Ubuntu
yelp package

unable to type password after su

Asked by crazysniper

Binary package hint: gnome-terminal

1. Ubuntu 9.10
2. Unsure
3. Expecting to switch into root user, but after typing "su" in Terminal, nothing seem to happen when typing password. Have searched the net, and forums and was told it is not meant to return any characters and password is still being typed behind the scene. Have tested is countless times and all i get after typing the password is below.
4. I get an error saying "authentication failure"
sniper@snipers-xunil:~$ su
Password:
su: Authentication failure
sniper@snipers-xunil:~$ ^C
sniper@snipers-xunil:~$

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Feb 10 22:23:15 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-terminal
Package: gnome-terminal 2.28.1-0ubuntu1
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-19.56-generic
SourcePackage: gnome-terminal
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-19-generic i686

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu yelp Edit question
Assignee:
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Solved by:
actionparsnip
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:

This question was originally filed as bug #520133.

Revision history for this message
crazysniper (ak47-v2) said : 		#1
Revision history for this message
Andy (arwilliamsuk) said : 		#2

Hi. This article may provide some information and guidance for you.

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

If you believe this addresses your problem, please can you advise, and I will close the report accordingly.

Thank you.

Andy

Revision history for this message
Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson) said : 		#3

Thank you for taking the time to report this issue and helping to make Ubuntu better. Examining the information you have given us, this does not appear to be a bug report so we are closing it and converting it to a question in the support tracker. We appreciate the difficulties you are facing, but it would make more sense to raise problems you are having in the support tracker at https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu if you are uncertain if they are bugs. For help on reporting bugs, see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#When%20not%20to%20file%20a%20bug.

Revision history for this message
Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#4

You don't use su as root is disabled for security

You use sudo to get access to admin based functionality in the command line and gksu for graphical apps (if you use kde then the equivelant is kdesu)

If you want an administrative terminal run:

sudo -i

which will then keep administritive until you type:

exit

Use of su will not work due to the config of the OS and sudo -i is advised, more secure and will get you what you need.

Revision history for this message
crazysniper (ak47-v2) said : 		#5

Thank you for all your reply. This make sense now.

Revision history for this message
crazysniper (ak47-v2) said : 		#6

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.