Recovering or Resetting "Root Password" on Ubuntu 10.04 (LTS, 32 Bit)

[kerimatasoy]

Sorry but, although I was able to extract the files from XAMMP's "tar.gz" file, I couldn't install a "LAMPP" or "XAMPP" service package yet, because, the system still keeps for asking a root access... It took me all day and a brand new install though, I may try something different later...

[agillator]

If you have reached that point then you probably do need to use sudo. If sudo doesn't work, it may be that it really needs to be on a 'root' account, although that would be very rare. However, if that is the case, a couple of cautions, then . . . . Remember, when functioning as root there are two kinds of people: those who have and those who will - - - - destroy their system, that is. Back everything up and then proceed very carefully. Did I mention BACK EVERYTHING VALUABLE UP! Then, in a terminal, enter 'sudo passwd root'. sudo will ask for YOUR password to verify you are authorized, and then passwd will ask for the new root password and then ask for it again in confirmation. Now you have a 'root' account. su to switch to that account, then do the install of your program again. See if that accomplishes anything. Good luck.

[illgetit]

Couldn't he just

 sudo su

That way he wouldn't have the security issues involved in actually setting a root password

[illgetit]

Ok, open a terminal. Creating a .tar.gz file is actually a two step process although tar appears to do it in one. To 'tar' a bunch of files is to create an archive, that is take a bunch of files and make it one file. That is the .tar part. The .gz part is the result of compressing that tar file using gzip - there are other compression schemes that can be used, also, but yours is the gzip scheme. Tar recovers the original files in a two step process - uncompressing and then unarchiving (if that is a word). It appears to do it in one step, smart program that it is. So, using tar, restore the original files and structure - tar zxvf whatever.tar.gz. Then look for a README or INSTALL file that will tell you how to proceed. You will probably NOT have to use sudo to initially untar the file, though you may. If you do, you do. In that case the password you will use is YOUR password. During the installation of the MySQL part of the package you will probably be asked for a 'root' password BY MYSQL. That is to create a root account for MySQL, not your system. It is part of the database system's authentication/authorization process. I have not used xampp so really cannot help you any further with the specifics of that package.

Superb explanation by the way

[Paddy Landau]

... enter 'sudo passwd root'.

This explanation violates the code of conduct of these forums. Please do not create a root password.

Instead, use sudo; and for those very, very rare occasions when you need to stay on root for a while (I have never needed to do this), use sudo su (as illgetit said).

[agillator]

illgetit: you are correct. For some reason it has never occurred to me to do it that way. In my mind sudo really doesn't go with su, but that is just my warped way of thinking, I guess, kind of like the phrase 'return back'. You obviously are correct that sudo su avoids the security problems of a root account.

To kermitasoy: is there a reason you specifically want xampp or are you just looking for a LAMP server? And why/for what specific purpose? The answer to those two questions may help us help you since there are several ways to LAMP if that is what you are really after.

[kerimatasoy]

STEPS DONE SO FAR:

1. http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html#374
I've downloaded the XAMPP's "tar.gz" file from the link which has given just as above...

2. http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html#377
Then, tried to extract the file and done it, fortunately...

Some "infos" from "Terminal":
user@user-laptop:~$ cd /
user@user-laptop:/$ ls
bin dev initrd.img lost+found opt sbin sys var
boot etc initrd.img.old media proc selinux tmp vmlinuz
cdrom home lib mnt root srv usr vmlinuz.old
user@user-laptop:/$ su
Parola:
su: Yetkilendirme hatası (Gives some error due to trying to gain a root access without any authorization but, we're not done yet...)
user@user-laptop:/$ sudo su
[sudo] password for user:
root@user-laptop:/# (Here, it worked somehow... But, still, not done yet...)
root@user-laptop:/# cd home
root@user-laptop:/home# ls
user
root@user-laptop:/home# cd user
root@user-laptop:/home/user# ls
Belgeler examples.desktop Genel İndirilenler Masaüstü Müzik Resimler Şablonlar Videolar
root@user-laptop:/home/user# cd İndirilenler
root@user-laptop:/home/user/İndirilenler# ls
xampp-linux-1.7.7.tar.gz (The file IS HERE...)
root@user-laptop:/home/user/İndirilenler# tar xvfz xampp-linux-1.7.7.tar.gz -C /opt (We're good so far... )
root@user-laptop:/home/user/İndirilenler# exit
exit
user@user-laptop:/$ ls
bin dev initrd.img lost+found opt sbin sys var
boot etc initrd.img.old media proc selinux tmp vmlinuz
cdrom home lib mnt root srv usr vmlinuz.old
user@user-laptop:/$ cd opt
user@user-laptop:/opt$ ls
lampp (Let's go and see a little bit deeper then...)
user@user-laptop:/opt$ ls lampp
bin cgi-bin error etc htdocs icons lampp lib libexec licenses logs modules phpmyadmin RELEASENOTES sbin share tmp var
user@user-laptop:/opt$ (Now, we're almost sure that the files which were included in the XAMPP's compressed package before, have just been extracted already into the right place... )

3. http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html#378
I've tried to start the XAMPP services then...

user@user-laptop:/$ /opt/lampp/lampp start
You need to start XAMPP as root!
user@user-laptop:/$ sudo su
[sudo] password for user:
root@user-laptop:/# /opt/lampp/lampp start
Starting XAMPP for Linux 1.7.7...
XAMPP: Starting Apache with SSL (and PHP5)...
XAMPP: Starting MySQL...
XAMPP: Starting ProFTPD...
XAMPP for Linux started.
root@user-laptop:/# (It's time to test the services then...)

4. http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html#379
Just as instructed before, I'd go for a testing...

On Firefox, typed the "url" address to test the things if they were working well or not... --> "localhost" or "http://localhost", either would work fine... (Lucky me... Actually, thanks to YOU... )

"... Welcome to XAMPP for Linux 1.7.7 !
Congratulations:
You successfully installed XAMPP on this system! ..."

THANKS again...

[kerimatasoy]

illgetit: you are correct. For some reason it has never occurred to me to do it that way. In my mind sudo really doesn't go with su, but that is just my warped way of thinking, I guess, kind of like the phrase 'return back'. You obviously are correct that sudo su avoids the security problems of a root account.

To kermitasoy: is there a reason you specifically want xampp or are you just looking for a LAMP server? And why/for what specific purpose? The answer to those two questions may help us help you since there are several ways to LAMP if that is what you are really after.

Sure, gladly... I'd like to use or at least have experience those packages, like XAMPP, WAMP, EasyPHP and so on... Because, these packages have been claimed as "better" or "easier" for some developing purposes and actually, it mostly seems so for many areas... Also, fortunately, they make the things easier for us... But, many professionals have noticed us saying that for some production purposes, it wouldn't be the same... I'm not a "guru" yet, so...
I'm interested in PHP developing and programming, generally...
I'm also open for any different solution those may work for me...
Thank you for everything...

[agillator]

You are up and running - that is what we were all getting at. The other ways I might have suggested might not have been easier except for the problems you were having - there would at least have been different problems. But once you find a way that works for you, stick with it unless you find it isn't really doing what you wanted. Good luck! Glad we could all help.