root password

[Martin Laberge]

On Sunday 29 June 2008 16:34:27 Willy K. Hamra wrote:
> Martin Laberge wrote:
> > On Saturday 28 June 2008 10:56:26 Willy Hamra wrote:
> >> 2008/6/28 John Pierce <john.j35 at gmail.com>:
> >>
> >>>> Sure.. Use it all the time. It's just that there are times *I* need to be
> >>> root
> >>>> to get things done and and sudo just doesn't get it.
> >>>>
> >>>> I've been hacking Unix since the mid 80's and Linux since 0.12 (early
> >>> 1990's).
> >>>> I understand the risks.
> >>>>
> >>> Then just enable the root account and set a password, then you can su
> >>> - all you want.
> >>>
> >>> On my machine, the one I use all the time, I enabled the root account.
> >>>  On the other machines in
> >>> the house I have left it disabled.
> >>>
> >>> it is a much better practice to use the no root approach, i personally
> >> never felt i need the root account, sudo does it all for me, and in the very
> >> rare cases i need to do many things with root access, i simply "sudo su",
> >> all the system would still be using my privileges and rights, only this
> >> shell is running as root.
> >> and in anyways, we are using kubuntu, and one of the main points that
> >> distinguish *buntu from the rest of the distros is the "no root" approach,
> >> it can be frustrating for people coming from other distros but thats the
> >> *buntu way!
> >>
> > 
> > What if your /home directory is mounted on another disk,
> > and unfortunately you can't start this disk. (for wathever reason, ex: fsck, fail, ...)
> > 
> > Then you can't log in your account in text or X mode.
> > 
> > You NEED root then. (no root passwd and you cant even repair your filesystems)
> > 
> > Or you are stuck to an external ressource to access your disk. (ex: live-cd, ...)
> > 
> > Yes you can USE a system without setting a passwd for root,
> > But when life happens, it is not always like it was supposed to be...
> > 
> > And you can set another different passwd for root than your personal account.
> > 
> the users aren't stored in /home, they are in /etc, if i'm not mistaken,
> it would let you sign in, then complain about a missing home directory,
> and chooses / as your root, at least, this is what happenned with me
> when i built my first "linux from scratch" system, and idiotically
> forgot to create a /home/user directory :P
> 

You are right. I just tested it to be sure, and it logs me in /

But when the system cant boot and stop in admin mode, it asks for the ROOT passwd.
I believe it is the kernel or the init task who ask for the ROOT passwd at this moment.
As follows:

Root filesystem mounted read only.
Please enter the root password to enter admin mode or press Ctrl-D to continue :

This happened to me once, and I install a password for root from this time on.


-- 
Martin Laberge
mlsoft at videotron.ca
Tel:(418)521-6823