How do I Enable Root User without Netinfo Manager?

[CavemanUK]

Hi,

I need to enable root access so i can login as super user in terminal but i have no clue how you do it in leopard. In tiger you used netinfo manager which is now gone!

help!

 

[Phil A.]

Hi,

I need to enable root access so i can login as super user in terminal but i have no clue how you do it in leopard. In tiger you used netinfo manager which is now gone!

help!

I'd recommend you don't do it. If you want root shell access just use the following command as an admin user:
sudo bash

and enter your password

 

[CavemanUK]

I'd recommend you don't do it. If you want root shell access just use the following command as an admin user:
sudo bash

and enter your password

Thanks, I need it because I need to compile a driver for my HP Printer.

 

[petvas]

You can find most of the options of Netinfo Manager if you go to System Preferences-User Accounts. Right click on the photo of your account. A menu will appear (Advanced). Click on it and you will see options for your account. I didnt see the option for root but you can change shell, add aliases, etc

 

[yellow]

I too want to enable root. This seems odd to completely take away the NetInfo gui. I can't find any vestiges of it.. Was it abandoned? Frankly, I don't want Apple to attempt to protect me from myself.. where is root enabled?

You can find most of the options of Netinfo Manager if you go to System Preferences-User Accounts. Right click on the photo of your account. A menu will appear (Advanced). Click on it and you will see options for your account. I didnt see the option for root but you can change shell, add aliases, etc

I should also note.. that this doesn't exist when I try it. Sure this wasn't from a pre-release build?

 

[mauldus]

I'm in the same boat. I need root to run some daemons for development constantly and typing the password is driving me crazy.

Look under Directory Utility in the Edit menu. They moved it on us.

Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

 

[yellow]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306494

Mac OS X 10.5: Use the command line utility "dscl" for some functions formerly found in NetInfo Manager
NetInfo Manager is not included with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. You can use the command line utility dscl to perform some advanced functions formerly covered by NetInfo Manager. Open Terminal and type "dscl" to access it.

For example, you can use dscl to add or remove users from system groups such as "admin".

For specific details on how to use the dscl command line utility, open Terminal and type: man dscl

Note: Use Directory Utiility to enable the root account or adjust the root password in Mac OS X 10.5.

 

[papplegate]

Hi,

I need to enable root access so i can login as super user in terminal but i have no clue how you do it in leopard. In tiger you used netinfo manager which is now gone!

help!

From Macosxhints.....
Open Directory Utility located in Application » Utilities. You may have to unlock Directory Utility to make changes. Once it's unlocked, go to Edit » Enable Root User, and then type in a password for your root user.

Voila, you can now use the root user, and the 'Other Users' option now shows up on the login window.

 

[petvas]

I too want to enable root. This seems odd to completely take away the NetInfo gui. I can't find any vestiges of it.. Was it abandoned? Frankly, I don't want Apple to attempt to protect me from myself.. where is root enabled?



I should also note.. that this doesn't exist when I try it. Sure this wasn't from a pre-release build?

Did you first unlock the GUI to allow changes? Unlock first and then right click on the picture of your account and you will get the options

 

[mauldus]

As a side note... you can also use "sudo bash" to get a perpetual root environment.

 

[Billy Boo Bob]

Enable root... the easy way...

It's easy to enable root, in Tiger or in Leopard, just with terminal. I've detailed it out maybe a bit more than you may need, but I just wanted to make it clear to anyone that's not exactly sure.

-- First, you can enter your sudo admin password so that it's valid for a few minutes (of course, don't enter the "%". This just shows where you have command-line)

"--" & italics denotes my comment.
-- Bold = what you type.
-- Blue = text that computer replies to you.

% sudo -v
Password: <enter your admin password here>

-- Now you're back to your normal user prompt. Type in:
% sudo passwd root
Changing password for root.
New password: <enter your new root password here>
Retype new password: <enter the new root pass again>

-- Now you're back to your normal prompt. Type in:
% su -
Password: <type in your new root password here to enter as root>
YourSystem:~ root# -- now you're in

Another neat trick, too... Once you have your root password set, you can enter the Finder with root access... With Fast User Switching on (or if you log out), bring up the Login Window, then use the button for "Other...". Enter "root" as the username, with your new root password and you'll have a GUI desktop for "Administrator", which is really your root user. If you go into Terminal there you're already in as root... no need for "su -" and pass.

BE Careful: If you create / edit text files (or config files) with TextEdit (or probably any other app), it will be saved as owned by root (-rw-r--r--@ 1 root), and you probably won't be able to edit it again in your normal user GUI. But, it can be powerful... You can edit some of the system files in TextEdit that are already owned by root without having to screw around with pico/nano.

Again, be careful what you do in there... You have mucho power... but you can make a mess, too.

[Edit]

Open Directory Utility located in Application » Utilities. You may have to unlock Directory Utility to make changes. Once it's unlocked, go to Edit » Enable Root User, and then type in a password for your root user.

Heh. That one got by me as I read through here. Nice addition... So... "Or you can do that, too."