OK, I set up Linux, and it works fine. However, I don''t know what my user name is, only my password. I don''t remember setting a user name. I set it up as a defualt workstation. How can I get into XWindows? How can I set my user name?

1. Initially, you will most likely have to log on as root.

2. If X has been configured, you can get into it by running ''startx''. If it hasn''t been configured, you will need to do so by running ''xf86config'', or whatever other tool your distribution comes with.

3. You will want to create another user account for yourself (it''s not a good idea to use root for day-to-day operations), and you can give it whatever user name you want. Run ''adduser'' to do so.

I''m new to Linux. I need some instructions for changing my user name.

quote: Original post by gamechampionx
I''m new to Linux. I need some instructions for changing my user name.

Martee answered your question... Log in as root (the default account you had to create), type "adduser" on the command line and answer the questions the program asks you. You can then log out and log back in as that new user. I think adduser is pretty much standard on all distros. If not, try "useradd -m user_name" where user_name is the name of the account you want to create.

As for changing the user name, you don''t *change* the user name, at least not the root one (it is possible but it''s a very bad idea). And like Martee said, you don''t want to use the root account for your everyday tasks. It has absolute power over the system and it''s very easy to destroy an installation by mistyping someone as root.

Finally, like I said in my reply to your previous post, read Linuxdoc (http://www.linuxdoc.org). You can''t expect to use Linux (or any *nix) to its full potential without at least a basic understanding of how it works. This is true for all OSes (and applications) I know of.

... and I meant "mistyping something", of course...

OK, I made a new user name. However, I can''t log in with it. I don''t remember specifying a password. Anyway, how can you specify a password for that user with root?

man is your friend : type man passwd and follow the instructions.

if you didnt specify a password there probobly isnt one. just hit enter when it tells you to enter a password.