How can I find out the ROOT password?

Question

I installed Kubuntu 12.04 on this desktop last September and am the main user of the machine. I can perform most admin tasks such as installing new software with my password, which is also accepted using sudo in a terminal. Some tasks however ask for a root password - the most recent example being when I tried to re-install my HP printer. and my usual password does not work. I have looked at this answer, but it doesn't seem to help as I know my own password. I need to know root's password!

Solution 1

Running sudo -i in the console will drop you into "root" mode.

Solution 2

Ubuntu by default does not have a root password set and relies on your own password entered via sudo for superuser/sysadmin purposes.

If you are adamant on setting a password for root then the following command will do it but it is NOT needed.

sudo passwd root

I would suggest just using sudo and then enter your own password.

Comments

[user68186]

See askubuntu.com/questions/231849/how-do-i-avoid-su-ing-to-root

[Eric Carvalho]

Duplicate of How do I recover my root password?

[Thomas Ward]

FYI: There is no root password in a default installation, because the root user account is disabled

[Panther]

sudo -i is prefered due to environmental variables. See ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=6188826&postcount=4

[skan]

This is not useful because you also need a password to log as the "root".