LinuxQuestions.org - root password?

- Linux - Newbie (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/)

- - root password? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/root-password-675334/)

Lastnight, I installed FreeSpire to my previously Windows XP Pro desktop PC. (Got hit by a virus 3 weeks ago, and I've been working ever since to get it back. Foolishly, I did a " fixmbr " from the Recovery Console - haven't been able to recover from that one . . . ;-( )

While installing FreeSpire, I was prompted to enter the root password, which I did. Later, when trying to install GIMP, I had to login as root, but it wouldn't accept that root password. Untimately, I re-installed FreeSpire and went through the whole thing again. Again, it won't accept the password. Suggestions??

Probably you are not allowed to login as root.

For installing gimp login as normal user and use the root password ...only when it is asked for.

or try

sudo

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhendry (Post 3305325)

Suggestions?

If you really want to login as root through the GUI, you need to find the window manager configuration file for your window manager.

For GNOME, it is "/etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf". In that file, there will be a line like

Code:

AllowRoot=false

Find that line and change "false" to "true".

that's what gksu and kdesu were written for..

Loggin into the GUI as root is bad and I've never found a reason it had to be done.
Anything you need to do as root you should be able to accomplish with su, sudo, gksu or kdesu.

Hi,

Let's qualify the using of root/superuser. If you are connected to the internet then you should not open a 'X' session as root/superuser. You should not login as root/superuser if you don't fully understand the power that is available to you.

I've done some work using 'X' as root while the inet has been disabled. No harm in that if you know what you are going to be doing or know the outcome of a operation. It is not a good practice to get into using or a habit to be formed to run as root/superuser.

I do admin my system(s) via a ssh and any root/superuser use is via 'su'.

I do use root quite a bit but I do not run a 'X' session while connected.

The admin of a system as root/superuser is important. The root/superuser can cause havoc if not controlled properly by that user especially if the user is not experienced. If that same user doesn't fully understand an operation that could cause major problems then that is when one should be very cautious.