Wrong password for administrator actions

sometimes your 'first user' password is requested for admin tasks via the sudo or gsudo command.
some others you have to use 'real administrator' (called 'root') password.
it's not very easy to tell you when and where, but...
follow me in setting a password for 'root' user:
1)sudo passwd root
2)type your 'first user' password when asked
3)now when asked to 'enter a new UNIX password', enter password for 'root' (that is the administrator of a linux box)
4)retype the password again
5)A nice message should tell you that password has been updated

Now, to sinthetize, you have:
1) A password for your normal user (that can sometime be enough even for admin task)
2) And a password with more priveleges (can do everything) for admin user called 'root'.

Thanks - I was able to set the password for 'root'. And the explanation was great.

I must have an additional problem. Now when I enter the 'root' password for any admin action (like opening the Synaptic Package Manager), I no longer get a 'Wrong password' error. Instead, nothing happens - the new window does not open.

Any additional ideas?

can you try to start synaptic from command line (terminal) and paste terminal output here?

sudo synaptic

then your 'first user' password

interesting ...

If I start synaptic through the command line and use my 'first user' password, then it launches successfully and opens the synaptic window. No error message.

If I start it through the GNOME menus (System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager) and use my 'first user' password, then I get the following error:
Failed to run /usr/sbin/synaptic as user root:
 Wrong password

If I start it through GNOME menus and use the 'root' password, then I don't get an error message but I also don't get the synaptic window.

Hi David,
i don't know if i can solve this matter, but let's investigate last thing:

right click on 'applications' in top bar and choose 'edit menu' then look for 'system' -> Administration and on the right frame right click on synaptic and choose properties.
Can you paste the command section of the popup window that shows up?

hope i've been clear, my english sometimes...

Your instructions have been very clear!

Here is the command that I see for synaptic:
gksu /usr/sbin/synaptic

If it matters, the 'Run in Terminal' box is unchecked.

I am experiencing a similar behavior with all of the System -> Administration options that I have tried.

try again from terminal with --debug option:
gksu --debug /usr/sbin/synaptic

anyway man gksu give us some suggestion:
try:
gksu --sudo-mode --debug synaptic
gksu --su-mode --debug synaptyc

(i wrote you an email)

here is what I see with 'gksu --debug /usr/sbin/synaptic' if I use the 'first user' password:
DEBUG (run:post-after-pass) buf: -su: Authentication failure
Sorry.
-
DEBUG (auth_failed) buf: -su: Authentication failure
Sorry.

here is what I see with 'gksu --debug /usr/sbin/synaptic' if I use the 'root' password:
try_su_run: buf: -Password: ��B�z� -
sh: /usr/X11R6/bin/xauth: No such file or directory
xauth: --
display: -:0.0-
gksu_context_run: buf: -Password: -
DEBUG (run:after-pass) buf: -Password: -
DEBUG (run:post-after-pass) buf: -gksu: waiting
-
DEBUG (gksu: waiting) buf: -gksu: waiting
-
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(synaptic:8750): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:

try to:
ls /usr/X11R6/bin/* | grep xauth

if the output is empty, try:
sudo apt-get install xauth

you can join irc.freenode.net channel #ubuntu

Sorry ... not set up for IRC right now.

The output was empty. So I performed the 'sudo' command above and here was the output:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
xauth is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
d

I then tried the 'ls' command again and the output is still empty.

you should force reinstalling xauth

sudo apt-get --reinstall xauth

if it doesn't work some other people should get in this matter as i don't know how to go ahead...

um wat do i do if i forget both the first passwords :S

I clicked on the icon for updates, then attempted to upgrade to release 9.04. When asked for password for Admin task, nothing I put in there works.