I have a server that I have installed the GNOME Desktop environment on, and use NoMachine to connect to it remotely, but when i go to install software I am prompted for the "Administrator" password which I don't know/have. The server OS was installed with root disabled, and a single user defined using ssh key authentication to connect. I can use the desktop without issue, I just can't install anything or use the GUI to do any administrative actions.

What is this Administrator password its looking for? Do I need to enable the root user and give it a password to be able to use the GUI for admin functions? I can sudo and run any commands but that doesn't help with the GUI.

maybe it's your user password?


moan & grunt. like installing a wardrobe on a motorbike.

That could be, but my user doesn't have a password either. Only an SSH Key thats used for authentication when I connect via SSH and NoMachine. Perhaps I need to set a password for my user... kinda undermines the security of only using SSH Key Authentication though.

Yeah, pretty much. The whole point of the VM was to be a desktop so I may need to search for a desktop specific image on Azure, or do it myself manually.

yeah, do NOT enable password auth for ssh.
anyhow, this some sort of cloud provided virtual server thingy?
ask the providers.

Its an Azure Hosted VM yes, the image is a CentOS 7.3 image that's just a standard install. I am asking here because I've seen other people post around the net with the same issue but I have yet to find the solution. I guess I can try a few things and just trash the VM and build a new one if it doesn't work out. If I happen to find the answer i'll post it here.. but in the meantime if anyone else has tried something like this and knows feel free to post.

If you installed GNOME Desktop, you must have the password?
and no it doesn't. Compliments it, IMO.

I used sudo to install it, and when you authenticate via SSH key sudo doesnt require a password.

Kinda off topic but If you enable a password for a user, would you then have to use both the password and the key to connect? I havnt used SSH Keys and passwords together before, just one or the other.

No, this is not accurate.
The ssh-key can have a password also, but that's another story. Additional security (password) can be given to an ssh key upon creation.

Right, that I have done already. But that doesn't help me when GNOME wants an administrator password in order to install software/perform admin actions etc.

seems nobody knows precisely which password(s) we're talking about.

rustyz82, please provide more and precise information.

and i still don't see why the providers can't help you with that, if this is a paid-for service.

That's your user password, which you don't seem to know because NoMachine does all the thinking?

How do you get into the Gnome Desktop on this remote "server".
Typically, the administrator password is the same password as the first created user when the system is installed. This is how Ubuntu does it. Mint too.
Try your "usual password" you are using to login to this remote machine using NoMachine.

Password used?

I gave my user a password, since all that was setup before was a SSH key, and that password doesn't work. NoMachine starts the X server and connects to it. I have NoMachine installed on both the server and the client.I get the full graphical interface, just can't seem to figure out what password its looking for.

Attached is a screenshot of what I get when it prompts me for the password, this particular screenshot is from when i connected for the first time but its the same kind of prompt for installing software etc.

Update: As I was typing this I thought to try giving the root user a password. This seemed to do the trick. Once the root user had a password I was able to use that to authenticate for these prompts. I still have password authentication blocked at the SSH level so this should be secure enough.

This is my first time trying to use a CentOS Desktop.. and possibly my last.

Attached Thumbnails

 

I can't speak to the OS, but when I'm challenged for Administrative Privileges in Cinnamon (yours looks like same)
I have always used my user's password.

This is a practice VM?
In anticipation of Managing an Azure Server, by putting a Desktop on it?

Not really practice, but somewhat of an experiment. I am/was going for a desktop environment hosted in the "cloud" that I could connect to from wherever I may be, using NoMachine. So when I am at work, out and about or even at home, I could have a single desktop that I could use for personal surfing, development, or even monitoring. There are plenty out there to purchase but since I have Azure credits to use each month I was trying to set my own up. In my previous linux desktop setups I always had a password for the account I was using but with this Azure deployment I did not. I only had an SSH Key. Perhaps this is where there stands a gap between the server and desktop environments. In the end I had to give root a password and use that password.

Using the CLI I could use sudo to run commands as root but even sudo didn't require a password.

I'm not sure what you're expecting from this future host, but I found this nugget about managing this remote asset:

"In addition to interacting with services via API, users can manage Azure services using the Web-based Azure Portal, which reached General Availability in December 2015.[15] The portal allows users to browse active resources, modify settings, launch new resources, and view basic monitoring data from active virtual machines and services. More advanced Azure management services are available." [1]

I am from the old school, so forgive me if I express my opinion here.
servers don't come with desktops. That makes them desktops.

The tools and assets used to communicate and/or manage this future host, will be varied and possibly a struggle to get used to.
New tools take time to use effectively.

I manage a few servers on a daily basis, what desktop installed on the remote host, is the last thing I think about.
Why do you believe you need one on yours if Azure provides a Portal?

wrt:
A legal or contract checkbox that says "We're not liable after this."?
Hard to tell. maybe deployment doesn't want to violate some "rule". root is typically "disabled" these days, on some OSs.

At Amazon, they give you a "Secure Environment" much the same as you are describing, and what happens after that is "all you".

so, you now have full control over your guest system password?

It does sound like you are getting a "full dose" of Linux SysAdmin.fu