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walescn · Mar 16, 2005, 05:27 AM

Well, as a new comer, I have met some questions on my powerbook.The biggest one is
where to set the password of root user? When I installed the Mac OSX for the first time, It seemed I only set up a new account and its password,but no place or dialog shown to let me set the password of root. So is there any default password for root in Mac OSX?
The version of my system is 10.3.8. Thanks in advance.

Randman · Mar 16, 2005, 05:36 AM

System > Accounts

JLL · Mar 16, 2005, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by walescn:
Well, as a new comer, I have met some questions on my powerbook.The biggest one is
where to set the password of root user? When I installed the Mac OSX for the first time, It seemed I only set up a new account and its password,but no place or dialog shown to let me set the password of root. So is there any default password for root in Mac OSX?
The version of my system is 10.3.8. Thanks in advance.

The default password for root is the same as the first password set for the first Admin user (the user made during the installation).

The root user is disabled by default though and you have to enable it first - if you really have to. Most (if not all) things can be made without using root.

walescn · Mar 16, 2005, 05:47 AM

Originally posted by Randman:
System > Accounts

Well, I have tried this and I can only find the user I created during the installation of the os.Any further advice?

walescn · Mar 16, 2005, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by JLL:
The default password for root is the same as the first password set for the first Admin user (the user made during the installation).

The root user is disabled by default though and you have to enable it first - if you really have to. Most (if not all) things can be made without using root.

But how to enable the root user? Is there any command? Now I have met a problem about permisson, it seems only the root user can run a script. When I try to su - root,it will let me input the password and I have tried everything in my mind and only got "Sorry" from the command line.Any further advice?

Amorya · Mar 16, 2005, 05:54 AM

Originally posted by walescn:
But how to enable the root user? Is there any command? Now I have met a problem about permisson, it seems only the root user can run a script. When I try to su - root,it will let me input the password and I have tried everything in my mind and only got "Sorry" from the command line.Any further advice?

You don't need to enable the root user unless you want to use it to log in graphically as root - which is a really bad idea 99.9% of the time.

To run a script as root, type

Code:
sudo <name>

Replacing <name> with the name of the script. Then you'll be prompted for your password - not the root password.

Amorya

walescn · Mar 16, 2005, 06:00 AM

Originally posted by Amorya:
You don't need to enable the root user unless you want to use it to log in graphically as root - which is a really bad idea 99.9% of the time.

To run a script as root, type

Code:
sudo <name>

Replacing <name> with the name of the script. Then you'll be prompted for your password - not the root password.

Amorya

Thans for your advice.

chabig · Mar 16, 2005, 06:16 AM

Originally posted by JLL:
The default password for root is the same as the first password set for the first Admin user (the user made during the installation)

I believe that is incorrect. Root has no password until it is enabled, at that point the OS has you create a password. Until then there is no password.

Chris

JLL · Mar 16, 2005, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by chabig:
I believe that is incorrect. Root has no password until it is enabled, at that point the OS has you create a password. Until then there is no password.

Chris

You are correct. The Admin password = root password is only in Mac OS X Server.

Millennium · Mar 16, 2005, 06:54 AM

Root has no password. Furthermore, you don't need to enable it.

memory-minus · Mar 16, 2005, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by Millennium:
Root has no password. Furthermore, you don't need to enable it.

But s/he asked, didn't s/he?

To enable root user, open NetInfo Manager in your Utilities folder. Go to the Security menu, select Authenticate. Type your password. Go to the Security menu again, select Enable Root User.

And just to clarify, the default root password is NOT the same as the first created user's password. The default root password is blank as mentioned above but OS X will not allow you to enable it without entering a new password.

Angus_D · Mar 16, 2005, 08:22 AM

Originally posted by memory-minus:
But s/he asked, didn't s/he?

So? Just because someone wants to shoot themself in the foot doesn't mean you should help them to.

memory-minus · Mar 16, 2005, 10:28 AM

Originally posted by Angus_D:
So? Just because someone wants to shoot themself in the foot doesn't mean you should help them to.

A better analogy would be that I told him where to buy the gun. Since when is it anybody's business to tell someone they shouldn't do something perfectly legal with their own property? Just tell him how to enable root user like he asked (perhaps with the standard warning) or just keep your mouth shut.

mdc · Mar 16, 2005, 10:53 AM

the new(er) versions of winswitch has an option to show the root user. and then i guess log in as it. (i've never used it)

Angus_D · Mar 16, 2005, 10:53 AM

Originally posted by memory-minus:
A better analogy would be that I told him where to buy the gun. Since when is it anybody's business to tell someone they shouldn't do something perfectly legal with their own property? Just tell him how to enable root user like he asked (perhaps with the standard warning) or just keep your mouth shut.

You can't buy guns without a license in my country.

memory-minus · Mar 16, 2005, 02:20 PM

Originally posted by Angus_D:
You can't buy guns without a license in my country.

Are you suggesting there be some sort of licensing exam before OS X will allow you to enable the root user?

