Password for root not working

Does your computer boot? If so, then root is working fine. Anyone who doesn't understand use of sudo and the command line shouldn't be using root.

Sometimes I wonder what planet you are on, etresoft. Have you actually readn and understood what people are talking about in this thread, or do you just write posts at random and post them in the first thread at the top of the queue??? 😕

You clearly haven't read the thread. If you enable the root account, it *might* work once, then when you logout or close the terminal or change the root password, it won't work again.

As is:

> sudo root

> password:

(enter correct password)

> access denied

> password:

(enter correct password again)

> access denied

> password:

For infinity.

So, no, it doesn't work fine.

Wilbrik wrote:

You clearly haven't read the thread. If you enable the root account, it *might* work once, then when you logout or close the terminal or change the root password, it won't work again.

As is:

> sudo root

> password:

(enter correct password)

> access denied

> password:

(enter correct password again)

> access denied

> password:

For infinity.

So, no, it doesn't work fine.

That isn't how you use root.

You would type "sudo route ...." to run the "route" utility as the root user. If your user is an Admin user, then you will be able to run sudo, provide your user password, and execute the command as root. There is no need to enable the root user.

Your problem with routing has nothing to do with the original question in this thread. I strongly suggest you start your own topic and explain why you need to create a static route and people who know about such things will provide an answer. I strongly suspect that something else is really the problem because adding a static route to a notebook machine would be highly unusual. If the "route" command really is the solution, then you need to make sure that the few people who know that command will see your question. I only know of about 3 or 4 people on Apple Support Communities who know "route" and I'm not one of them.

I agree I don't have your experience and knowledge for sure !

But you will agree with me root profile should work and with an admin type user profile,

one should be able to activate root profile, setup the password he wants, use root profile, desactivate it ...

... And so and ...

I was guided through this the other day on my Imac by a level 2 Apple care Ingineer,

and I worked out fine.

We tryied to do the same thing on my Mac Book Air,

and we have been able to use root profile only once.

He admitted this was a bug already known by Apple.

This issue may possibly be not the "root" of Wilbrik static route management,

(Sorry couldn't avoid the joke 😊 )

But I think this profile should be working ...

Jean

Of course I agree. That is why we suggested workarounds. In this case, however, those workarounds are the preferred way to use the system. The reason why this is an issue is that there are so many websites that repeat misinformation about how best to use MacOS X. Enabling the root user seems to be one of their favorites.

Enabling the root user is a supported feature of the system. From what people tell me, it doesn't work properly. I don't dispute that but I can assure that I have never, ever tried to use this feature. Apple should fix this bug. In my opinion, however, they should fix the bug by removing this feature entirely. It is convoluted and obviously a source of problems. I think Apple should follow Microsoft's lead and provide a "Run as" functionality to accomplish the same thing. I will submit an enhancement request as soon as Apple's bug reporter is working again.

Having the same problem on an iMac 21.5" Summer 2010... It's so annoying!

I hope Apple will fix the problem soon!

I found a workaround that worked for me at:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3216546?start=0&tstart=0

.. I just removed the password information from the DirectoryService and reaktivated the root-user resuting in asking me for the password.

jo

I found another workaround. Please find the steps and link below:

Instructions

1.Click on the "Apple" symbol in the top menu. Select "System Preferences" and then click on "Accounts."

2.Click on "Login Options."

3.Click "Join" in the Network Connection Server section of the window. This option will appear if you haven't connected to a network account server. Click "Edit" if you have previously connected to a network server.

4.Click on "Open Directory Utility."

5.Click on the "Lock" icon to unlock the directory. Enter your administrator name and password.

6.Click "Edit" and then "Change Root Password." Enter a new password in the "New Password" and "Verify" fields.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6181352_change-macbook_s-root-password.html

This is simpler:

Launch /System/Library/CoreServices/Directory Utility.app

Select Edit menu option->Change Root Password

Like the line from the movie Bonnie & Clyde, "Your advertising just dandy. Folks would never guess you ain't got a thing to sell!"

Sure you can get to the Directory Utility in any of several ways but it doesn't matter which way you go. Root will work ONE TIME and then, it will not work again after you disable it and try to re-enable it.

Not only that but it has also pretty well screwed my ability to use some of the functions in ARD that rely on getting into the Root account to accomplish some things.

Another thing I found is that the latest Office 2011 update released a few days ago, will NOT install while in Root in 10.7.2 On the first login using Root, you know the one and only time you can get to use Root, the 14.1.4 update to Office will not install. Go back to a normal Admin account and it installs fine on a freshly restarted machine. Don't try to install either 14.1.4 or 14.1.3 after a user has been using the Office programs however. You will get nothing but failures. I haven't had the time to try to figure out if this is an Apple problem, a MS problem or if they share equally in the blame since it also exists in 10.6.8 systems.

All things considered, if this latest Lion OS is representative of Apple's attempts to penetrate the Enterprise market, they so far have shot themselves in both feet since 10.7.0 didn't work with Active Directory, 10.7.1 doesn't work with Active Directory, a number of other services using postgre seem to fail far to frequently (see seperate threads about that) and they still have not been able to make Root account access work two times in a row.

Whoever wrote and whoever else approved the changes they allowed to go into Lion in these directory controlled areas, needs a good long visit with "Old Hickory" behind the wood shed!

Apple failure to resolve this Root problem has made my planned upgrade to Lion over the Christmas break for the five labs I planned to do much more of a headache then it should be!

Monday morning, yet another bug report will be heading towards Apple!

Hi Pyrdek !

As far as Root profile working only once and whatever be the path you follow to activate it,

I do agree with you 100%.

On my side this is occuring only on my bran new Macbook Air,

Root is working fine on my Imac.

I submited the Bug to Apple,

They answerd they could not reproduce the problem,

and asked me what I ment by "root user profile" ...

I know my English is far from being perfect and may be I didn't explain the problem using the right words.

But at least I am comforted to see through your post I am not getting as nutty as a fruit cake !

For Office issues I can't be of any help,

I don't use it.

The more the merryer 🙂 ... So please send your bug report !

I hope you be heard by Apple, and this glitch be solved soon.

Jean.

Interesting! The Bug Reporter website seems to be down for maintenance. Guess this bug report will have to wait till it is up again.

Just in case there are others out there, like me, that didn't realize this, the Password Reset utility that had been on the install disks for previous systems, is NOT shown on the recovery partition BUT it is still there. From another thread, I learned that to get to the Lion Password reset utility you have to open Terminal in the Recovery Partition utilities and type in "passwordreset" (without the quotes. It will NOT reset the Root passwoerd but at least you can reset other users passwords.

Still trying to get in to the Bug Reports. I don't get the Maintenance window now but the sign in just keeps on spinning! I guess my next bug report might be ABOUT the Bug Reports!

Try this. Launch /System/Library/CoreServices/Directory Utility.app. Select Edit menu option->Change Root Password.

If unable to get into BugReporter, go to http://developer.apple.com/bugreporter/ and report connection issues. If that's not available, try http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html and file a BR again it there. BTW, I just checked and it's up and running.