Root account in Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

Understanding on account in ubuntu will help us when we want to modify our ubuntu system or when we want to install an application or computer drivers which have special privileges.

First time when we installing an ubuntu 8.04 Operating System to our computer or laptop, we will be asked to enter an account username and password. The username and password that has been created then will be used to enter to the ubuntu system, change or update some system files, to add/remove program, etc. But we must understand that the account we have created when installing ubuntu actually not have a full privileges (based on my experience). So some action or syntact (in terminal window) we can't do when using that account. For full privileges we must login as root.

This is my example case. Please refer to my other post : "Wifi activation on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron". In the step number 6, the syntact ndiswrapper -m and ndiswrapper -ma must typed using root login. It's mean we can't execute those syntact using the account which we have created when installing ubuntu.

How we login as root ???

May be the way to login as root that I publish is not the only one, if there is another simple way please notify ....

OK let start to login as root in our ubuntu operating system.

1. Reboot your computer/laptop

2. Go to booting menu in ubuntu system

To go to booting menu, type Esc key when booting in progress. As comparison in windows operating system usually we use F8 key to go to the booting menu.

Booting menu in standart ubuntu 8.04 system consist of these lists:
*. Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
*. Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
*. Ubuntu 8.04, memtest86+
*. Other Operating System:
*. (The other operating system will be listed here when we use more than 1 operating system)

Please select to Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode) and then press enter. Then we will go to recovery menu.

3. Recovery menu

The recovery menu consist of these list:
*. resume
*. root
*. xfix

Select to root and then we will go to a command line as root (at the bottom of window).

We have done login as root. Now we can type all syntact that need root login. Refer to my example case, the syntact ndiswrapper -m and ndiswrapper -ma now will successfully executed.

To leave the command line, just type exit and then choose resume ...... now we will go to the ubuntu system like usual.

Wifi activation on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

Dear all,

Now i try to publish steps to activate wifi on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.

Again, I use laptop Acer Aspire 4520 AMD Turion64 X2, atheros wireless.

Let start:

1. Open Terminal window to write a command line.

Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal

2. Download ndiswrapper (make sure that you are already connected to the internet)

Type on the terminal these three command step by step :

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common

sudo apt-get install ndisgtk

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-utils-1.9

3. Install Windows Wireless Driver Application.

In this case i use add/remove program.

Applications -> Add/Remove...

Click on System Tools, and then check on the Windows Wireless Drivers checkbox.

Continue with Apply changes.

4. Download your wireless device driver (net5211.inf file).

In case of you use atheros, just type "atheros xp" on the google.

make sure that you get file net5211.inf

save on a location.

5. Set file net5211.inf using Windows Wireless Drivers application.

System -> Administration -> Windows Wireless Drivers

Click on the "Install New Driver" and browse the location of file net5211.inf

Click install.

Now the driver has been installed.

To check it out, type on the terminal : ndiswrapper -l

The command should generate a response like this :

===========================================

engineer@BS001NB:~$ ndiswrapper -l
net5211 : driver installed
device (168C:001C) present (alternate driver: ath_pci)
engineer@BS001NB:~$

===========================================

6. ndiswrapper -m and ndiswrapper -ma

In using this command, based on my experience, you must login as root (plese refer to my other post: "Root account in Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron" for more detail about root login).

Type on the terminal (root login) step by step:

ndiswrapper -m

ndiswrapper -ma

7. Check weather wifi succeed activated or not.

Type on the termonal : iwconfig

The command should appears wlan0 on the list, indicated that wifi has been activated.

8. Install a wifi manager application.

In this case i use RutilT WLAN Manager

You can use Add/Remove program to install that application.

Applications -> Add/Remove...

Click on Internet, and then check on the RutilT WLAN Manager checkbox.

Continue with Apply changes.

8. That's All.