How to reproduce:

Right click on a directory, or look for an option in the menus of the file browser...

What to expect:

The system should allow you to open the directory as root, or as "administrator".

Ideally, the resulting root-mode file-browser should look different than the normal-mode one. In Gnome for instance, the background should be of a different color.

Notes:

In Kde-based editions, look after "root action" menu