Ubuntu newbe password question ?

[ubuntu at pusspaws.net]

Hi all,

Have just installed KUbuntu on spare HDD, all has gone well & very impressed 
but have a problem.

I am still a bit thrown by the 'no root password' thing. I have made an 
account 'dave' and given a password while the system installed.

I can login using these details so I know they are correct. I can even get a 
root shell with 'sudo bash' :) old habits die hard.

However when I try to access cups via http://localhost:631/ it asks for my 
name and password, I provide them and authentication fails. I only have one 
name and password on the system.

In addition if I start a terminal session, select the red root shell, enter my 
root password the shell immediately dissapears.

Any ideas

Dave