'su' gain root access in linux

[daniel_t]

Hi all (again),..

I have another problem. I am running ubuntu linux on my laptop and hence, I am the sole user of it (hence, I am the administrator). I assume that because I am the sole user of the OS, that I automatically have root access. However, I wanted to install 'ndiswrapper' to get my wireless card in my laptop working in ubuntu. I was following a guide to installing it and it read that it is important to get root access to install it. However, when i issues the command 'su', i was prompted for my password. I entered the password but I got a message saying 'su: authentication failed - sorry'. Does anyone know why this is? I use the same password for almost everything, so my password could not be wrong.

Is there a (command) or a way to find out if you actually have root access?

Thanks to you all in advance for taking the time to read/reply to my query.

Thank you.


Daniel.

[Chitty]

when you have root access, you should read something like this:
root@chitty-desktop:/home/chitty#
instead of:
chitty@chitty-desktop:~$
Remember that your root password is not necessarily the same as your user password

[Javasnob]

In ubuntu, you normally use sudo:

someone@ubuntu $ sudo make install

[DeoXMAN]

root password is set during installation, so bad if you forgot it

[Juan Pablo]

root password is set during installation, so bad if you forgot it

You dont have root password on Ubuntu. You use sudo

[Chitty]

Or maybe you haven't set the password for root... "As default Ubuntu has no password set for the root user..." http://www.ubuntux.org/how-to-change...word-in-ubuntu

[Eddy Dean]

On Ubuntu it's sudo su instead of just su.

But you can of course use sudo for all commands...


Greetz,
Eddy

[tpl]

if you wish to have a root user, try:

sudo adduser root

[Oxygen]

if you wish to have a root user, try:

sudo adduser root

What the hell are you on about? Root is a user on all systems! It doesn't have a set password on *buntu is the reason you can't use it!

If you just want root for the console, use sudo -i but if you need to set a password use "sudo passwd root" then enter your existing password, then the new password, then confirm the new password.

[DeoXMAN]

You dont have root password on Ubuntu. You use sudo

??? but if you do sudo, it executes command from root username. In Ubuntu you have root, but by default password is not set for it.