[lostinparadise]

Hi all,
This is a real stupid question but I can't seem to find an answer. I completed the install of Ubuntu 804 on my mini 9 and am going through the learning curve of using linux. I am trying to make a directory, mkdir, and found that I need root access rights. A friend told me to login as root. Much to my suprise I don't know the root password. I was told that I stated it at the time of install. I tried every password I would have used and included nothing. I do not remember being asked a question for the root password. I have 3 installs of ubuntu on my machines and I now have found that I can not login as root on any of them because of this password issue. I don't know what this password would be. I am positive that I would have only used certain passwords for anything so I don't get it.

Any help would be appreciated and try not to laugh to hard.

Gordon

[WolfKeeper]

Fair question. In simple terms, there is no root password in Ubuntu. You didn't miss it during the install. Use the sudo command. As the first user, you're part of the admin group.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

[reflex]

WolfKeeper is right. Ubuntu disables direct logins by the root account by default.

But one useful trick to know is "sudo bash". Running that in a terminal will give you a shell with root privileges.

[lostinparadise]

Thank you both for your help. I thought I was really losing it. Because I always write the exercise down, just for these purposes, I thought I missed a step. Interesting approach by Ubuntu, are they giving anything away by taking this approach.


Aloha
Gordon

[ndblue]

Hello all I have the same problem. I did not create a password but the system continues to ask me for one. I am not very computer literate can someone please go step by step and help me recover the "password".

[reflex]

Originally Posted by ndblue

Hello all I have the same problem. I did not create a password but the system continues to ask me for one. I am not very computer literate can someone please go step by step and help me recover the "password".

You're running Ubuntu?

If so, I think this procedure will work:

1. reboot
2. Hit ESC at the GRUB screen (after "Dell", before "Ubuntu")
3. Choose "recovery mode"
4. Choose "drop to root shell"
5. execute "passwd YOURUSERNAME" (replace YOURUSERNAME with the appropriate value)
6. Enter your new password
7. Reboot and now your new password should be active

[Dunhamzzz]

Basically if you need to do a command as root, just put "sudo" (super user do?) for the command.

xkcd - A Webcomic - Sandwich