User Manager GUI
 

I have two RHEL conputers that are causing me a bit grief in the user manager gui.

One computer is kernel is 2.6.18-194.8.1.el5 and the other is 2.6.18-194.11.1.el5

I don't think that matters much but wanted to give you all the onfo I had.

SO the probelm ---

> All the users on the these two computers do not have root access/rights
> When a standard user access the user manager they are not prompted for the root password and cannot open the User Manager.

Is there a package I need to install?

Not exactly sure what you're talking about. First, all 'regular' users should NOT have root access/rights at all. Root is a special user, and can damage quite a bit, if not used cautiously. You can set up 'regular' users in SUDO'ers, and grant them rights that way, or if you're feeling brave, give away the root password as you see fit. But, you should never just 'give away' root rights. There has to be a good reason to, otherwise you're just inviting trouble.

Your second question is confusing. You first say a standard users accesses the user manager, then say they cannot access the user manager. Do you mean after they log in they run the systems-administration tools to manage users? Are they doing it from a console GUI, or over the network? Have they tried running "sudo <command name>" at a terminal, or just SU'ing to root, then running it?

And since you're using RHEL...have you contacted them for help, since you're paying for it with your RHEL subscription?

I think you mean that if you start the user manager as a normal user, it should ask for the root password instead of quitting. Is that right?

you got it ;)

What user manager program is it? How is it called?

(The only GUI user manager I've used was KUser, but I usually use the command line tools)

I'm using Gnome ---

The Users and Groups calls the system-config-users.

I have a virtual machine running CentOS 5, and it does ask for the root password when you open the user manager.

MTK358 -- thanks for you response but I am still having a problem.

Does anyone else know what else I could try? I really think it has something to do with the kernel version --- my other linux computers prompt me for the root password.....

No, it doesn't have anything to do with the kernel.

The only reason it shouldn't prompt you for the root password, is if you're already running with root-equivalent rights. So if you set up a user as a group-0 (essentially, root-equivalent) user, you won't get prompted. Did you add the user to the "root" group when you set them up? Are they running that command via a root-equivalent shell, or a SUDO?

Cool -- good to know that it's not kernel related. Although at this point by be the easiest answer ;)

I have a group called "xyz" that is assigned a manually GID of 501. Users are added to that group. The users do not have root access.

When I create a user via the GUI, I uncheck "Create a private group for the user"
AND THEN -- I Check "Specify user ID manually" Assign the specific UID to the user as all users have a unique ID in our workgroup
I edit the user by click the last tab "Groups" and changing the group from user to jedi.

All the interfacing is done via the menu toolbar not through the command prompt.

What rights do the "jedi" and "xyz" groups have? Have you tried creating a user you don't put in those groups, to see what happens?

under /etc/groups -- jedi is listed as "jedi:x:501:"list of users" -- Foret about group "xyz" I used that as an example becasue I didn't want to give out the name but I did ---

I took a user out of the "jedi" group and just added it to the users groups. Did the same thing ----

Ok...try to create a brand-new user, and don't move them around group-wise, and see if it still does it.

I thought that this posted yesterday but I don't see it....

I added a new user and didn't add it to anything. Still getting the same problem ;( GRRR >>

Another option I tried was taking a look in the sudoers file -- compared it with the others and they are all the same.