root password?

[LogicMan]

Hello,
I just got a new mac and created a account for myself. It shows that i am the admin. Somehow, I want root prviledges on the machine to edit some config files. How do i get this?is the root password the same as my account passowrd for which i am the admin?
thanks.

[bobw]

1. Open the NetInfo Manager application in the /Applications/Utilities folder.

2. Go to the Domain menu, then drag down to the Security submenu, and choose "Authenticate...". Put in an administrator login and password and press return or the "OK" button.

3. Go again to the Domain menu, again to the Security submenu, and then drag down to the "Enable Root User..." menu item.

4. You probably won't have put in a root user password yet. It will prompt you to provide a root user password and verify it. Do so.

5. Root user is now enabled. Now just logout from the Apple menu, and then at the login screen, use the login name "root" and provide the password you just set.

This will log you in as the root user. Note that you can do ANYTHING when logged in as root, including deleting essential files. Proceed with caution.

[Giaguara]

Root is disabled by default: it is often for teh safety as well, if you don't know what you are doing with the root access you can damage the system. So annoyingly you'll have to able the root.

One way to enable the root is to boot off the install CD, and look under the Install menu for the "Password Reset" option. You can use this to change your own password if you forget it, and to enable the root account. This utility will not run if you copy it to your hard drive. It only works when booting from the CD.

The second way is probably the easiest - from terminal typing

sudo passwd root

You will be asked for the new password.

A third way to enable is is from Netinfo Manager (in Applications/Utilities);

1) Open NetInfo Manager
2) Select "Users" from the second list.
3) Select a user you created andnd know the password for!
4) Double-click on the value across from "passwd" and copy it. It is the encoded form of the password for that user.
5) Select "root" from the list of users. Find the "passwd" value (default is "*") and paste over it.
6) Exit Netinfo Manager.
7) Open the Terminal and type "su root".
8) Enter the password for the user chosen above.