mandrake 9.1 (having a hard time logging in as root)

[pantera6925]

the graphic logon you get doesn't allow me to type in my user name, so i can't type root. i'm forced to select the user.

i can log in normally and make it so the system boots up to a prompt then log in as root then startx to load up a kde.

thats a pain in the ass, is there a way to make it so i can type in my user name using the graphic bootup in mandrake 9.1?

trying to do linuxconf but it won't let me unless i'm logged in as root. such a pain.

[wassy121]

You shouldn't log in to the GUI as root. That is why it won't let you select it. It depends on what desktop manager you are using though. I will assume Mandrake comes with kdm as it's default desktop manager. Find out what files it installs. There should be a conf file (It was in /usr/local/conf/kdm.conf or something last I knew) that disallows root from logging in. Just read through the file for "root" and see if the comments say something about disallowed logins.

[EtherRex]

As said above, you really shouldnt log into the gui as root. However if you really want to then logon as your user at the graphical prompt and navigate to the KDE user manager. Then look at the properties for the root user. you will see a checkbox to disallow logon. clear it and save your changes then log off. Tadaa!

be carefull.

I really wanted to be able to do this when I first got 9.1 but I didnt and have learnt a lot more about the command line as a result. It really is the way to go.......

[Dolda2000]

The greatest problem about being root is that if a client application like GAIM gets cracked, the attacker will have root privileges instead of just user privileges, and you don't want that to happen.