jotheb

Hello,

I got Knoppix 4.0 on DVD only a few hours ago, so please excuse this very noobie question, but I've run into a serious problem, namely that I have no root password (that I'm aware of) but I need it to move some folders to another harddrive. I used to run on Windows XP, that is, until my computer crashed yesterday. After checking for viruses and finding none with two different programs, I figured it was probably some program malfunctioning. Having unsuccessfully tried to restore the system, I reckoned the issue would be solved if I formatted the C: and reinstalled XP again. Not so. I was able to format, but not finish the installation as the computer, for some inexplicable reason, refused to log into Windows. When I try logging in using "Safe Mode", it just says that I need to finish the installation and then the process starts all over again.

Since I am in quite a hurry to move a couple of folders to a mountable drive (it needs to be done this weekend), I got a little panicked (still am, since I haven't solved the situation), but a friend of mine told me about Knoppix. I was delighted when I could log onto my computer, but got a little thrown back when I couldn't move the folders without a root password. For the past few hours I've been reading I don't know how many forums, but I haven't been able to figure out how to get or change this password. I opened the Terminal and wrote "passwd", to which it said:

"Changing password for knoppix
(current) UNIX password"

I tried leaving it blank but naturally it refused to let me change or write a password. Since I haven't specified any UNIX password, or any password in XP, I'm completely lost.

I've read a couple of pages here in this forum, but haven't found anything (yet) that helps me. Please help me, and please reply in laymen's terms as I'm very new to Knoppix and haven't quite figured it out yet. I'm sure I've just missed some stupid little thing somewhere, it's just that I'm getting a bit desperate as the minutes tick by and I need to move those folders ASAP.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT:
Wow, it really was a stupid thing that I had missed. I now got the root password, however, I've stumbled onto a new problem. When I try going into Super User Mode, I receive the following message:

"There was an error setting up interprocess communications for KDE. The message returned by the system was:

/root/.DCOPserver_knoppix__0

Please check that the "dcopserver" program is running!"

What is this dcopserver? I'm browsing through all the menues I can find, but haven't seen it yet. Again, sorry for being such a noob, but as I said I'm in a hurry and might as well ask stupid questions now than try to figure it out myself and not be able to get those files to the mountable drive in time.

waka

try knoppix 1 at boot prompt
then use passwd
now make your own password


hope this helps

craigevil

spoon!

use su to log in as root

mjfletch

Hi I am also having the same trouble that you have experienced. Could you tell me the password so I can be a super user please. did you establish the solution to the second part of the problem?
Thank you in advance
Maurie

craigevil

Open a terminal and type su passwd
it will then as you for a new password you have to type it twice then you will have a root password.

In order to open a kde app as root in a terminal/konsole you type
kdesu whatever app
a box will popup asking for the root password enter it and you will be good to go.

mjfletch

The password change has worked and I am now able to log in as a super user however I am still unable to move files from one harddrive and copy to another. I have checked the permissions on each drive and all are set for read and write. Is there something else I need to do to be able to save files from one drive to another?
Thanks in advance
Maurie

charlemax

Did you remember to right click the drives and from the menu choose Actions.
Then choose make writeable. Hope that's all the problem is. I'm having some password issues with my Ubuntu installation and it's a real bite. Good luck.