Mint20 asking for root password on every installation

[pchep]

does anyone know why this is not working

I'd guess because your user is not in the sudo group. Go start menu, administration, users and groups. In the new window, select your account. In the right half, click on the groups. In the next new window, activate the checkbox for sudo. Click OK. Now it should work.

Hi, I go the same trouble with a brand new Mint 20, and each time I wanna install something it asks me for that damned root password I don't know of.
I tried the "users and groups" solution, but it asks me again for the "Password for root" so I end with "your authentication attempt was unsuccessful" like with any "sudo" attempt. What to do?

[kevin987]

Are you using Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager to install software. That should only require your admin password that you set during Mint installation.

Double-clicking a deb file to install should bring up the GDebi package installer and it also requires your admin password.

If not, perhaps you could describe what you are trying to install and the method you are using.

For instance, if you are trying to install a tarball package (tar.xz, tar.gz, tar.bz2), you will need to use the proper command in terminal with sudo in front of it. The sudo password is your admin password.

On second thought, you can install a tar package to your home folder without a password in the terminal, but doing so with software like a web browser is not considered best practice and should be installed in a system folder like /opt

Installing something like a game that doesn't connect to the internet is perfectly fine in a home folder.

[Flemur]

, and each time I wanna install something it asks me for that damned root password I don't know of.
I tried the "users and groups" solution, but it asks me again for the "Password for root" so I end with "your authentication attempt was unsuccessful" like with any "sudo" attempt. What to do?

No, GUI update/upgrade apps don't ask for the root password:

In a terminal, "sudo" also doesn't ask for the root password, it clearly asks for YOUR password:

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$ sudo ls
[sudo] password for your-user-name: 

Conclusion: enter your password, the one you used for the first user account that you created during the installation.

[PAL-Thai1357]

And , as is my particular problem, what if one does not recall or remember what the password was for the first user created upon Mint's installation?

[jimallyn]

And , as is my particular problem, what if one does not recall or remember what the password was for the first user created upon Mint's installation?

Then start putting your passwords in a password safe, like KeePassXC. Or write your passwords down on a piece of paper and put it in your sock drawer. Honestly, passwords have been standard procedure for long enough that everybody is expected to know how they work. No password, no access.

[ajgreeny]

I assume you must have chosen to autologin when you boot the computer so do not even need the user password to login.

If you logout as user you will always see a login screen. Do you manage to enter a password there and get into the desktop?
Assuming you can do that if necessary, that is the same password you need for any admjn commands you run such as

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sudo apt install packageneme

Forget about a root password; Mint and the OS it is based on, Ubuntu, do not use a root password, in fact the root account is disabled in both and sudo used instead to raise the user temporarily and give him or her root permissions.

[Moem]

And , as is my particular problem, what if one does not recall or remember what the password was for the first user created upon Mint's installation?

Then there are ways to reset it. Here's one search result: https://www.how2shout.com/linux/forgot- ... ecover-it/
Good luck. And please start a new topic if you have more questions. That is how we prefer things here. Thank you!

[PAL-Thai1357]

I am happy to report that suggestions for resetting the password have worked marvelously well. Many thanks to all who have assisted in solving the problem. The problem, for me, is therefore solved, but as I was not the originator of this thread, I don't know how to mark it solved - especially when I note hat many other members continue to struggle with this type of situation.

I'll let the moderators be the judge of how this should be handled. I have new concerns regarding my Mint installation but I will create new posts for them, as suggested by the moderators.