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Thread ID: 146542 2018-09-02 07:58:00 Help with Linux Mint mzee (3324) Press F1
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1453250 2018-09-02 07:58:00 I have Mint 18.3, and have been trying to install VMWare with the terminal. It tells me that 'root' is required to enable it to continue with the installation. (See attachment).
I have tried many ways, but no luck. How do I log in as root? I have made a root password by 'sudo passwd root', but when I enter 'su -mypassword' it is rejected! :mad:

Any ideas?
mzee (3324)
1453251 2018-09-02 09:22:00 Enter 'su -', press enter, then put in your root password. fred_fish (15241)
1453252 2018-09-02 21:46:00 Enter 'su -', press enter, then put in your root password.

It now asks me what my sudo password is. I have tried every password I can think of but it says they are incorrect. My Grandson arrived and distracted me, so I forgot to note it down.
How can I find the correct password, or make a new one?
mzee (3324)
1453253 2018-09-02 22:22:00 Problem solved!
Deleted sudo password 'sudo passwd -dl root'
Then made another one 'sudo passwd root'
mzee (3324)
1453254 2018-09-02 23:29:00 Why on earth are you creating a root password on Mint?
It is unnecessary, you use you user password to elevate privileges.
KarameaDave (15222)
1453255 2018-09-03 01:46:00 Why on earth are you creating a root password on Mint?
It is unnecessary, you use you user password to elevate privileges.

+1

Not just unnecessary, silly.
piroska (17583)
1453256 2018-09-03 02:05:00 root is disabled and it's not really worth enabling it, I've not tried VMware but normally use Virtualbox instead.

You should only need to escalate your privileges to install it/run it.

If you want, but I don't like giving bad advice do: sudo su -

I will test VMware out when I finish work later on today, are you installing it from the official repository?

Sorry just looked at your picture and its a GUI dialog, how are you running the command? maybe you need to use pkexec instead of sudo (gksudo was dropped, hasn't been maintained in years)
Kame (312)
1453257 2018-09-03 03:55:00 The problem was that I was trying to run a script in the terminal to download VMware, and install it, it would run automatically, and then produce the message about being root. Eventually I got it to install, but after all that effort it didn't work. I got another copy of VMware workstation 14.1, but that would not install because VMware was already installed! Became root again and deleted every folder for vmware. Installed the new version, and it works well. I am not an idiot, and realise that I have to be very careful how I use root. mzee (3324)
1453258 2018-09-03 04:40:00 Here:


www.howtogeek.com

If you need root, you just sudo whatever....
piroska (17583)
1453259 2018-09-06 04:38:00 Here:


www.howtogeek.com

If you need root, you just sudo whatever....

Difficult to use sudo when the script runs automatically!
mzee (3324)
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