Thank you Therry for showing how to enable root log in…

GUI way.
Login as root and run nautilus, then change the user to yourself and enable permissions to read and write.

Command-line way (actually, easier but to more experienced).

sudo nautilus

OR

cd /media
sudo chown -R
chmod -R ug+rw

I have doubt… Can someone unlock my root account remotely?
And since it’s locked there’s no root login for ftp or telnet, right?

“The installation script requires root permissions.
Please provide the root password.
Password:”

If I enter my user accounts password it doesn’t work. It fails.
I don’t have a prompt to tell it to launch via sudo. So I am at a loss.
My limited IT dept tells me to dump Ubuntu and use a Linux distro that allows root accounts. (I did say they where a limited IT Dept )

I am a linux and Ubuntu newbie. Would like to keep using this, but if I can’t create and acitviate a root account, even if it is a Pandora’s box of evil, I may have to dump Ubuntu, need to log into work.

i have 2 hard disks

one new the other have problems and i need data from it

i saw the 2 hard disks but i can copy or see all files coz i dun have permissions

i used sudo -i and -s and always gives me root@ubuntu:~#

what i shall do ?

Admin, kan jo please move the last two lines up, i think after the first or second part of the tekst ?

Thanks

Carsten, Denmark

I’m new to Linux too, i have had pc’s since the day of DOS 3.something, and now i’m on XP, and that’s how far i’m going in the Windows world, i’m tired of the bigger and bigger demand for bigger hardware to run Windows – and i’m tired of to buggy programs, that also cost a ton of money – so now it’s time for me to change horses

On thing i watched growing up on Windows was, the early ver. i could configure and do with it what i wanted, but now it’s Microsoft there’s in control – not me – and i don’t like that either – that’s what i loved about UNIX, when i took the courses, and what i love about Linux as well

And as other newbies, it annoys me when i cannot do a simple operation as unpacking files to the system, it’s no problem installing programs, it works fine for me

I know that UNIX/Linux is probably the strongest system in any way, you can run, but it’s still a new world to us, and takes some time figure out – okay, that depends on how patient one are, i’m not the biggest, so a few hours can seam like looong time

But i like the system, i’m hungering to learn how to run it – in every way – so if you know some very good guides, books etc. then let me know

Just one thing on the security issue, i tried logging on IRC as root, i got banned from severel servers, and that’s parobably a good thing, but a funny thing to se as Windows user – but again, as root, and someone hacks my computer, i’m lost – so i think it’s a good thing to protect us against stupidity

Well, what i wanted to says is, you, and a few others, seams to know your way around Linux, and also have a certain grounding, calm and relaxed, and give constructed answers – so “hit me” i’m willing to learn

Best regards
Carsten, Denmark

Since i have had DOS, i’m not afraid of / and know my way around the commandline. I had a couple of UNIX courses aprox 12-12 years ago, and haven’t used it since

You dont understand that from power comes responsibility?
You dont understand that you can be less intelligent then someone?
You dont understand that stupidity can lead to SEVERE results?
You dont understand what “balanced” development means?
You dont understand relativity?
You dont understand that its not-the-whole-world-is-bad-and-hurts,but-you-have-only-broken-a-finger?
You want all now-and-forever?
You want “a free operating system” that is also free to everyone on the internet, like a whore(sorry)?
You want dont want this “sad, crippled operating system”?
You want to be cool as those models or actors or …(insert name)?
You’re under 5 years(biologically)?

Get windoze-> its all that you can handle. Really no problems. Just dont forget to pay and to fix.
YOU DONT DESERVE THIS ADVANCED AND OPEN SYSTEM, don’t even bother posting here or reading. Please do us all a favour, save a bit of our time, so we can help those who really want to help THEMSELVES.

For those who ARE interested:
Just “sit on your own ass” and spend few minutes trying to understand, from the eyes of UNIX system designer, WHY exactly this was implemented that way and not differently. I’m laughing my ass off reading the comments of some “windowze” clowns. Linux is UNIX-family, and UNIX is military class security. Linux is open, true, but it doesn’t mean its open to thieves or bullies. Linux is drunk proof, unlike windows. It is clever, yet you have to find it yourself. Start right from your head.

If you come from different temple, do not use your own rules here. Do not mix your tea and this tea, empty your cup first. All you need is empty head and will >to inspect< this on your own. If you even do not understand what am I trying to say – don’t bother either, go out and live/die happy.

If development would be “fun” and “pleasure”, everyone would be god. (Un)fortunately it is not so. Choose your side. You know, happy sheep are needed too…

Btw thanks to the author of the article, it was informative. At least to me.

I sort activate the root account by
$sudo bash
#passwd
from then on I can ’su’ as with more conventional systems additionally I create an administrator account that hardy gets used make sure that will sudo and remove myself from the admin group.
If I want to use an admin facility such as synaptic I do it thus.
$su
#synaptic
or even
$su
#gedit /etc/application/application.conf
to edit a config file

As for restricting what you can do, by default in Ubuntu, when-ever you run a gui administration program, it will either ask you for YOUR password when the program starts, or open a restricted version of the program (basically read-only) with an “unlock” button near the bottom. Whether you enter a password when the program starts, or via the “unlock” button, once you have done so you are now running that program as if you WERE root.