I know others have asked this question many times, and I have done a search and read these posts, but the answers don't seem to help me.

I am currently running Mandrake 9.1 on a dual boot machine with win2k. My problem is that I need to login as root to change a few things, like my lilo.config.

The problem I face is that I cannot find a way to log in as root from the default log in screen. I have read on other threads that you have to go to the control center, then to the system tab, then to user login. The thing is, I cannot see the user login. All I see is MenuDrake, DrakeFont, LogDrake, UserDrake, DrakeBackup, DrakeXservices, set date and time, open consol, and DrakeConAt.

I did sepcify a root password at install, and I can login as Su in the consol, but that doesn't seem to give me access back in the GUI.

I have also tried creating a member of the root group using UserDrake, but that didn't help either.

Anyway I will put the question to the members of this forum and hope I get an answer to my problem.

If you can su to root and the password works, when logging in to KDE enter the username: root
and the root password, and you should be able to work a root.

It is a better (safer) idea to use the su command and work from there. You could use vim or emacs from the shell. Or you could enter the name of a setup program you want to use from the shell.

One other option is to use the kdesu command.

For example, select run command from the KDE menu, and enter:
kdesu userdrake if you want to change users.

Many of this setup programs can be run through the Mandrake Control Center.

Another program to look at is linuxconf. This one can give you more fine control over networking for example.

There is another way...

su to root in a console and type cd /etc/kde3/kdm, then vi kderc.

Scroll down the file till you find AllowRootLogin = false

and change too true.

Commands for vi

i = insert
x = delete
Shift-Q then w is write file.
Shift-Q then q is exit vi.

you guys are doing it the hard way!!!.... control alt f1.. log in as root and startx -- :1 & ... thatll start a thing for root.. and also since your using mandrake.. go to mandrake control center [or regular control center im not sure.. i think its mdrk tho] >>users/something of that type>> [its obvious what you want.. i just forgot the name , youll see it though] you have to enter your password by clicking a button on the bottom... i think its like permissions " or something and you enter root password to be able to edit the other stuff.. and then theres a checklist of users to show and not to show.. thers "nobody" and "root" normally c hcked.. uncheck root.. and itll show up on logon screen.. but watch out man.. root is dangerous.. i fuxxored my computer in just like one simple operation in root... :-p

mandrake really makes it easy on the newbs. This is like the third thread about this this week. It's ridiculous. </rant>

Ok so i finally got into root. No problems changing my lilo.conf to read the way I wanted it to. Thing is, it doesn't boot the way it should accourding to my lilo.conf.

So if anyone has any ideas what's happening there it would be greatly apreciated as I am completly confused.

Thanks for the help on the previous problem, it worked great.

Hi Nootka -

Your initiall problem that you have now solved was because you went to the wrong Control centre - you went to the Mandrake Control centre - you should have gone to the KDE Control centre -

Just for reference regards the KDE Control Centre

K
Configuration
KDE Control Centre
System
Login Manager
Aministrator mode butoon - type root password
Users tab
Uncheck the cross next to Root user, in "hidden users"
appy

Log out
Log in

and you'll see the option to be Root user for the session


Regards your new problem - you have to run

/sbin/lilo

as root user from the command line to make the changes in lilo.conf take effect - if you dont run this map installer then nothing will change.

gj understanding what he said skyline! I had the same problem when I first started in Mandrake. Although its easier to refer to a mandrake gui, its more helpful if you do it via a terminal. For learning purposes of course.

What does that mean?

that you understood that he was in the wrong control panel... from experience with mandrake i presume... that's all...

nootka... how exactly is it booting and what do you want to change? going to mandrake control center gives you an option to do boot options and change up how lilo boots... or even change to grub if you prefer..

Can somebody please file the inability to easily get root access to the file manager as a bug in Mandrake? This is stupid and should be corrected.

Why do the shrinkwrap distros have to constantly reinvent the wheel vis-a-vis configuration tools. I know that easy configuration is supposed to bread and butter of these distros, but haven't we all been hurt more than helped by the drakes, yasts, and rehdat-configs of the world? I like the idea of ease of use but it always seems to make things harder.

I know not what you are talking about. My mandrake runs great.

gargamel.. this "root access" in konqueror is a good thing... why do you want root access? you wanna change something that you dont have permission to for your own protection? like a menu for blackbox thats in usr/local/share/blackbox ... i ruined my linux like that.. had to reinstall... later on i learned i should make a new menu inside my home/User folder and change the blackboxrc file in my folder to use that ifle as menu... there theyre for reasons, put by somebody who knows a lot more about it than you or me... say you did have permission to everotyhing... it'd become more like windows than linux... yu want that? cuz if you do i'd suggest windows..

Oh yeah... and also what you should do if you want to edit something... [open a TERMINAL.]
$su
$[password]
$cd [to directory...]
$<text editor>[filename]
boom... it opens the file as root with root permissions!

The reason I wanted to get in as root was to change my lilo.conf, and I know that I should not be in there all the time.

Also I would like to thank Skyline for pointing out that there are TWO control centers! That was so unclear.