Ubuntu Live CD root password and live session password for default user Ubuntu

Posted on December 11, 2009 by GoogleThem.
Categories: Linux tips and tricks.

sudo passwd ubuntu

Then create your password, you will need to already be in Terminal
To create a usable root user’s account on a live cd, you can set the root password then su. This has not been possible in previous versions of Ubuntu as their user model made you remember to sudo before each command requiring root access.

sudo passwd root

It’s easier just to sudo command for one time use, instead of creating a root user to su to.
As of Ubuntu 9.10, I haven’t been able to login with “demo” or “Ubuntu” as the password for live session username “Ubuntu”.
If you are running most other types of linux like Debian, Red Hat, Mepis, Suse and others, they have an actual root user with an account.
It is easier to gain root access permanently, for these other flavors of Linux click here to learn how.