Please understand, I am a newbie at this.

My friend and I installed Mandriva 10.1 Official as the operating system for our server. The problem we come up head first into is that it will not give us a graphical option for logging in as "root". We need it at least once so we can completely set up the machine (because while some places it allows up to put in root's password, other places it locks us out completely). We both know that it's not safe to log in as root all the time, but we do need to set up. So, what can we do about this?

Let me give you a quicke on what's going on before asking this other question. We want the Mandriva PC (server) to act like a router, basically. It's just supposed to store files and let us connect to the internet. We have a router, as it is, but a PC is probably safer than a standard router.

So, we put in two PCI ethernet cards, one for incoming, one for outgoing. We plugged the cable modem into one of the cards and the cable from the other goes to our regular router. We know the router works fine and we know the cable modem works, so it has to be Mandriva that's causing the issues.

So, the question is: how do we configure the two ethernet cards to do what we'd like them? Doesn't matter which one does which since they are identical. If we unplug one card, then the other is fine, and it recognizes the cable modem and it will allow internet access. But, when we hook the other one back up, things go up in smoke.

No errors really. The bootup says that ot fails to load those cards but gives to coherent error. Any ideas?

Help, please? Thank you.

After you logged in as root type startx at the command prompt that should start the X server and the default window manager (KDE unless you chose something else).
If it starts you can setup graphic login in the MCC (Mandriva Control Center). MCC can be used in text mode by typing mcc in the command line.

Thank you for the suggestion.


We have tried that and it says something about the server already running display 0. I have also tried to have it auto-login as root, but Mandriva 10.1 doesn't have root as a username to auto-login with. I have also checked the users and groups area, but have found nothing on allowing/disallowing root login. Perhaps a hint at where in the filesystem it is so I can edit it manually?

If the server runs then you should get a GUI by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F7. If the server doesn't run then check the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file for error messages (lines beginning with (EE)).
I don't know where the autologin is stored but I recommend to not to do it autologin as root. I don't know what kind of server it will be bu t you can save yourself a lot of trouble and typing su is not that difficult.

You really should fix the "locks us out completely" issue instead of trying to login on the GUI as root.

What places are you locked from??? This really should not happen.

You can change user to root on the terminal by typing "su" and then you can run any app you need.

The old Mandrake default user x login thingy strikes again. There is actually a check box at the end of the installation that will disable this annoying feature. Not sure how to do this any other way, but if you are getting "xserver already running on blabidybloo" message, then type "init 3" to bring it down. You should then be able to run "startx" as root and avoid such messages.


- Swillis

Thank you very much for your answers. We will try the second idea as soon as we can. In the mean time, I have dealt with the console much more than I really wanted to and I believe my newbie status may soon be revoked. Damn! This idea about init 3 works. *bows down*

As for locking us out, the main proble moccurs with the GUI interface aspect of it. Understand that once I get into console and switch users, through it (console) I can get into anything without any real hassle. Just a matter of dealing with command prompts. But with the graphical portion of it, I haven't been able to figure out how to switch users in it, and thus, network address translation required cosole work. As well, some files/directors are read only for me.


That would be all. Thankee much!

Sleepykit and Mage
(See there are two of us)