No Root password needed for Mint?

[FriendofOrion]

I've come from several other Linux distros and I like very much what has been done with Mint. It appears to be a great distro. One thing though; I did not give a root password on installation and it appears that the same password used to log into my account is used for root. Is this correct or did I miss something on install?

Also, do you have to unmount drives before you remove them?

[WharfRat]

Mint's installation does not ask for root's password and does set it to the user's login password.

Yes, you should unmount drives before removing them.

[Cosmo.]

it appears that the same password used to log into my account is used for root. Is this correct or did I miss something on install?

This is correct. But usually you do not need the password for root (only in emergency cases); what you enter, if you use sudo / gksudo / kdesudo is your password.

[austin.texas]

During installation, an account is created for the administrative user, and a password is recorded. The administrative user is a member of the "sudo" group, so can use sudo commands.
It is not correct to say "the same password used to log into my account is used for root". Is is used to act as root temporarily.
And, during installation, a user named root is created, but no password is recorded for that user account. You can set a password for the user account if you want to. The only benefit might be to prevent someone else from doing so.

[karlchen]

When Linux Mint is installed, you will create your first user account and assign a password to it.
The installer silently assigns the same password to user root.
This means right after a fresh installation, your user password and root's password are identical. (*)

Note: By default, your “root” password is the same as the password you chose during the installation. If
you do not know what this means, then don't worry about it.

But still your user and user root are 2 different users.
Once you change your user password (yes, this is feasible), user root's password is not changed automatically. So from this time on, your password and root's password are different.
~~~
This is different from Ubuntu.
On Ubuntu root has got no password and cannot login interactively. This is the default, which can be changed. By default, root can only login in recovery mode, without giving a password.
On Ubuntu the installer will create your user account and assing it the password that you specify, but it will not assign a password to root.
~~~
(*) WharfRat had already said so.

[Georgia boy]

That being the case then I can go and change my user password and then the original will be 'root'. Okay. That's great. What I'm looking for. Now I can have a separate password in my short cuts in going to root in Thunar and in the txt files. That's wonderful. Will keep someone from messing with changing things around and downloading stuff if they were to visit and get into the system.

Now following along the same lines here, how would I have a separate root terminal so I won't have to do a 'sudo su' each time I want to go into root. I want to be able to have a separate terminal icon to click on when going into root. Just sign in with the 'root' password.

Am I making any sense with this?

[LinuxJim]

how would I have a separate root terminal so I won't have to do a 'sudo su' each time I want to go into root. I want to be able to have a separate terminal icon to click on when going into root. Just sign in with the 'root' password.

Create a regular terminal icon, and edit the 'Command' property to prepend gksudo (or kdesudo). So 'gksudo mate-terminal' or 'kdesudo konsole' or whatever terminal application is your preference. A dialog will pop up for your user password, and the terminal will open as root.

This is actually safer than what most people here suggest (to use 'sudo' in terminal), because you never have to worry about accidentally opening a GUI program with sudo. $HOME is already set to root, so your home directory and .Xauthority will be safe. If it were me, though, I'd change the terminal background to red just to remind me it's not a 'normal' terminal...

[austin.texas]

Excellent idea from LinuxJim!
I already have done that, and I can offer another little tip to go along with it. Create a gedit (or pluma) launcher in the same way. Give your new launcher a unique name - mine is "RootGedit". The command is "gksudo gedit".
Then create a folder /home/yourusername/bin
When /home/yourusername/bin exists, it functions like the /bin directory, and is automatically added to your "path" at login.
So all I have to do to start gedit in root mode is Alt-F2 > RootGedit
To open Nemo as root: Alt-F2 > RootNemo
Usually, I just open my bin folder and double-click RootNemo.

RootGedit.png

[Georgia boy]

I've already setup Root sign in for Thunar and I have Root sign in setup for texts in the files.Odin and Freyja. I just need to fix up my terminal for root and get it ready. Need to find a good icon for it also. I love having separate terminals That way I never worry about where I'm at. If I'm in regular or root. I know which one I want to go to at the time. If Root then I'll click on it, sign in and then do what I need and get out of it. Don't have to worry about forgetting at all. Also will need to go and change my user login too.

When doing this will I be able to either adjust the login time by either extending or cutting it out completely? Have set for no auto login but still notice that if I'm not signed in by so many seconds I'll be signed in.

[Georgia boy]

Linux Jim,
Would that terminal setup be gksudo xterminal or gksudo xfce terminal?

[LinuxJim]

Linux Jim,
Would that terminal setup be gksudo xterminal or gksudo xfce terminal?

"gksudo xterm" or "gksudo xfce4-terminal". It will work with any terminal, you just have to get the name of the executable right.

[Georgia boy]

Thanks. Couldn't remember. Lost notes on that. Created twice but forgot.
Will also need to check the icons to see what can use to distinguish between the two so I won't be hitting wrong one needing other.

[Georgia boy]

Okay. I see that I can do the terminal as root but how do I go about saving and creating the launcher? I'm having trouble getting a launcher to take. Keep coming back w/o finding a child. For some reason I can't seem to get the launcher right.

Here is what I have setup on my Debian Testing.

[austin.texas]

Okay. I see that I can do the terminal as root but how do I go about saving and creating the launcher?

I don't know if your Debian testing is set up the same as Mint 17.3 xfce, but there you don't have to make a launcher, you already have one. Just go to /usr/share/applications and copy the Root Terminal launcher to your Desktop, or wherever you want to put it.
Also, in Mint 17.3 xfce, you can right-click on the Main Menu, and open the menu editor. Look in the Accessories section. You will see "Root Terminal". Click on that and "Unhide" so that it shows up in your menu.

[Georgia boy]

Okay. I see that I can do the terminal as root but how do I go about saving and creating the launcher?

I don't know if your Debian testing is set up the same as Mint 17.3 xfce, but there you don't have to make a launcher, you already have one. Just go to /usr/share/applications and copy the Root Terminal launcher to your Desktop, or wherever you want to put it.
Also, in Mint 17.3 xfce, you can right-click on the Main Menu, and open the menu editor. Look in the Accessories section. You will see "Root Terminal". Click on that and "Unhide" so that it shows up in your menu.

I was using that for an example to try and create a launcher for the Mint 17.3 xfce. I didn't know about there being a "Root Terminal" hidden anywhere. I was looking around in all the settings before for a 'Root Terminal' but didn't see it before. Will go back into tonight and search again. That being the case it should automatically operate as 'Root Terminals' do in Debian and others setup for it w/o any working on then. Right?

[austin.texas]

That being the case it should automatically operate as 'Root Terminals' do in Debian and others setup for it w/o any working on then. Right?

Right. That is all you need.

[Georgia boy]

Thanks everyone!!!! Got this done. Now have a 'Root Terminal' on the panel. Sweeeet!!!!!

Now for something else to try and fix. Nothing really desperate but would like to see differently. I'll post in a new one. Has to do with 'workspaces'.