activating network

[nokangaroo]

How do I activate networking? (I am currently logged in from Ubuntu on another computer). I installed Debian Squeeze on an iMac 7.1 (which works perfectly well with ubuntu) from the netinstall CD (today's daily build), and of course I deactivated root login, coming from ubuntu. Now I find I have to enter my root password (login password will not do) to activate networking! Is this a joke? I had the network configured with DHCP during install! So how do I activate the root account, or, more to the point, how do I get by in Debian without activating root login?

[nadir]

Ubuntu is one of the few Linux distributions out there that will not enable the root account.If you want to do something with root permission on the console you have to type sudo before the command...

Which i found by the following magic:
I opened my web-browser (called iceweasel) and entered:
http://www.lycos.com/
in the address-bar.
I used: "how to activate the root account in Debian" in the search field.
The very first result gave me the quote i posted.
It also tells you how to activate the root account.

Sounds a bit strange you got a root-password but no root account.

Is this a joke?

Yes.

[Absent Minded]

Since you disabled the root account (which really means that under about any Linux install it just generates a new randome password at each boot and has NOT really disabled anything) you "should" be able to just use sudo with "your" user password in a terminal.

As a personal thought... Why would anyone give complete root access to an unprivledged user? In my opinion this is just begging for trouble and is a complete missuse of sudo. "Most" (but not all) unprivalaged users use a more vonerable password to login to their account than an Admin would allow for root access in a networked enviorment.

[nokangaroo]

The trouble is I cannot use my login password to enamble networking. I am asked for a root password which does not exist - probably a bug in Squeeze because it makes no sense. I had better close this thread because I am going to restore ubuntu from backup.

[bugsbunny]

What exact command are you entering that asks for the root password?

Why did you disable the root password in the first place? Because of another distros brain-dead policy? (Although that shouldn't matter).

what happens if you enter:

Code: Select all

sudo su

and then enter your password?

[Absent Minded]

The trouble is I cannot use my login password to enamble networking. I am asked for a root password which does not exist - probably a bug in Squeeze because it makes no sense. I had better close this thread because I am going to restore ubuntu from backup.

Okay, so you are trying to use some GUI program to enable your networking? I can see where this "might" be a problem as Debian is designed to use the root account and not sudo. Eventhough it does offer one the ability at installation to "disable" (as it is said but not really true) the root account.

Fallow Bugs or Nadir's advice and reset your root password and then you will be able to use your program the way it is designed to be used.

Of course all of this is a mute point if your head is set on restoring Ubuntu.