Root access given when shutting down

[Jon Hart]

When using the terminal to shut down the computer (sudo shutdown now), pressing an arrow key when the Ubuntu screen is displayed doesn't shut down the computer, but takes you to the prompt logged in as root (single user mode).

Ubuntu version: 11.10, running on VirtualBox 4.1.4. Clean install, updates downloaded when installing.

What should happen: the computer shuts down

What happens: the computer doesn't shut down, and displays the root@computername prompt (single user mode)

Steps to recreate problem:
1) Open up terminal
2) Type 'sudo shutdown now' (no quotes), and press enter
3) Type your password
4) When the screen changes to 'Ubuntu' and the pulsating dots, press an arrow key
5) Wait for it to boot into single user mode

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: gnome-power-manager 3.2.0-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
CurrentDmesg:

Date: Thu Oct 20 14:51:57 2011
GnomeSessionIdleInhibited: No
GnomeSessionInhibitors: None
GnomeSessionSuspendInhibited: No
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 80ee:0021 VirtualBox USB Tablet
MachineType: innotek GmbH VirtualBox
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=e6673807-1375-437a-9da1-a9b718d43f1a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: gnome-power-manager
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/01/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: innotek GmbH
dmi.bios.version: VirtualBox
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvninnotekGmbH:bvrVirtualBox:bd12/01/2006:svninnotekGmbH:pnVirtualBox:pvr1.2:
dmi.product.name: VirtualBox
dmi.product.version: 1.2
dmi.sys.vendor: innotek GmbH
gnome-power-bugreport: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory