Catch 22 on lost admin privileges

After update to a pbookG4 12", both admin users became standard; root user is not enabled. Can't enable root user, because no admin privs to change settings in the Directory Utility. Can't login as root because login is pic only, no "other" for allowing text login. Can't change login format from Accounts pane because that requires Admin privs.
Is there a way, from Terminal or SingleUser, to enable root user? or to escalate a user's privs from Standard to Admin?

hirammm wrote:
Rebooting with Command-s (releasing the keys once text started appearing), I tried the *sudo passwd root*, which gave me some errors; then I looked more closely at the prompt, *root #* and said hmmmm. Used the command *passwd root*, entered the root password I had earlier set from the OS dvd password utility, entered the new password twice (happened to use the same password, no use adding another to my limited memory lobes); typed exit to reboot, and the "Other" user option became available; logged in as root with the password, went to System Preferences/Accounts, and gave the appropriate users Admin privileges, and all seems well, except I may have to suffer through +Dancing with the Stars+.
*Thanks particularly nerowolfe* for the responses. BTW, the spy-hill reference looks to me as though it's based on an earlier OS-X Server, I seem to remember net-info from those days.
Even partial success is good
Yes that article is old, but the reference to the root account being disabled is still valid. And for a good reason.
I think now that you have access to your OS you can start fixing up other things, DWTS, as you jokingly call it.
Usually perseverance pays off. Many people give up way too early and too easily. I congratulate you for sticking to it and proving that problems usually have solutions.

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