[Klug-general] My earlier plea re Skype

[Alan @ COMM-TECH]

George Prowse wrote:
> 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
> 

Sorry I was not very clear, by default su will not work, the reason 
being the root account on a sudo system is by default disabled
(although as you say  the single user root password procedure above 
remedy that situation by assigning a valid pass for root and therefore 
enabling the account)

George: I hope am not misunderstanding what your saying, forgive me if so :)