[Artanis]

I have a big problem with an 15" Powerbook with Panther OS.

The problem is that it doesn't recognise the admin password for some applications and updates.

For example days ago I was trying to install the new update for iTunes and it started the installation except that when almost done prompt me to enter my password. I entered the password and after that prompted me with a message saying something like: "you don't have enough permissions to.....".
I know the password for sure, and I can even change it (it recognises my password in the accounts prefferences menu). This account is the only admin account that the powerbook have and there is no master password.

What could be causing these password recognition errors?

10x

[red rocket]

Don't know about the cause, but I have quite a few applications for which an admin password appears to be insufficient. I had to set a bloody root password to get them to work. Idiotic, incomprehensible, flat out wrong, but unfortunately, it's true.

[Sherman Homan]

I had huge problems with this back in the 10.2 days. I suspect that for whatever reason the read/write permissions for either the application or the application's plist are wrong. It always ended up being a Disk Utilities --> Repair Permission issue.

[Artanis]

Originally Posted by red rocket 

Don't know about the cause, but I have quite a few applications for which an admin password appears to be insufficient. I had to set a bloody root password to get them to work. Idiotic, incomprehensible, flat out wrong, but unfortunately, it's true.

I see, how can I set a root password and where from can I login with it? Do i need another boot volume beside the Macintosh HD in order to log in as root? How is this done?
10x

[Sherman Homan]

Go to the Go menu --> Utilities --> Net Info Manager --> Security --> Enable Root User.
Pick a password, the user name will always be "root".
Make sure that in System Preference --> Accounts --> Log In Options that you don't automatically log in as your regular user. Otherwise you won't get the log in window at start up.
Display Log In Window as "List of Users"
Now you will be able to log in as root. Be careful here, I think this just masks the problem. Your applications, updates, installs should not need root level authentication. They should work under your regular User log in (if you are an Admin). Check your permissions with Disk Utility first! Also, be very afraid of playing around as root, it gives you God-like control of things that can go wrong!

[Artanis]

I have a problem. I can't select the "Enable root user" because it is not clickable in the security menu. What can I do?
Yes I know about the power of the root user, thanks for the advice.

[tooki]

But using root simply should not be necessary. VERY, VERY few tasks require actual root access.\


FWIW, it's neither necessary to show the list of users, nor as text entry fields, nor to disable auto-login. Just hold down shift when the startup window comes up and you'll get the login window. Then, to log in as a user that's not listed, press option tab, then click on any user. The list will be replaced with username/password fields where you can log in as root. But you shouldn't.

tooki

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Artanis 

I have a problem. I can't select the "Enable root user" because it is not clickable in the security menu. What can I do?
Yes I know about the power of the root user, thanks for the advice.

You need to first Authenticate... from the same menu.

I think the warnings are worth repeating, not because you can screw things up any worse than you can as an admin, but rather because root shouldn't be necessary for what you want to do. Repair your permissions first.

tooki