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Thread ID: 41088 2003-12-29 22:05:00 Red Hat 9 root user anaroo (5044) Press F1
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204035 2003-12-29 22:05:00 I have just installed RH 9 using 3 cds form the Bible and during the instal i created the password for the root user (administrator), but when trying to log in to the root user it asks to type the user name which i tried as : administrator, then root, then root user, etc always with correct pasword but it did not allow me to log in , saying wrong password or username. when loged in as a user i tested the root pasword and it works fine. so what do i type for user name for the forst time when logging in as root user?

Thanks
anaroo (5044)
204036 2003-12-29 22:12:00 The root user for Linux/Unix etc is "root" not administrator; so type "root" and the root password. Dolby Digital (160)
204037 2003-12-29 23:49:00 Did you also create yourself a user's account during the installation process? With root accounts, you can do untold damage very easily without being given any warnings - it will quite happily let you delete/modify an essential item and then turn its toes up on you.

Use your general user account for everyday use, and only log into root for specific tasks. Information on how to add a user account can be found here (www.redhat.com)
Jen C (20)
204038 2003-12-29 23:52:00 >when loged in as a user i tested the root pasword

Oops - I see you do have a general user account. :8}

OK, well you can forget about the gem of wisdom I was helpfully trying to impart :)
Jen C (20)
204039 2003-12-30 01:21:00 Remember that the password (like just about everything eplse) is CaSe SeNsItIvE .

If that does not get you in, boot to "single user" . (in lilo "boot: linux 1" . In grub, type "e", then change the boot line to have "single" or "1" at the end . That will come up with the black screen, and a prompt ending in "#" . Then passwd will let you make a new password for root . Or it might not . . . I haven't used it for a long time . . . and it might want the old password ;-) .

The alternative is to edit the /etc/shadow file . The entry you want looks like "root:45SErTh&^%$: . . . " . Just delete the funny stuff between the first two ":"s --- it's the encrypted password --- so it will start "root:: . . . " .

Or if you can login as your "user", see if you can telinit 1 which would have the same effect as the floppy start . (I suspect you can't do this . . . that would be a major security problem . :D)
Graham L (2)
204040 2003-12-30 01:28:00 Thanks Dolby Digital and all, "root" worked..and Jen i will be carfull when in root directorty, and Graham thanks for the tip on how to get around with passwords...many thanks, Anaroo anaroo (5044)
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