[ubuntu-uk] Creating 'root' account.

[Rob Beard]

Andrew Jenkins wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> Newbie Ubuntu-ite here.  So far so good, although I
> have a few questions, but one at a time.
> 
> I've been a Mandrake/Mandriva user since I ditched
> the dreaded MS four or five years ago.  I just
> thought I'd try Ubuntu (7.04) alongside my Mandriva
> 2005 on my laptop.
> 
> I'm used to the Mandriva way (as with most other
> distros) of having a 'root' account and then all the
> other 'user' accounts.  The Ubuntu method of asking
> for your 'user' password to then allow you to go off
> and create system-wide mayhem is really not suitable
> when you have curious kids. Again, typing 'sudo' and
> being asked for your 'user' password doesn't strike
> me as very secure.
> 
> Is it easy to make Ubuntu behave in a similar fashion
> to Mandriva and if so how?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Andy Jenkins.
> 

I can't remember if there is a reason or not that the root account isn't 
normally used, although I know what you mean about being used to a root 
account.

I've enabled my root account by typing the following on the command line...

su passwd root

I then choose a password.

Hope this helps.

Rob