can't use su in terminal

[pencapchew]

Whenever i try to use su in konsole, it asks for my password, i type it, and it returns:

su: Authentication failure
Sorry.

But other things where i need to enter my password work fine (usually) like adept and whatnot.
Second problem, i say "(usually)" because sometimes at random I get a message saying "conversation with su failed" with anything requiring root access, even if it worked fine earlier.................help?

[kubicle]

Re: can't use su in terminal

As the root account is locked by default on (k)ubuntu, su won't work.

To get a root terminal, use 'sudo -i' or 'sudo su'.

[pencapchew]

Re: can't use su in terminal

thanks, that worked its just that i was pretty sure i had used su the first time i installed kubuntu a while back

[jakykong]

Re: can't use su in terminal

Maybe there is a good reason not to, i don't know for sure, but i did this to solve that problem: Since the root user is by default locked, unlock it.

I did it by installing kuser and then running sudo kuser, and unblocking the root user from there.

Mostly because i tend to do a lot of things at once when i go root, and don't use it often, not just using the rare root thing...

By the way, might be good to know, is there any particular reason that the root user is locked by defalt?

[kubicle]

Re: can't use su in terminal

thanks, that worked its just that i was pretty sure i had used su the first time i installed kubuntu a while back

It's possible if you chose the 'expert' installation on your earlier installation...it does not lock the root account

Mostly because i tend to do a lot of things at once when i go root, and don't use it often, not just using the rare root thing...

sudo -i (or sudo -s or sudo su) will get you the regular root terminal (if you 'tend to do a lot of things at once when i go root') so you don't have to write 'sudo' in front of every command...or did I misunderstood what you mean?

By the way, might be good to know, is there any particular reason that the root user is locked by defalt?

I can quickly think of three reasons, just my own opinions though, nothing official in them

1. Simplication - won't confuse new users during installation and force them to remember two passwords
2. Encouraging users to use the 'regular' account instead of just logging in as root all the time
3. Protection - protecting poorly configured servers (like 'ssh') from 'brute force' attacks on the root account

Of course people who know what they're doing and have a reason to unlock the root account can do it in a minute, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

Personally, I have found sudo and kdesu are everything I need, though coming from another distro it took some time to get used to (old habits die hard)...but now I'd never go back

(Of course 'sudo' is nothing new or ubuntu specific, even the old unix bibles teach it's proper use...but using only sudo and locking the root account isn't a common practice...yet :P)