root login?

alanalover89 · 06-28-2005, 08:06 PM

i installed suse 9.2 and some things require me to be logged in as root...how do i do this, i created a root password but the logon screen only has my user name. im new to linux but need to know how to login as the root user

kencaz · 06-28-2005, 08:12 PM

If you are already logged into your user account and in a terminal simply type:

$ su <enter>
PW <enter>
#

Notice your prompt will change from '$' to '#' this is the usual indicator that your in the root account.

If you want to get into root initially from the command line interface

Login: root <enter>
PW <enter>
#

Now you are logged in as root from the CLI. Not recommended accept for maint...

KC

Chromezero · 06-28-2005, 08:13 PM

If you want to login as root from the login screen, just type in root as the user and then enter your root password. Something else you may want to consider is the "su" command. If you're using a console and need root access for something, just su first. Entering the su command will prompt you for a password(root password). You're now effectively running as root.

masonm · 06-28-2005, 10:50 PM

You're far better off to log in as your normal user and then just use "su" when you need to perfom a task requiring root access.

Mara · 06-29-2005, 02:21 PM

Moved: This thread is more suitable in a more technical forum like Linux-Newbie and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

KDM and GDM (the programs for graphical login) have a list of users they allow to log as. Logging in as root is not a very good idea, so root is usually out of the list. If you want to be able to log in as root with such program, you need to change its' settings. Where? It depends on the program you use (KDM or GDM). In most cases it's not needed. You log in as your normal user and then use su (or su frontends) to temprary become root as proposed above.