Hi all

I under that root user cant log in via GUI desktop, but when i'm in my normal user account, I can seem to login to view the admin services tools, netwprk-admin, software sources, restricted-drivers-manager, and so on.

I've changed the root pass by running passwd root and sudo passwd

how ever I still cant login via those pop up login boxes to gain access

I can use root on the command line but not the GUI login via users desktop

Hope that makes sence

any one care to explain whats going on

TT

On the pop-up login boxes, you should be using your OWN password, not root's. You must be in the 'admin' group to do that.

Thank you for the tip

what do you mean by ( admin' group to do that )

TT

The first user created during the install is placed in the admin group. In Linux, every file whether data or program has permissions attached for owner, group & all. Each of those can be individually assigned read, write and execute. Owner may be root or any other user. Users can be assigned to groups to give them access to files they don't own. In Ubuntu, rather than logging in as root, members of the admin group are allowed to to perform as the root user with their own password. Whenever the user attempts to perform an administrative action they will be asked for their password. On the command line, commands requiring administration permissions must be begin with the sudo command as in "sudo updatedb".

I have another tip for working in a shell as root:

johnny@ubuntu:~$ sudo -i
Password:
root@ubuntu:~#

At Password: enter your user password, that's all!

Good luck.

And I have yet another one:

sudo passwd

Type in any password you like and you have a full root account plus root password. Then you can simply do this once

su -

before you type in commands; and

exit

to return to being a regular user.

One piece of advice, though: don't use this to enter your GUI unless you absolutely have to. Stick with logging in as a regular user instead and perform root tasks from a terminal. Don't come asking for help if you ignore this advice and your system totally breaks or it gets infested with malware...