Hi there all, I'm relatively new and so plead with you all to have a little patience with me if I don't understand something which may be obvious to you all. I would like to activate the super user account in my Ubuntu 10.04, please help.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!
You need to explain things better. 'How to Ask Questions the Smart Way' would be one link you should look at to help us to help you in the future.

Do you want to perform commands as root or use an account with root privileges?

If you scroll down below to look at similar threads this may enlighten you. Do a Search here on LQ.

Just a few more links to aid you;

Linux Documentation Project
Rute Tutorial & Exposition
Linux Command Guide
Utimate Linux Newbie Guide
LinuxSelfHelp
Getting Started with Linux
Bash Reference Manual
Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide
Linux Home Networking
Virtualiation- Top 10


The above links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

If it's because you want to log into the GUI as root, then don't.

Ubuntu is set up to use SUDO for admin tasks which would normally require the root (super-user) account. You can activate the root account, but you will still have to use SUDO for a lot of things---and, when using SUDO, you'll use your regular user password and not the root password.

All this aside, enabling the root account is easy. In a terminal, enter "sudo passwd root", and then follow the instructions.

As MTK suggests, logging into the GUI as root is a recipe for disaster. Don't do it unless you have a very good reason.

Pardon me, but I'm just a bit confused....in your other post, from today as well:
you indicated that you can't get Ubuntu to even INSTALL. If it's not installed, why do you need superuser? If it is installed, why have the other thread, saying otherwise?