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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.
Last edited by newbiesforever; 06-05-2012 at 01:01 PM.
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.
Debian Live-CDs normally have sudo enabled without password, IIRC. As is the case with almost any Live-CD out there, I would think.
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."
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.
I know this is an old post, but it comes up at the top in Google when I was looking for the answer.
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:
Quote:
To su-
Code:
sudo su-
by using sudo, su- is still possible. And no password needed.
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.
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.
Distribution: Debian /Jessie/Stretch/Sid, Linux Mint DE
Posts: 5,194
Rep:
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.
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