Want to try 18.3 (question 2) root

[WHVW]

Hi All:
I have been playing around with 18.3. One MAJOR impediment is a whole new set of roadblocks to logging on as root. This is a real pain. Sudo, etc., are not the same as root (since, for just one example, you are never logged out of the original user, thereby inhibiting certain operations). Becoming root has always been, shall we say, an adventure. This time it is really "for the birds". "Fakeroot"?... really?.....Come on now.
My time is valuable to me.... I don't want to spend endless hours figuring out (either) how to become root (or) in feckless endeavours trying to work around the fact that I am not.
Nor do I want to be "punished" because someone else might not understand that "surfing the 'net" while root is somewhat less than wise.
I must also admit that I resent this "least common denominator" approach. If you want dumbed-down, well, that's what Winderz is for.
The $64,000 question: just how do you log in as root in 18.3?

[Mattyboy]

You have to set a root password.

I won't tell you how to because I don't wish to facilitate in someone doing something they shouldn't. I'm nice like that. Of course running your system with constant root privilege is, indeed, your privilege....

with the best intentions, good luck with that.

[Cosmo.]

Sudo, etc., are not the same as root (since, for just one example, you are never logged out of the original user, thereby inhibiting certain operations).

Simply wrong. (leaving open, what "certain operations" might stand for.)

[WHVW]

Hi:

Cosmo: I used the term "certain operations" in an effort not to be verbose. The details: I have a few drives I got from a friend to install Mint on for him, (I have been trying to get him off Winderz for years). Well, why not try 18.3? So I made an install disk, and was off to the races. While doing some basic set-up, I realised that I had screwed up the user name. No problem, there are commands for that. But guess what...since I wasn't actually logged out of the basic user account, the sudo-family terminal commands to change the username (properly) would not work. No problem; just set up a regular root account, log in/out, etc, and fix it. 'Twas then I ran into the afore-mentioned root problem. There were a couple of other minor issues I can't remember now.
Yes, I know there are (somewhat cumbersome) work-arounds for that, but the point is the impediment to fixing a problem in the in the most judicious manner, and the other annoyances yet to come that will also be problematic.

Mattyboy: I did set a root password. The log-in screen gives you no choice of user. As for "running your system with constant root privilege is, indeed, your privilege...." I just re-read my post to make sure I didn't say or imply that; I want to use root the way I have always used it: To quickly fix those annoying, sticky little problems that occasionally crop up. You log in as root, fix the problem, and log out and back into your regular user.

If indeed, it is "my privilege" then why withhold the information?

Perhaps setting another user would force the log-in screen to give you a choice of user, perhaps then you could enter "root". Using create an account will not work.

Thanks.

[Mattyboy]

Code: Select all

mintman@mintman-To-be-filled-by-O-E-M ~ $ su
Password: 
mintman-To-be-filled-by-O-E-M mintman # exit
exit

$ being replaced with # indicates you're root and will run as root until you exit. Be extra careful of mistakes when you see #

I'm not aware of a way to log the 'entire' system in as root as I don't think its possible ( willing to be corrected here ).. root doesn't own your home folder or .config files within for example.

Again, good luck.

[Cosmo.]

To the above example: As it is obviously a fresh install, there was nothing to loose. Another fresh install would hade been very most likely the quickest and easiest solution. Another method would have been to create a temporary user account with sudo membership and do the correction. The requested root account would do nothing else than this temporary account.

[MintBean]

Another method would have been to create a temporary user account with sudo membership and do the correction. The requested root account would do nothing else than this temporary account.

You beat me to it. The perceived requirement for a root account is based on false premises.

[WHVW]

Hi all:

"You beat me to it. The perceived requirement for a root account is based on false premises"

"Another method would have been to create a temporary user account with sudo membership and do the correction. The requested root account would do nothing else than this temporary account."

And of course, being a fresh install there was nothing to loose... blow it away and start anew. Yet that is not the point. Sticky little problems are not going to confine themselves the first few hours of a new installation. After a short period of use it will require hours (if not days) of re-constructing a system that would have otherwise required a three minute fix.

As for Mattyboy's contention that you can't log in as root, in 17.1, I can (and do) log in as root; the login screen allows you to enter "root" then password, and away you go (you need, of course, to set the root password first). As I recall you can set up the system to give you that choice when you first turn on the machine, also.

Root does "own" some files your regular user needs, which can sometimes cause minor headaches.

[Cosmo.]

Also developers learn something new and correct old mistakes. Removing the ability to log in as root is such a case. My second method demonstrates, that there is no need to revert to the old mistake. (And quoting something, where you seem to have nothing to reply about, does not help at all.)

[Mattyboy]

Yes I believe ( but could be wrong, can't remember ) the option was removed when Mint 18 was released, you are discussing 18 here after all.. right?. From what I understand this was done because its a fundamentally flawed idea to run a system with complete root privileges to begin with.

Like I said how you run your system is up to you. If Mint 18 doesn't provide what you require then, try another distro.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record.. good luck with that.

[Flemur]

Sudo, etc., are not the same as root (since, for just one example, you are never logged out of the original user, thereby inhibiting certain operations).

Simply wrong. (leaving open, what "certain operations" might stand for.)

That's what I thought - but I had this happen recently: 'sudo' fails, then succeeds after 'sudo -i' :

Code: Select all

$ sudo echo 'kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone=1' > /etc/sysctl.d/00-local-userns.conf
bash: /etc/sysctl.d/00-local-userns.conf: Permission denied
$ sudo -i
# echo 'kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone=1' > /etc/sysctl.d/00-local-userns.conf
# whoami
root

[Cosmo.]

Try:

Code: Select all

$ sudo 'echo kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone=1 > /etc/sysctl.d/00-local-userns.conf'

(Complete sudo instruction enclosed between 2 ' )

[Pilfer]

su ?