Linux mint 18.1 root

[fastdave]

I installed Kali Linux on a multi boot with windows 10 and Linux mint 18.1.
I have discovered I cannot go into root - when I try to change username, it says 'you cannot go as root on this screen - I have tried advanced options an Mint, to no avail - it always comes up with my username and password to start, and I cannot change the screen.
I tried to add users in terminal, but it says adduser: Only root may add a user or group to the system.
I can boot to Kali or windows 10 without any problem, and the Kali screen is the start screen with options - where it auto boots to Kali within 4 seconds, but as long as I direct it, it opens whichever system I choose.
Any helpers?
Dave

[dyschemist]

The question whether you are able to obtain root permissions during normal (not recovery) session can be solved by switching user in terminal

There are two ways:
* type `sudo su` in terminal + your user password
* type `su` in terminal + what you believe is root password

You can verify current user of terminal by `whoami` command.

If both of above fails, you ought to reboot system into rescue mode.

[fastdave]

Thank you for that Dyschemist - I now get -
No command 'sudu' found, did you mean:
Command 'tudu' from package 'tudu' (universe)
Command 'sudo' from package 'sudo-ldap' (universe)
Command 'sudo' from package 'sudo' (main)
sudu: command not found
I'm thinking I have made a right pig's ear of something - (just out of interest) Where does Dyschemist come from?

[Moem]

You typed sudu instead of sudo.

[fastdave]

Wot a Nerd!!!
Embarrassment!
Is this RTFQ or wot?

[fastdave]

Puzzled further - it feels as if Dave has been made administrator - should I go into repair mode?
Thanks, Dave.

dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ sudo su 'password'
[sudo] password for dave: Tried to write whoami
wSorry, try again.
[sudo] password for dave:
Sorry, try again.
[sudo] password for dave:
No passwd entry for user 'same password as line 1'
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ whoami
dave
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $

[fastdave]

Help!
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ adduser
adduser: Only root may add a user or group to the system.
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ root
Couldn't find font "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1",
trying "fixed". Please fix your system so helvetica can be found,
this font typically is in the rpm (or pkg equivalent) package
XFree86-[75,100]dpi-fonts or fonts-xorg-[75,100]dpi.
*******************************************
* *
* W E L C O M E to R O O T *
* *
* Version 5.34/30 23 April 2015 *
* *

* You are welcome to visit our Web site *
* http://root.cern.ch *
* *
*******************************************

ROOT 5.34/30 (heads/v5-34-00-patches@v5-34-28-57-gec27989, Apr 05 2016, 13:55:00 on linuxx8664gcc)

CINT/ROOT C/C++ Interpreter version 5.18.00, July 2, 2010
Type ? for help. Commands must be C++ statements.
Enclose multiple statements between { }.
Error: cannot open file "DllImport.h" (tmpfile):2:
*** Interpreter error recovered ***
root [0]

[dyschemist]

I wanted to help, but I believe I need more accurate details on problem.
You had dualbot system of windows 10 and linux mint 18.1. Then you installed Kali linux aside (triple-boot).
You are having trouble in obtaining root access in this fresh install of Kali (?), but you are able to gui-login with your user 'dave' on the machine. You couldn't gui-login with user 'root'. That could actually be expected, gui login to root is disabled on many distros by default https://docs.kali.org/policy/kali-linux ... ser-policy.
Thus I recommended trying to obtain root access from terminal. If you could succeed with it, thus it was a matter of altering some files (required root access) to restore your administrative rights. I have seen you tried `sudo su` and failed. This follows user dave ain't assigned to sudoers group. Have you tried `su` ? If it fails as well you would have to reboot your system into rescue-mode where you would have root access by default

Correct me if I misunderstood any part of your problem. Some links to reobtaining root password in different distros:
https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/339
https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-recover ... nux-2018-1

[MrEen]

Puzzled further - it feels as if Dave has been made administrator - should I go into repair mode?
Thanks, Dave.

dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ sudo su 'password'
[sudo] password for dave: Tried to write whoami
wSorry, try again.
[sudo] password for dave:
Sorry, try again.
[sudo] password for dave:
No passwd entry for user 'same password as line 1'
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $ whoami
dave
dave@dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 ~ $

Hi fastdave. You need to slow down a smidge and try to understand the instructions you are following, as well as reading the feedback from the terminal. In this case, you simply type sudo su then hit Enter. The terminal will respond with [sudo] password for dave: where you will now type your password (you will not see any feedback while typing your password, just type it and hit Enter.) The prompt in the terminal should now change to something like dave-GA-78LMT-USB3-6-0 dave # where if you type whoami followed by Enter you will see it reply with root Be very careful doing things in the terminal as root, and type exit followed by Enter as soon as you're done.

That's about all the help I can offer in this thread, but dyschemist has asked for some clarification that should lead to the help you need.

Good luck.

[ricardogroetaers]

I have discovered I cannot go into root - when I try to change username, it says 'you cannot go as root on this screen - ....

In Mint Xfce:
in "Settings " or "System "-> "Login window ".
"Allow root login is enabled?
By default it is disabled.
https://i.imgur.com/chOhnfE.png
I never needed to enable that.

In Cinamon or Mate there must be something similar.