Hi! I'm really sorry about this question, but I cannot remember for the life of me. I remember one time starting a root session in KDE, it had a red background and all, but I cannot remember how to get it again. I can't believe I forgot and it is probably so obvious. Please tell me! I am trying to install some software and I need to complete these paths the program wants, and I have to make a directory in my bin folder (and it won't let me unless I am root, course). Being the newbie, I don't trust myself doing it all in the terminal (knowing me I'd probably mistype sometime, and then I'd be really sorry!) Anyway, I hope someone can point it out to me.... Thanks!

just log in as root....

if you're using KDM, and can't log in as root, iirc you can allow root to login via the control center, under sys admin -> login manager

alternatively, you can open a terminal, su to root, then launch konqueror or whatever you need to. or just su then type "mkdir /usr/bin/xxxx" where xxxx is the dir name you want to create....

best not to use root more often than is necessary, of course.

Actually it's alot easier to bork your system from a gui app as root than it is from a command line. One slip of the mouse and root can delete entire directories or partitions. From a command line you are a little safer, thats why you see the red background when logging in as root. Red means DANGER!

what is exactly what do you want to do?? create what directory for what ? tell us and we'll give you more advise

Open a terminal.

$ su -

enter root password.

$ konqueror

This will open konqueror (file manager) with root permissions.

Close it when you're done creating the directory. No need for a root login.