If this person is asking how to enable root user (admittedly not a very straightforward process), as a self-proclaimed "new comer" to OS X my guess is that he is most likely coming from a UNIX-based OS already. You all act like logging into the root account will trash your computer permanently, instantly which is simply not true. A lot of people suggest using sudo -s... well you can trash everything just the same. Perhaps he just likes working in a GUI better.

Angus_D · Mar 16, 2005, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by memory-minus:
Are you suggesting there be some sort of licensing exam before OS X will allow you to enable the root user?

No, but you should at least be able to articulate a valid reason for needing to. There are very few valid reasons.

If this person is asking how to enable root user (admittedly not a very straightforward process), as a self-proclaimed "new comer" to OS X my guess is that he is most likely coming from a UNIX-based OS already. You all act like logging into the root account will trash your computer permanently, instantly which is simply not true. A lot of people suggest using sudo -s... well you can trash everything just the same. Perhaps he just likes working in a GUI better.

This has been discussed at length in the past, but it's clear you don't have a full understanding of all the issues that are involved. There is no good reason to log in to the GUI as root on OS X, and doing so absolutely can cause unforeseen problems. It's not as cut and dry as you seem to claim. If you want more details, use the search.

Chuckit · Mar 16, 2005, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by memory-minus:
A lot of people suggest using sudo -s... well you can trash everything just the same.

Both carry risks, but the risks are not nearly equal. With sudo, you are very specifically choosing one task to perform as root. Logged into the GUI as root, EVERYTHING, without exception (and this includes background programs that are not under your control), is done as root.

Person Man · Mar 17, 2005, 07:43 AM

Originally posted by memory-minus:

Originally posted by Angus_D:

You can't buy guns without a license in my country.

Are you suggesting there be some sort of licensing exam before OS X will allow you to enable the root user?

If this person is asking how to enable root user (admittedly not a very straightforward process), as a self-proclaimed "new comer" to OS X my guess is that he is most likely coming from a UNIX-based OS already. You all act like logging into the root account will trash your computer permanently, instantly which is simply not true. A lot of people suggest using sudo -s... well you can trash everything just the same. Perhaps he just likes working in a GUI better.

These kind of arguments are EXACTLY why I thought there should be a sticky note about the root user and the general consensus on it. As a matter of fact, rather than making a sticky note, someone should create a web page that can be linked to whenever the issue comes up.

Watch this space... I should have something put together over the next few days.

memory-minus · Mar 17, 2005, 12:46 PM

Originally posted by Person Man:
These kind of arguments are EXACTLY why I thought there should be a sticky note about the root user and the general consensus on it. As a matter of fact, rather than making a sticky note, someone should create a web page that can be linked to whenever the issue comes up.

I could not agree more. But instead of duplicating work, why not just link to one of these FUD-free pages hosted by none other than Apple itself?

Enabling and using the "root" user in Mac OS X

Mac OS X 10.3 Help: Enabling the root user

In retrospect I should have linked to those right off the bat. No where on those pages does it read or even imply that simply logging into the root account will do anything tragic, much less trash your machine instantly.

My beef is with the elitist attitude around here; where when somebody asks a harmless question about how to do something you jump down their throat and tell them they should not be doing it, and use totally false reasoning.

Chuckit · 03:40 PM

Originally posted by memory-minus:
My beef is with the elitist attitude around here; where when somebody asks a harmless question about how to do something you jump down their throat and tell them they should not be doing it, and use totally false reasoning.

Cry me a river.

You have done absolutely nothing to show what is "false" about my reasoning, and I stick by it. You can call it elitist if you want, but I just call it offering helpful advice. Quite frankly, if somebody is asking this question, WE ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN HE IS. There is nothing elitist about it. If you ask a question, don't bitch when people give you what they feel to be relevant information.

Geez, nobody insulted him. You'll even notice that the OPer thanked us for our advice. The only one jumping down throats here is you.

Maflynn · Mar 17, 2005, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by Angus_D:
No, but you should at least be able to articulate a valid reason for needing to. There are very few valid reasons.

Lock and load baby,
if they want to do it, more power to them. Regardless if you feel their reasons are no valid if they want to they should - its their computer.

Mike

Chuckit · Mar 17, 2005, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by Maflynn:
Lock and load baby,
if they want to do it, more power to them. Regardless if you feel their reasons are no valid if they want to they should - its their computer.

Or, you know, some of us give a **** and try to warn people before they do harmful stuff. Nobody here is putting a gun to his head and stopping him.

Maflynn · Mar 17, 2005, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by Chuckit:
Or, you know, some of us give a **** and try to warn people before they do harmful stuff. Nobody here is putting a gun to his head and stopping him.

I agree actually, letting them know how dangerious, its just the talk of giving a valid reason. They don't need to provide a reason.

For the record, I myself don't have root enabled as it is a foolish thing to do, but after proper warning a person wants log in, well then I have no problems showing them the steps.

Mike