openSolaris 2008 - Login and Root Specifications - Getting Started With OpenSolaris 2008.11

During the OpenSolaris 2008.11 installation, you are prompted to create a user account and a root password for your system.

Review the following login, user account, and root specifications.

Root login is not enabled either on the Live CD or on the installed system. You must log in as the user that you created during the installation. After you log in, you can then become root to configure the system. Because root is a role, open a terminal window and use the su command to assume the role, or the pfexec sh command to run commands in a privileged shell.

Note - If you try to log in to the installed system as root, an error message displays. Click OK and log in as the local user that you created during the installation.
Root is a role per Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) specifications. However, if you do not create a user account during the installation, root is set up as a normal account on the installed system, instead of as a role. This is the only situation where you can log in to the installed system as root without manually changing the role assignment for root.
After you install the OpenSolaris 2008.11 release, if you wish to manually change the installed system to permit root logins, remove root as an assigned role for users. Then, type the following at the command line:
```
# rolemod -K type=normal root
```
This command converts root to a normal account.
If you forget the local user name or password that you entered during the installation, you must boot the system into Maintenance Mode as described in How to Troubleshoot OpenSolaris Login.

For additional instructions, see the following resources.

Resource	Topic
`rbac(5)` man page	Instructions for Role-Based Access Control
RBAC: An Alternative to the Superuser Model	Introduction to roles in the OpenSolaris environment
Using RBAC (Task Map)	Instructions about using existing roles or customizing roles

If you are unable to log in to your installed system, use the following procedure.

Boot the system in single user mode.
For instructions, see x86: How to Boot a System to Run Level S (Single-User Level) with two changes specific to the OpenSolaris 2008.11 release.
- In the instructions at this URL, use the kernel$ line option in the instructions instead of kernel line option.
- Before you are prompted to enter the root password using these instructions, you will need to enter an account name. The account name can be root, or any other privileged account, such as “jack” on the Live CD, or an account that you created during the installation.
Optional: To view the existing users and roles, type:
```
-bash-3.2#  cat /etc/user_attr
```
Optional: To delete a user, type:
```
-bash-3.2# userdel username
```
Create the user name that you want.
```
-bash-3.2# useradd username
```
Assign a password for the user name.
```
-bash-3.2# passwd username
```
You will be prompted to type the password twice.
Assign the root role to that user.
```
-bash-3.2# usermod -R root username
```
Type Exit to return to the installed system.