Re: Newbie trouble: How to log on as "root"
vw@geus.DK wrote:
>How do I change from user to root when Linux by default asks for my "user"
>password on startup?
root is another username, that happens to have special privileges.
To log in as root, use the name `root' when you are asked to log in, and
then give the password that you were asked to assign to root (the superuser)
while you were installing the base system. When you type `exit' or ctrl-d
you are returned to the login prompt.
If you are already logged in, you can use the command `su -' to become
root, as if you had logged in directly as root. This command prompts you
for the superuser password. When you type `exit' or ctrl-d you are
returned to your own session.
>Is it possible to change the user-privileges to allow me a large degree of
>freedom within the system as "user" (suppose it is, but how?!)
It is possible, but undesirable to do this. Part of the reason for not
operating as root is to protect yourself from your own mistakes. If you
are root, it is perfectly possible to wipe out your system with a few
keystrokes.
I recommend you to read the Debian Tutorial, which is available via a link
on the Debian Documentation Project page at www.debian.org/~elphick/ddp/.
There is a lot of information in the Tutorial for people like yourself who
need to learn basic Unix stuff.
--
Oliver Elphick Oliver.Elphick@lfix.co.uk
Isle of Wight http://www.lfix.co.uk/oliver
PGP key from public servers; key ID 32B8FAA1
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"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the
end it leads to death."
Proverbs 16:25
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