Need to change permissions on directories

lyoumans · 11-01-2009, 01:10 AM

I trying to install a program that is in a .Jar file. The instructions state to move the file to the /user/local/bin directory. Tried this and got error message that I didn't have permissions to do this. This folder is controlled by ROOT. ROOT and I are to only two users, I am the administrator. How do I change the permissions so I can move or delete files in the different folders? I started to try to delete the user ROOT but being new in Linux, didn't want to take the chance.

unSpawn · 11-01-2009, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyoumans

This folder is controlled by ROOT. ROOT and I are to only two users, I am the administrator. How do I change the permissions so I can move or delete files in the different folders?

You don't and you shouldn't. As you run .*buntu.* you should copy files with 'sudo cp /sourcedir/somefile /destinationdir/ && sudo chown 0:0 /destinationdir/somefile && chmod 0644 /destinationdir/somefile'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyoumans

I started to try to delete the user ROOT but being new in Linux, didn't want to take the chance.

Indeed. If you don't understand something then you should read the basic GNU/Linux docs your distro provides you with or at least Rute (http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz). And do make backups. Deleting things may seem nice but is a bad, bad reflex, new user or not.

Neofish · 11-01-2009, 02:44 AM

The administrator account doesn't have total control over the system. The root account, however, is the "god" account. It can do anything. 'sudo su' will log you into this account with your own password. From there you can copy the files.

unSpawn · 11-01-2009, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

'sudo su' will log you into this account with your own password. From there you can copy the files.

That is not best practice advice especially not for .*buntu.* users. If one does that then one might as well use a distribution that does not present one with the sudo hurdle in the first place.