Ubuntu
sudo package

Unable to authenticate as a "SU" in the terminal

Asked by chintalvaady

Hello,

I am trying to elevate my access privelege to root(SU) to make a change in the "bluetooth-applet-unity.desktop" file.

When i use the vi editor to make a change to this file,I am unable to save changes to this file since i dont have root rights.

When i try to elevate the rights using the "SU" command,I get a prompt to enter the password. When i type the password i get the following message :

su: Authentication failure

Please help me fix this issue.

Thanks in advance.

Chintalvaady

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu sudo Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
chintalvaady
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#1

Please be sure to type your user password please note:

MyUserPassword is not the same aa myuserpassword please take care of the case of the letter...

if it doesnt works please reset your password a very frequently asked question:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow

Revision history for this message
arochester (arochester) said : 		#2

Ubuntu doesn't use su to gain root permissions.

Ubuntu uses sudo instead which temporarily gives root permission.(If the program being started is graphical e.g. not just in the terminal the command is gksu or gksudo do instead.

Start vi from the terminal using the command: sudo vi [path of the file to be edited]

Have a look at e.g. http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ubuntu-linux/107619-using-sudo-place-root-login-ubuntu.html

Revision history for this message
chintalvaady (cmraghavendran) said : 		#3

Thanks for the help guys. I used sudo vi and it worked.

Thanks again