SU password

[Brian McKee]

On Thu, Sep 4, 2008 at 5:39 PM, W. D. Allen <ballensr at roadrunner.com> wrote:
> I'm new to Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition. I can use my root password
> in Ubuntu desktop system administration, etc., however when I go to
> terminal and enter su my password fails.

Hi W.D.

Your email seems to indicate some confusion about how Ubuntu handles
the root account.

When you first set up your system you created a normal user account
that has one special feature - it can also do system administration
using the same normal user account password.

The root user account exists but does not have a password.  The only
way you can become root (if you really want to do that - it's not
normally required) is by doing `sudo su -`   That will ask for that
same normal user account, then make you root.

This is explained differently here - take a look.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

Brian