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Root password

 
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Johnnie



Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:41 pm
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Location: Puerto Rico
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:00 pm    Post subject: Root password Reply with quote
I installed the Ubuntu 12.04 from LXF159 and ran into a problem with the root password when I tried to use the command line and SU. It kept telling me my password was invalid. The Ubuntu documentation on 12.04 says the first user password defined on installation will be the root password. I have no problem logging on to the system with this password (meaning there are no typos). Any help on this or is my next step to re-install?
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towy71
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Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:11 pm
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
you need to use sudo rather than su http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudo
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Johnnie



Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:41 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 4:47 am    Post subject: Thank you Reply with quote
Thanks for the quick info. Guess I'm too old. Laughing
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lok1950
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Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 6:31 am
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Location: Ottawa
PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:50 am    Post subject: Re: Thank you Reply with quote
Johnnie wrote:
Thanks for the quick info. Guess I'm too old. Laughing


We all have our senior moments Johnnie Rolling Eyes Ubuntu does not put a real root account on their distro so if you are used to using su or su - for root access it's not there Rolling Eyes

Enjoy the Choice Smile
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Ram
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Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:44 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
But is if you sudo su
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ajgreeny
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Joined: Wed May 10, 2006 9:18 pm
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Location: Oxfordshire.
PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ram wrote:
But is if you sudo su
Still uses the user password, though, not a root password.
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Ram
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Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:44 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ajgreeny wrote:
Ram wrote:
But is if you sudo su
Still uses the user password, though, not a root password.

Only the once then you have full root access as far as I can tell until you close the terminal it was issued from.
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ajgreeny
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ram wrote:
ajgreeny wrote:
Ram wrote:
But is if you sudo su
Still uses the user password, though, not a root password.

Only the once then you have full root access as far as I can tell until you close the terminal it was issued from.
We're probably splitting hairs here, but it is still not really using the root account, as far as I'm aware, but just raising the user to temporary root permissions.

I agree, however, it can be useful if you're doing something that requires continual re-entry of the sudo password, as that terminal retains root permissions until closed; one reason why using sudo su is rather frowned on by ubuntuforums, if not quite banned from being talked about.
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Johnnie



Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:41 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:59 pm    Post subject: Root Password Reply with quote
This discussion brings up the question of the root password. Once I am in root and change the password using passwd XXXX does this also change the user password. And if I were back in user mode and changed the password of the initial user would the root password change?
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nelz
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Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:52 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
No and no. Each user has their own password, and only root is able to change the password of anyone else.
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GregS



Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 4:54 am
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Location: Oz
PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ajgreeny wrote:
Ram wrote:
ajgreeny wrote:
Ram wrote:
But is if you sudo su
Still uses the user password, though, not a root password.

Only the once then you have full root access as far as I can tell until you close the terminal it was issued from.
We're probably splitting hairs here, but it is still not really using the root account, as far as I'm aware, but just raising the user to temporary root permissions.

I agree, however, it can be useful if you're doing something that requires continual re-entry of the sudo password, as that terminal retains root permissions until closed; one reason why using sudo su is rather frowned on by ubuntuforums, if not quite banned from being talked about.


AFAIK from my irregular interactions with the big 'U',
Code:
sudo bash
provides the same utility (ie remains as root for the duration of the session...)
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ajgreeny
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, so does
Code:
sudo -i
but it still only uses the user password, not a root password, and raises the user to root permissions.

Either way, as I said before, I think we are just splitting hairs with this discussion.
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Ram
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Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 10:44 pm
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ajgreeny wrote:
Yes, so does
Code:
sudo -i
but it still only uses the user password, not a root password, and raises the user to root permissions.

Either way, as I said before, I think we are just splitting hairs with this discussion.


Hair splitting maybe but I think the OP miss used su instead of using sudo.
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