error (super user) password

hero_19873 · 05-02-2006, 04:43 AM

hi guyz

i hav 1 problem in ubuntu 5.10

when i type su in terminal

it asked me about password i enter it but it say

su: Authentication failure
Sorry.

but it's correct password

system accept it when login and

when doing any thing required password

wht is the solution

Amuro-Ray2020 · 05-02-2006, 04:46 AM

If your intention is to login to root by just typing "su", are you using the root password? If you're trying to switch to a different user other than root, you need to specify that user after the "su" That's the only time I can think of that you would have this problem. If that's not it, hopefully someone else can help you.

hero_19873 · 05-02-2006, 04:58 AM

thnx friend,

but i'm typing only "su"

to enter root mode

becouse i want 2 copy files in folder /root

but i cant until it accepts the password

RoughEdge · 05-02-2006, 05:26 AM

If you are typing su and it says incorrect password...sorry bro but it's the incorrect password. You said you are using it ok to login. Are you logging in as root or as a normal user? If you are logging in as a normal user then you will be using the normal user's password not the superuser password.

kevkim55 · 05-02-2006, 05:50 AM

I see you are using ubuntu. ubuntu by default disables root account. To run any command as root you should use :
# sudo <command>
password:<type-root's-password>

If you want enable it, type :
# sudo passwd root
And, follow the prompts which will ask you to enter a password for root. Once done, you would have a password assigned to root.

If you only want to use su, type:
# sudo su
password:<type-root's-password>