I encountered something in the VectorLinux liveCD installer that, unless I have a bad CD, is a strange feature. It asks if I want to create user accounts and/or change the root account. Since installing the distro onto my medium is what I'm doing, I understandably thought the installer was asking me what should be the password on the installed copy. Apparently not: I specified a root password, then later noticed that the liveCD's default root password ("root") didn't work anymore. Eventually I realized the installer had asked if I wanted to change the liveCD's root password.

I haven't seen this on any other distro's installer; and I'm not sure why I would want to change the liveCD's root password in the middle of installing from it, or even why I would want to change the liveCD's root password at all.

Warning taken.
I'm not sure were you posting your question, or your sig file.

On the question, if you have a cd/dvd reader, I would imagine that it can't change root, but maybe has lodged a new password file somewhere. The test of that is to take it to another pc, and see if the root password works there.

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Your suggestion that I identify my signature comments more clearly is duly noted. Done.

Some distro's like Knoppix dis-allow root until you change the live cd/dvd password. You have to sudo passwd then you can use root.

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I've never seen any point in a liveCD having passwords (unless you intend to use persistence and keep the liveCD as your everyday distro, which I learned about only recently), and find it eminently sensible that the VL liveCD uses blank passwords (e.g., no passwords). In the uses of a liveCD that I'm more familiar with--installation, rescue disk, some other strictly temporary use--I have no reason to make any accounts either, and use root freely. Under the circumstances, I have little reason to care about any user accounts on a liveCD being inadverdently harmed by malware or a wrong setting from root, because I'm soon going to shut the liveCD down anyway and the accounts will all disappear.