try Debian Live + non-free:
https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/u...-live+nonfree/

There is no command "su-"
But there is a command "su -"

That's why you got the error.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com

I see now that I had a typo in my first post. I went back and corrected it. I accidentally left the space out of "su -"

Wayne Sallee
Wayne@WayneSallee.com
http://www.WayneSallee.com