I'm using Ubuntu 9.04 and I'm trying to save my dual monitor settings in my NVIDIA X Server Settings control panel. Under the X Server Display Configuration, when I click the Save to X Configuration File, it gives a Save X Configuration dialog. The path of the config file is /etc/X11/xorg.conf and the "Merge with existing file." option is checked. I click the Save button and I get this: Unable to create a new X config backup file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'. Is this a rights issue? Do I need to be in su mode to make this change? From the desktop, how do you switch to root access?


Thanks,
Danny

Hi, yes, you need to be root to change/save files in /etc

Regards Glenn

I don't know the root password, but the funny thing is that I have done successful system updates with my login. So I don't know if I have a root user. I thought I created it at install, but it has been a while and I don't remember what I did. Is there a default root user and if there is, what is the default password?


Thanks,
Danny

I searched for "default root password in Ubuntu" and found out that there is no root password set in Ubuntu as the intent is to never let the user run as root. Okay, fine with me.

Then I found where someone said to do this:
sudo su
And after entering my password, do this:
passwd
Which I realize is how the password is set and since I switched to superuser mode, this made sense. So then I thought I had this worked out, so I logged off, then tried to login as root and was thwarted with the message that root could not be logged in through the the Ubuntu graphical login screen. Okay, so I logged in and opened up the terminal window and went into su mode. Yet, I still can't get the display settings saved. I know, I initiated a new process when I did the su, so while I may have been su mode, it was for the terminal process and not the graphical process. I get it.

So how to fix this? How do I set my display settings and save them? Can I only do it from the terminal by editing the .conf file? If that's the case, then why even have a control panel in GNOME for the display settings?

I'm a little frustrated right now. Not made at anyone, just not happy about the process for this which should be easier IMHO.

AFAIK, you don't have to (shouldn't) log in as root at a graphical login screen. Log in as normal, open the terminal screen and then log in as root or use sudo to type 'nvidia-settings'. Then you should be able to save your configuration.

Logging in as normal, then doing sudo su and nvidia-settings worked! That's just what I needed.