How do I get my root password in Ubuntu?

GameGuru · 09-08-2005, 04:31 PM

I just installed Ubuntu and the only password I remember creating was my login one and it isn't working to enter root. How do I get my root password if you don't know it?

bosewicht · 09-08-2005, 04:40 PM

i believe ubuntu uses sudo.

GameGuru · 09-08-2005, 04:44 PM

I type "sudo" and it gives me:

usage: sudo -K | -L | -V | -h | -k | -l | -v
usage: sudo [-HPSb] [-p prompt] [-u username|#uid]
{ -e file [...] | -i | -s | <command> }

What do I do?

bosewicht · 09-08-2005, 04:46 PM

ok, type su at the prompt, then give it ur user password
sudo su may work as well, I haven't messed with sudo too much

GameGuru · 09-08-2005, 04:54 PM

Yeah it is telling me the password is wrong. So back to the original question, how do I find out what my root password is?

XavierP · 09-08-2005, 05:00 PM

Ubuntu specifically doesn't use the root account without much tweaking. If you want to do something that needs root access, type sudo <command> and then input your user password.

GameGuru · 09-08-2005, 05:11 PM

I want to install divx, do I not need to go into root? How do I install programs in Ubuntu? I learned how in Mandrake but I had to go into root.

Matir · 09-08-2005, 05:15 PM

For Ubuntu, to execute a command as root, just prefix it with "sudo". If prompted for a password, give it your user password.

FYI, A search would've turned up threads like:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...+root+password
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...+root+password

DeadPenguin · 09-08-2005, 11:38 PM

Here is a good resource.http://ubuntuguide.org/
I am a newb to ubuntu and this answered most of my questions.

I used to hate sudo, but I have a real bad habit of doing too much as root.
Sudo helps only be root when you need to be.

To install from command line you only need to open a terminal and:

sudo apt-get install <name of package>
enter password for sudo.(same as your login.)

Regards,
Blair

Matir · 09-09-2005, 10:46 AM

I love sudo.

Great for giving some users very limited rootish powers.