HEEEEELP!! Can't download videos!

[katmac]

I don't have a CLUE. 100% newbie/computer virgin, remember?

I can't even tell you why the hell I typed in GRUB to begin with, but everything that I've been seeing on screen, I've pasted on here.

SHOULD I be trying to re-boot or boot it up to change the password? If so, how do I do it?

This is crazy for just trying to play a bloody video file, isn't it? A computer programmer, I'm NOT. This is getting to be extremely frustrating!!

Another quick question is this, I have another little camcorder device that came with a CD to install the program, and my old computer plays it/downloads it with no problems, but that's the one without any sound, so I can't HEAR it.

Considering the Acer doesn't HAVE a CD drive and it's not doing anything to pick it up itself when it's connected to the USB port, how can I view the files on THAT one?

[Rubberman]

Just relax! Have a glass (or two) of your favorite relaxant, and we'll get you thru all this cruft. If you were here, I have a nice bottle of chianti you might like!

Ok. This is what I am hearing from you - please confirm, and then we'll go to the next step.

1. You can reboot (don't go into grub, just let it "do its thing") and login to the system under your user account, correct?
2. When you open a terminal window and try to su to the root account, it asks for your password, correct? BTW, this is the root/admin password you were probably asked for when you first started up the system.
3. When the system sleeps or the screensaver kicks in and you try to get back to your work, it asks for a password, correct? BTW, this should be the password you use to login in the first place, NOT the root/admin account password.

If the answer to all of these are "yes", then we are ready to proceed. If not, let me know as precisely as you can, what you did and what the system displayed (write it down if need be - we need as accurate information here as possible).

Again, don't fret - we'll get you thru this, and you will be enjoying your videos in "no time". After all, time is immaterial when you are lost in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike! (A small homage to the original Adventure computer game!).

[katmac]

Well, I don't drink, but this bloody computer's just might be the catalyst I've been waiting for to start.

Anyhoo, here's what I know about the 're-booting' issue...when I turn on the power, the computer starts up.

That's the extent of my knowledge base about THAT.

Yes, when I try to enter that su, it asks for a password that it doesn't recognize.

Yes, when it comes back from the screensaver mode, I can enter the password and it unlocks the computer again.

[Rubberman]

Well, I don't drink, but this bloody computer's just might be the catalyst I've been waiting for to start.

Anyhoo, here's what I know about the 're-booting' issue...when I turn on the power, the computer starts up.

That's the extent of my knowledge base about THAT.

Yes, when I try to enter that su, it asks for a password that it doesn't recognize.

Yes, when it comes back from the screensaver mode, I can enter the password and it unlocks the computer again.

Ok. Then our problem here is getting you to root access. Try this and let us know what happens.

1. Open terminal window to get command line.
2. Execute this command: sudo su -

What happens when you do #2? Do you get another prompt, or do you get an error? If you get another (different) prompt, that means you are now (at least in that window) running as root, and we can then reset root's password to something you can remember!
If it gives you an error, then we will need to help you reset the root/admin password by some other means. Just remember, that Linux passwords are case-sensitive.

[katmac]

Here's what I got...

[user@localhost home]$ sudo su
[root@localhost home]#

looks like another prompt?

[Rubberman]

Here's what I got...

[user@localhost home]$ sudo su
[root@localhost home]#

looks like another prompt?

Yes. You got into the root account, but you need the trailing '-' that I showed before, as that will also set up the environment correctly for root. The way you did it, it still has your environmental settings, so some programs that are root-only might not be found. So, do the same thing, but execute: sudo su -
Ok?

[katmac]

OK, here's what I get now.....

[user@localhost home]$ sudo su -
[root@localhost ~]#

[Rubberman]

Once you get into the root account with "sudo su -" you can change root's password this way (the # is your prompt, not input):

# passwd

It will display something like this:

# passwd
Changing password for user root.
New UNIX password:

You will input your new password, then it will ask you to retype the new password to verify it. Once you do that, you are now the "owner" of this system!

Once you have done that, we are ready to work on your video display and remote file access issues. At least we will be over the "hump" in one respect, and you are on your way to becoming a "semi-guru" and not a complete "noob"...

[Rubberman]

OK, here's what I get now.....

[user@localhost home]$ sudo su -
[root@localhost ~]#

Excellent! Now, change your root account password as I showed in my last posting.

[katmac]

Holy crap! I'M BILL GATES AGAIN!! Here's what I got THIS TIME!!

passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.
[root@localhost ~]#


HA! SCREW YOU LINUX!

Sorry, I got carried away with myself, now all we have to do is the HARD part.