[Klug-general] My earlier plea re Skype

[George Prowse]

Alan @ COMM-TECH wrote:
>> PatRichardson at aol.com wrote:
>>>  
>>> In truth, I think the problem will have to be on my system because, 
>>> related to "System Install Packages". I am asked for "Authentication as 
>>> "Root"". It needs an administrator's password.
>>>  
>>>
> 
> George Prowse wrote:
>> You have no option but to set a password when installing linux, it is 
>> the first part of the security.
>>
>> When you boot you may see a list of options of operating systems you 
>> have installed or a message saying "please hit the esc key for a menu...".
>> Hit the escape key.
>> Go to the top entry.
>> Press E, that will edit that line.
>> Put "1" (without quotes) and the end of that line.
>> press esc
>> press b
>> when it boots and you get > type passwd root
>> type in a new password for root
>> REMEMBER IT!
>> boot as normal
>>
> 
> This sounds like an eepc, in which case the OS may be debian and 
> probably use sudo. This means a root password is of no use (in the gui 
> anyway)
> 
> If this is the case then the password it is asking for is the user's pw, 
> it will not accept a blank one so you as user have to set your own password.
> 
> There is likely a place in the gui to set your own password, look under 
> administration, users but if there is none, then:
> 
> Open a terminal
> Type passwd yourusername << replace yourusername as appropriate
>  From this point onwards you wil need to enter your uname and this 
> password whenever you log in.
> Then try entering that password when it prompts.
> 
su (switch user) when used without $user requires a super user password 
and can be used on any system regardless of whether there is another 
program designed to give escalated privileges. So as long as the 
password is set (as per my instructions) he can run any command.

All he needs to do then is correct his system using su