very basic about initial install

[Zach]

On Sat, Apr 26, 2008 at 12:06 PM,  <reader at newsguy.com> wrote:
> "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.

There clearly is some other problem going on here, didn't realize that
sudo needed/cared about local hostname resolution.  You're logging in
as your unpriv user, then using sudo?

>
>  Is there really no way to get a root terminal?

If you want a root shell for troubleshooting/recovery/etc, choose
recovery mode in the grub menu (You may have to hit "esc" to get grub
to show the menu).

>
>  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.

If you really want no gui at all, ever, I recommend the server install
CD.  It gives you a very basic installation that you can build on by
installing packages of your choosing.


-- 
:wq!