Welcome!
1. By default the root account is disabled, you can use most of your Admin Tasks done by using sudo.
For Example use:-
$sudo <task>
for using things as root user.
$sudo passwd root
<type YOUR password>
Enter NEW UNIX Password: <------->
Re-Type Password to Confirm: <-------->
2. To Edit the /etc/boot/grub.conf file to change the boot order, do
$sudo vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
< Your password >
(i) Press [INSERT] change Default from 0 to 2 (which is Windows)
(ii) Press [ESC] and type :wq to save the file and quit vi.
3. Be root,
$ su
$ <password>
(i) Download GCC 3.4 From here.
http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gcc/gcc-3.4.0/
(ii) Go to D/L directory using cd command.
(iii)
# tar -xzf gcc-<press tab to autocomplete>
(iv) The GCC docs recommend building gcc outside source directory.
(v)
# mkdir build [ENTER]
# cd build
(vi) Type the following command as such
# ../gcc-3.4.0/configure --disable-nls --enable-shared --enable-languages=c
(vii)
# make bootstrap
(viii)
# make install
(ix) Create a symlink pointing to our new gcc
# ln -vs gcc /bin/cc
Good Luck!