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Old 10-13-2019, 01:09 PM   #1
Super24
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Run Users and Groups launcher - not as root


Is there a way to run the "Users and Groups" without having the root password? I am in the sudoers file and can work with users from the command line. But, I would like to be able to use the GUI.

TIA
 
Old 10-14-2019, 08:02 AM   #2
TB0ne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Super24 View Post
Is there a way to run the "Users and Groups" without having the root password? I am in the sudoers file and can work with users from the command line. But, I would like to be able to use the GUI.
You don't say what version/distro of Linux you're using, or what desktop environment, so it's hard to give a definitive answer. Under KDE, you can run "kdesu <command-name>", and it will run a GUI based program with elevated privileges. Gnome uses "gksu" for the same thing. You can also write a small 'shell script' with "sudo <whatever-program-name>", and add it into the launcher of your choice, and if you don't have to enter a SUDO password, the program will just come up.

However, I would strongly urge against doing this. GUI based programs as root are accidents waiting to happen, and using the CLI for admin purposes is the 'standard' way of doing things, and if you have to work on a server over the network or at a text-only console, and you rely too heavily on the GUI programs....things won't go easy.
 
Old 10-14-2019, 11:32 AM   #3
Super24
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Thanks. Point taken. BTW, I am running centos 6.10
 
Old 10-14-2019, 12:04 PM   #4
scasey
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Hmm. When I run "Users and Groups" on my CentOS 7 desktop, I have to enter my password (as for sudo) not the root password.
Which is not to disagree with TB0ne at all. Best is to do those things from the command line.
 
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Old 10-14-2019, 01:50 PM   #5
michaelk
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Users and groups is shortcut to the system-config-users utility which is a link to consolehelper. consolehelper is a wrapper that allows an ordinary user elevated privileges for specific programs and uses pam. I will confess that I run system utilities from the desktop.

This might help.
https://wiki.centos.org/TipsAndTricks/BecomingRoot

I did not think that using your password even if you had sudo privileges would work. I just checked and CentOS 6 system-config-users uses consolehelper but CentOS 7 does not.

Last edited by michaelk; 10-14-2019 at 02:18 PM.
 
Old 10-15-2019, 02:17 AM   #6
ondoho
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Isn't there this thing called keyring that basically stores a user's password so they don't have to enter it again and again?
If I understand OP to be a complaint about having to enter their password (too often), the keyring should help.
 
Old 10-16-2019, 05:30 AM   #7
Super24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ondoho View Post
Isn't there this thing called keyring that basically stores a user's password so they don't have to enter it again and again?
If I understand OP to be a complaint about having to enter their password (too often), the keyring should help.
I don't mind entering a password, but as mentioned above, it is asking for the root password, not mine.
 
Old 10-16-2019, 07:26 AM   #8
TB0ne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Super24 View Post
I don't mind entering a password, but as mentioned above, it is asking for the root password, not mine.
Well, the solution of a small script as mentioned is still valid. If you are in the sudoers file and set up to not be prompted for a password, that'll do what you're after. Again, though...NOT a good or secure thing to do.
 
Old 10-17-2019, 01:33 AM   #9
ondoho
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Super24 View Post
I don't mind entering a password, but as mentioned above, it is asking for the root password, not mine.
Strange.
If you enter
Code:
sudo whateverapplication
does it still ask for your root password (as per post #2)?
 
  


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