logging out and shutting down/restarting

[talitim]

I am using the 10.04 version, and to my knowledge have not yet updated, but have used quite a bit of software so it is possible I did update. However, I cannot log out or shut down without root passwrd. So i run the command $sudo passwrd root, and get the error:

passwd: You may not view or modify password information for root.

The super user administrator password does not work with shutting down, or restarting. I did not set up a root account, so i need to know how to turn on the root account and get a root password
when I shut down it asks for a password, when I enter my su password it says invalid and I am always forced to hard boot when I turn the computer on and off.
Thanks for all help.

[dibl]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

I did not set up a root account, so i need to know how to turn on the root account and get a root password

That is an odd statement -- *buntu requires the root password to be established as part of the installation process. You can't install it without setting a root password.

Do you mean someone else installed it?

[talitim]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

no I installed it, but I was only asked for administrative password, realize I have not been a windows user since about 2006 so I was suprised when it didn't install a ROOT password. The admin password works fine for like installing things that would be for root, but no "Root"
In Fedora, which is what I started on, Root was as you said required, but it didn't install a ROOT user for the new ubuntu, well new back 6 months ago.
thanks

[GreyGeek]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

When you installed Kubuntu it asked you for your home account name AND a password. Because your account was the FIRST account installed its password IS the root password. You do "root work" by using "sudo" or "kdesudo" and entering your account password when asked for the "root" password. IF you add other accounts to your system (kids, others) their password CAN NOT be used to do "root" or "admin" work unless YOU put their account name in the list of sudo users.

[vinnywright]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

well

sudo su

will give you a root terminal

vinny@desktop:~$ sudo su
[sudo] password for vinny:
root@desktop:/home/vinny#

and to prevent having to hard stop the box you can use the magic key's ....that is hold down alt>sysrq and press in sequence R,S,E,I,U,B witch will result in a safe reboot.

but something really dosent seam right about this

VINNY

[vinnywright]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

IF you add other accounts to your system (kids, others) their password CAN NOT be used to do "root" or "admin" work unless YOU put their account name in the list of sudo users.

OR add them to the adm, admin groups

VINNY

[talitim]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

is there a way to set up a new root while erasing the supposed old root and new password. and what is this sysrq button"

[Snowhog]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

Magic SysRq key

[GreyGeek]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

The reasoning behind sudo in Ubuntu is explained here. Near the end of the article it explains how to activate the root account, and how to deactivate it later, if you decide to return to the "sudo" paradigm. It is very easy to do.

Edit: It is IMPORTANT to read THIS article on using "sudo -i" and "sudo -s" and "sudo su" and "sudo su -", and some problems that arise.

Here is a summary:
				               corrupted by user's 
		HOME=/root	uses root's PATH   env vars
sudo -i		Y		Y[2]           N
sudo -s		N		Y[2]           Y
sudo bash	   N		Y[2]           Y
sudo su		Y		N[1]           Y


[1] PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
  probably set by /etc/environment
[2] PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin

The bottom line, is "sudo -i" is the proper command to run when you want a root shell that is untainted by the user's environment.

[vinnywright]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

is there a way to set up a new root while erasing the supposed old root and new password. and what is this sysrq button"

sysrq button is the prt scr/sysrq button usually top left in the block of key's over the arrows on a standard US keyboard.

for the new root acct. just add an acct. thrugh system settings>user management and add the new acct to the adm & admin groups .

log out and into the new acct and test it out if good go ahead and delet the old one after saving eneything you nead

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

[GreyGeek]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

Something was lost in transit there, Snowhog!

[talitim]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

OK, Thank you everyone for your speedy and most to the point replies. I have been having problems with this for 5 months, and searching all my old Linux books from my college weren't helping, so I came here. Again thank you, I am implementing the easiest things first, and then to the more intricate.

[talitim]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

problem maybe solved itself when I went into user management, under my admin account I saw privileges, and assigned myself as root access. So hopefully fingers crossed, it will work this way.
Thank you again.

[NeverwherE]

Re: logging out and shutting down/restarting

Don't know if this will help, but I will give it a shot... I noticed that when I installed kubuntu, I have privileges to install software, and do admin tasks, but when it came time to a "SU" command, I was SOL. I wondered why because I didn't remember that being a problem before in other distros. I swore I remember that if you are person installing the distro, then you are a "SU" admin and the password that you provide when installing is the same as to "SU" to root. Well, maybe I forgot for some reason, and I know that the person who installs a distro is automatically a sudoer, so I scratched my head at the thought for a moment.

I just opened a terminal and typed:

sudo passwd root

entered what password I wanted twice, and now I have the "SU" command ability. Perhaps this will help you. I know you said that you have not been using windows since 2006, so I'm almost possitive you know this type of command. Just trying to help.