Find the answer to your Linux question:
Results 1 to 6 of 6
Hi: I have just switched to Vida Linux Gentoo after years of using Windows, so please forgive my ignorance. The person who made the installation seems to have configured things ...
Enjoy an ad free experience by logging in. Not a member yet? Register.
  1. 05-29-2005 #1
    jenniec45
    jenniec45 is offline
    Just Joined!
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Puerto Rico
    Posts
    2

    Totally new to linux

    Hi: I have just switched to Vida Linux Gentoo after years of using Windows, so please forgive my ignorance. The person who made the installation seems to have configured things so that I cannot log in as root. I was able to download Firestarter through Portage, but when I tried to launch the application, I got the message that I needed "root privileges". Is there any way that I can finish this installation as a regular user? If not, would I be secure enough without a firewall? I am just a regular client with no remote services running. Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 05-29-2005 #2
    Cabhan
    Cabhan is offline
    Linux Guru Cabhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Seattle, WA, USA
    Posts
    3,252
    If it's your computer (meaning not a business, but a personal computer), I highly recommend that you obtain the root password from your friend, as you will need it.

    For the record, you can switch to root in the terminal by running the "su" command and typing the root password.


    The only other thing I can think of is sudo. I don't know quite how it works, but you might want to look into it. From my understanding, it allows you to run certain commands with root privileges without actually being root.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  3. 05-29-2005 #3
    jenniec45
    jenniec45 is offline
    Just Joined!
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Puerto Rico
    Posts
    2
    I will check out sudo. Thanks for your help.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  4. 05-29-2005 #4
    jaboua
    jaboua is offline
    Linux Engineer
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    1,431
    Notice that to use sudo, you may have to setup /etc/sudoers first (if not done by default in vidalinux, I am not sure)...

    Also, you said you were able to download firestarter over portage? Was'nt you root then?

    However, if you get sudo working, you can change the root-password like this:
    Code:
    sudo passwd root
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  5. 05-29-2005 #5
    SCO
    SCO is offline
    Just Joined!
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Eh!
    Posts
    65
    I know vidalinux (it orginates from your location so..) is quite easy to use, but it's still based on Gentoo (more experinced user). So I would try Mandrake/Insert Newbie Distro here, because they come with nice GUI tools, to ease configuration of your computer.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  6. 05-29-2005 #6
    jaboua
    jaboua is offline
    Linux Engineer
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    1,431
    Quote Originally Posted by SCO
    I know vidalinux (it orginates from your location so..) is quite easy to use, but it's still based on Gentoo (more experinced user). So I would try Mandrake/Insert Newbie Distro here, because they come with nice GUI tools, to ease configuration of your computer.
    I agree, thats a lot easyer, but still you get a lot of experience by using gentoo/gentoo-based.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules