LinuxQuestions.org - Root Logins are not allowed

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Root Logins are not allowed

Hello All,

After install kde themes (kdeartwork and all the stuff needed) can't start kdm nor gdm.
Had to go to /etc/kde3 and run kdm.
Nice presentation and nice icons......but now only can login as user and can't log as root.
The message that I get when try to log as root is: " Root Logins are not allowed"
Anyway can run commands as root typing "su" and giving the root password.

I know that in this way it is safer but would like to know how to return to previous situation.....login as root.......and come back to this

Best Regards
Martin

If you were in Mandrake Linux I would be able to tell you the way to do it immediately. But Debain does not have the Mandrake Control Center.

Maybe I can find something on google.... stay tuned. :)

---- Edit ----
And I did! Here is the link to it. Find the location of a file called kdmrc probably the easiest way would be

Code:

$ locate kdmrc

Mine is located in /usr/share/config/kdm/ . Here is my file:

Code:

[root@localhost kdm]# cat kdmrc

[General]

ConfigVersion=2.1

PidFile=/var/run/xdm.pid

Xservers=/etc/X11/xdm/Xservers



[Shutdown]

HaltCmd=/sbin/halt

LiloCmd=/sbin/lilo

LiloMap=/boot/map

RebootCmd=/sbin/reboot

UseLilo=true



[X-*-Core]

AllowNullPasswd=false

AllowRootLogin=false

AllowShutdown=Root

AutoReLogin=false

Reset=/etc/X11/xdm/GiveConsole

Resources=/etc/X11/xdm/Xresources

Session=/etc/X11/xdm/Xsession

Setup=/etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup_0

Startup=/etc/X11/xdm/TakeConsole

SystemPath=/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin/

UserPath=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin/



[X-*-Greeter]

AntiAliasing=true

AuthComplain=false

ColorScheme=Plastik

DefaultUser=alex

EchoMode=NoEcho

FaceSource=AdminOnly

FailFont=Sans,12,-1,5,75,0,0,0,0,0

FocusPasswd=false

ForgingSeed=1069108915

GUIStyle=dotNET

GreetFont=Sans,24,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0

GreetString=Welcome to %n

GreeterPosFixed=false

GreeterPosX=0

GreeterPosY=0

HiddenUsers=nobody,root

Language=en_US

LogoArea=Clock

LogoPixmap=

MaxShowUID=65535

MinShowUID=500

PreselectUser=None

SelectedUsers=

ShowUsers=None

SortUsers=true

StdFont=Sans,12,-1,5,50,0,0,0,0,0

UseBackground=true



[X-:*-Core]

AllowNullPasswd=true

AllowRootLogin=true

AllowShutdown=None

NoPassEnable=false

NoPassUsers=



[X-:*-Greeter]

LoginMode=DefaultLocal



[X-:0-Core]

Authorize=true

AutoLoginEnable=false

AutoLoginUser=alex



[X-:1-Core]

Authorize=true



[Xdmcp]

Enable=false

Willing=/etc/X11/xdm/Xwilling

Xaccess=/etc/X11/xdm/Xaccess

Have a look what I made bold. Modifying that value should allow for root login. Of course save the file, and restart the window manager. Let me know if this resolved the problem :)

Hi,

Check that you don't have a file called /etc/nologin... if yes, remove it

Oliv'

Please, do NOT login as root. When you setup your machine correctly you don't need to have root access in KDE. Linux is NOT Windows.

And whenever you need root access, open a shell and do "su root" (For instance when you need to install applications or when you need to configure something). And whenever you need root access in a graphical application, use 'kdesu' to start it.

When I first started using Linux I also used to login as root. But it's just plain stupid, insecure and absolutely not necessary.

Good luck (and please, do not login as root ;) )

Quote:

Originally posted by McCloud
Please, do NOT login as root. [...]

Good luck (and please, do not login as root ;) )

I second that motion!

Actually, if you get used to it, you'll likely enjoy a non-graphical login much more than
the graphical thing, which just frustrates me. Sometimes there's a little routine maintenance
or something I want to check from the command line before actually logging in, and
the command-line login makes that a snap, where the graphical one makes it impossible.

To switch to a command-line login you just change the default runlevel from "5" to "3"
in /etc/inittab.

Just my two cents' worth on this issue.

If you want to work on files via root then use the file manager. In my system using kde its K -> system -> more programs -> file manager it will then ask for you root password.

Quote:

Originally posted by jonr

To switch to a command-line login you just change the default runlevel from "5" to "3"
in /etc/inittab.

This is a Redhat/Mandrake-centric viewpoint when it comes to runlevels. The default runlevel in debian is typically runlevel 2 in the first place. In order to remove the graphical login within debian, all you need to do is remove the symbolic link to gdm in /etc/rc2.d, typically S99gdm.

Hey!

Many thanks to all of you for your replies, are quite interesting and usefull.

First of all, Student04: yes, it works with your advice. It is just what I wanted.

2- McCloud & Jonr: Thanks a lot for your recommendation, I agree with you since read somewhere that connected while logged as root give the chance to anyone modify your system if can access. Agree also that Linux is not Windows......that is the main reason why I want to learn, and indeed I do...now I know how can allow/deny "root logins":)

3- TigerOC, Wells & Oliv': Thanks a lot for your comments, will take them into account (in fact I'm saving the page)

Regards
Martin

Hi Guys,

Great article, and very helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TigerOC - the only reason I have ever logged into root was for this graphical interface, excellent advice thankyou!

McCloud - I tried your suggestion and recieved this:-

evoffice:/# kdesu
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

kdesu: cannot connect to X server :0.0
evoffice:/#

Any idea's? I have not got my Samba setup properly, but I not sure if this is linked.

Also, if I wanted to edit a file in command line, how do I go about it. The only reference to this type of command is for dos. I don't want to be stuck to a graphical interface, as I see the power of the command line.

Cheers

Evan

Quote:

Originally posted by aikidoist72

Also, if I wanted to edit a file in command line, how do I go about it. The only reference to this type of command is for dos. I don't want to be stuck to a graphical interface, as I see the power of the command line.

Cheers

Evan

Don't know how to answer your first question - this thread was the first I ever heard of the kdesu command as well. The kdesu --help command didn't give me much information either and there is no man page for it.
As to your second question, there are a few good command line editors for ascii files. one is "vi" which is called like this:
vi <filename>
this will take you into viewing the file mode. if you want to edit it, hit the "I" key. This is insert mode. Edit the text the way you want to. To get out of insert mode, hit escape. Then, to save, make a colon, and type the letter "w" for "write." If you want to save and exit, just throw in a "q" at the end to look like this: ":wq"
Those are the basic commands for vi.
you can also use joe. joe is called like this:
joe <filename>
joe has a very detailed list of commands in it, so explaining them here would be unnecessary. Joe greatly resembles old-skool DOS WordPerfect. If you miss the glory days, head over into joe and have a look around. :)

Quote:

Originally posted by aikidoist72
Also, if I wanted to edit a file in command line, how do I go about it. The only reference to this type of command is for dos. I don't want to be stuck to a graphical interface, as I see the power of the command line.

You can use "vi" or "vim" or "nano" or "pico". For example

Code:

# vim /etc/inittab

would open up the vim editor with the /etc/inittab file loaded. I would recommend that you try pico or nano first as they are more straight forward with usage, but vi/vim is more powerful (do some reading on the net first).

*edit*
darn someone posted before me... :(