Which is the root password?

[xunilmint]

I Installed Mint Xfce 201204 as a live USB using the Universal installer.

When I try to change the time setting mint demands the root password.
Well I have none.
In a terminal window I write: sudo passwd root

Mint now asks for the MINT password.
None is set by default so I just press Enter.
I now get the message that the login is incorrect.

I then go to Menu - System - Users and Groups and set a password for user mint.

In a terminal window I again issue "sudo passwd root"

When mint prompts for a mint password I provide the password I just set.

Now I get "accepted" as user mint but immediately get the message that
user mint is not a member of the sudoers group.

This is most annoying.
It is not just a matter of adjusting the clock. Most things setting and access require the mysterious root password.

Will someone please provide a solution. I believe there must be a moderator with better knowledge than I as a newbie have.

[dman]

Yup, there are some really annoying bugs to do with this password thing. Bit me too, last weekend.

I can only suggest you will have better luck going to the console, e.g., Ctrl-Alt-F1, than with a Terminal window on the Desktop. Typing "su" there gets you to root, I think. I believe that is what I did last weekend.

[jjaythomas]

User must have administration rights.

Ussually the first 'User created' during the install has adminastration rights all users created after the install may hava a 'sudo password' But will not have admin rights.
Use either the 1st user (must be one logged in. Just using their password while other loged in won't work) or give the user adminatration rights (from user and groups GUI click advanced setting and click'user privlages to set.

P.S. I think you actually have to do it in "adminastration User' (1st one created at install) also. (not on LMDE right now)

Spell-checking out again
J.Jay

[xunilmint]

Dman.
Thank you very much for your reply.
Unfortunately giving the command "su" without being logged in as superuser will result in a prompt for the root password. Which I do not have.
The command "sudo su" will in turn ask for the mint password which there is none. So I am locked in a moment 22 situation.

[xunilmint]

Jjaythomas.
Thank you very much for your help.
I am sorry I might have misled you somewhat. I did not install Mint. I used the
Universal installer to just extract the downloaded *.iso-file onto a usb-stick.
That way I have no influence over the creation of users.
And there is no installation process.
To become or create an administrative user I have to have root privileges and
there the vicious circle begins again.
I prefer not to do a real install of Mint since starting from the iso means a fresh start every time.

[Ady]

I did not install Mint. I used the Universal installer to just extract the downloaded *.iso-file onto a usb-stick.

Actually, you seemed to have a frugal install (using the UUI tool).

Start over, with a re-format of the UFD and this time using the latest version of unetbootin. The normal default user should be "mint" (lowercase, no quotation marks) and when asked for a password, just press [enter] (the password is requested, but there is no password, or, in other words, the password is empty). If all ends as it should, then under this system you should be able to open a terminal prompt and type "sudo su" (no quotation marks) and [enter], and then you should be able to perform administrative tasks in that terminal.

Please report back.

[xunilmint]

Ady!
As you suggested I made a fresh format (fat32 as before) of the usb-stick.
Also downloaded the linux version (unetbootin-linux-575) of unetbootin and
run it with Knoppix 6.7.1 as host.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

I pointed it to the downloaded iso-file I used before.
Unetbootin first complained that the usb-stick was not mounted.
That might be done in a terminal window. I however "clicked" the volume icon i the Knoppix file
manager which is sufficient in most linux distributions to accomplish a mount.

When Unetbootin finished I booted on the usb-stick.

It was now possible to access other partitions of my choice and change time settings without a prompt
for a root password or have to be root.

It was also possible to open Accessories - Root terminal without giving password.
And in a Terminal window "sudo su" and the passwd command functioned.
Better use this new won functionality to set a root password.

Probably there is a flaw in the Universal USB Installer. I have encountered problems with the UUI when I tried to
make a hd install from a usb-stick with a UUI creation.

Thanks all of you for your help and concern!