[TriLUG] Debian Issues

[Igor Partola]

Hi Brian,

I have several theories:

1. Is "bguser" the root password or the password for the default user?
Having just re-installed Debian 6 inside VirtualBox a few times I know that
it asks for both.

2. I remember some UNIX-like operating systems throwing a fit with
passwords that are too short or match the username. Try setting it to
something a bit longer and not found in a dictionary (though obviously you
want to keep it simple to start).

3. Did the install finish properly? Perhaps something went wrong along the
way.

4. I am not sure if direct root login is allowed. The normal way to use the
system is to log in as a regular user and then use the su or sudo command
to escalate the privileges. I know that most distros disable SSH access
with the root user by default.

5. You could try booting into "single user" mode". Typically you can choose
this mode at the boot loader (sometimes it is called Single User or Rescue
mode). Once the system boots it will drop you to the command line. I am not
going to describe all the things you can do there in this email, but you'll
get a wealth of info if you Google "Debian Single User Mode".

Lastly, you mentioned in your other email that you wanted install Debian to
use it with your Raspberry Pi. May I suggest Ubuntu? Latest Ubuntu releases
are typically very similar to Debian testing (Debian 6 codename Squeeze).
The main difference you might see is that on Ubuntu the root user by
default does not have a password. Instead, you use the sudo command to
become root. Otherwise Ubuntu is very user friendly and has great hardware
support.

In case you are running on an older laptop, try installing a flavor of
Ubuntu called Xubuntu, which uses a lighter weight Desktop Environment.
This should help with resource usage.

Good luck,
Igor

On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 2:06 PM, Grawburg <grawburg at myglnc.com> wrote:

> Folks,
>
> I have installed and reinstalled Debian 5 times! Each time I VERY
> CAREFULLY wrote down the root password. Since I am the only person who will
> be using this computer I picked an easy one: bguser.
>
> I am at a login prompt: I type root and wait to be asked for the password
> prompt. I VERY CAREFULLY type in bguser and get...Authentication Failed.
>
> I am about to throw something across the room!
>
> What is going on?
>
>
> Brian Grawburg
> Wilson
>
> --
> Compassion for animals is intimately associated with goodness of
> character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to
> living creatures cannot be a good man. (Arthur Schopenhauer)
>
>
>
>
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