very basic about initial install

[reader at newsguy.com]

"Jayson Rowe" <jayson.rowe at gmail.com> writes:

> On Sat, Apr 26, 2008 at 11:50 AM, <reader at newsguy.com> wrote:
>
>> Installing Ubuntu 8.1.4 in a vmware as guest on Vista home Premium
>>
>> After a successfull install I'm not finding a way to get to a root
>> terminal and use the text files to do setup chores.
>>
>> During install I was asked for a user name and passwd.  I used a
>> familiar user I always use `reader' but once the install is finished
>> and I reboot.... I'm not unable to get to a root terminal.
>>
>> I thought I might just boot the install disk and chroot to the new
>> install but using fdisk on the install disk, it cannot find the
>> virtual /dev/hda from the install...  Seem like a bad catch 22
>> situation.
>>
>>
>>
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>
> Ubuntu uses 'sudo' by default rather than having a root login. If you must
> have a purely root terminal session, simply do"
>
> sudo su -
>
> You will not be at a # prompt and logged in as root.

As I posted in OP:

Harry wrote:
>> How might I get to a root login?
>>
>> When I try to sudo I'm told my machine name won't resolve... when I
>> try to create a network I told I don't have the privs.  Do actully
>> have to redo the install and chose `root' when it asked for a user
>> name?

So to rephrase this:  Sudo fails with the message that my machine name
cannot be resolved.  Consequently all attempts to use sudo do not
result in any commands being run as root.

Is there really no way to get a root terminal?

Also is there no way to have a text terminal console, after the
install?  That is get clear away from the gui mess.  I need the
regular unix style command line.