command problems for user

Rollo69 · 02-15-2008, 07:16 PM

Can someone help me get slocate to work for user. I have tried following other peoples advise (google, forums) but still no go.

Code:

ls -ld /var/ /var/lib
drwxr-xr-x  18 root root 488 2005-09-12 02:01 /var/
drwxr-xr-x  15 root root 368 2005-09-12 01:56 /var/lib

ls -l /var/lib/slocate
total 7271
-rw-r-----  1 root slocate 3720271 2008-02-15 07:27 slocate.db
-rw-r-----  1 root root    3714733 2008-02-13 09:08 slocate.db.old

ls -l /usr/bin/slocate
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 26652 2004-05-29 23:52 /usr/bin/slocate

I also can't get the following commands to work for user.

Code:

hdparm -i hda
-bash: hdparm: command not found

 lspci
-bash: lspci: command not found

ifconfig
-bash: ifconfig: command not found

I'm almost sure I've used these before as user. I saw in another post on this forum (not slackware) that these commands are for root only. If that's true then let me know.

Thanks

gilead · 02-15-2008, 07:59 PM

On my system, ls -l /usr/bin/slocate gives:

Code:

-rwxr-sr-x 1 root slocate 31112 2006-04-19 14:56 /usr/bin/slocate

You could alter yours with sudo chmod g+s /usr/bin/slocate

The other commands (/usr/sbin/hdparm /sbin/lspci and /sbin/ifconfig) can be run by non-root users, but settings cannot be changed except with root access (sudo, su or login as root). /usr/sbin and /sbin won't be on your path as a non-root user, just use the full path to the command.

Rollo69 · 02-15-2008, 08:10 PM

Thanks for you quick response and help gilead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilead

On my system, ls -l /usr/bin/slocate gives:

Code:

-rwxr-sr-x 1 root slocate 31112 2006-04-19 14:56 /usr/bin/slocate

Here's after chmod g+s

Code:

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/slocate
-rwxr-sr-x  1 root root 26652 2004-05-29 23:52 /usr/bin/slocate*

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ slocate etc
warning: slocate: could not open database: /var/lib/slocate/slocate.db: Permission denied

I don't understand it.

Thanks

edit: I don't know if it makes a difference but I noticed my /usr/bin/slocate has an * after it and your's doesn't.??

gilead · 02-15-2008, 08:25 PM

Sorry, I didn't look closely at the ownership. Since your copy shows it being owned by root, you'll also need:

Code:

chgrp slocate /usr/bin/slocate

I'm assuming there's a group called slocate on your system and that you have the same output as this:

Code:

$ ls -ld /var/lib/slocate
drwxr-x--- 2 root slocate 4096 2008-02-16 00:37 /var/lib/slocate
~$ sudo ls -l /var/lib/slocate
-rw-r----- 1 root slocate 7058201 2008-02-16 00:37 slocate.db

Rollo69 · 02-15-2008, 08:52 PM

Thanks for the help gilead.

Code:

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ sudo chgrp slocate /usr/bin/slocate
Password:
bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/slocate
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root slocate 26652 2004-05-29 23:52 /usr/bin/slocate*

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ slocate slocate
warning: slocate: could not open database: /var/lib/slocate/slocate.db: Permission denied

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ ls -ld /var/lib/slocate
drwxr-xr-x  2 root slocate 112 2008-02-15 07:27 /var/lib/slocate/

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ sudo ls -l /var/lib/slocate
total 7271
-rw-r-----  1 root slocate 3720271 2008-02-15 07:27 slocate.db
-rw-r-----  1 root root    3714733 2008-02-13 09:08 slocate.db.old

Do you see anything wrong with my permissions/groups.?? There isn't supposed to be anything set (i.e. SUID) is there. I did just notice that the permissions are different on my /usr/bin/slocate. It's no longer set. I'll give the chmod command another try.

edit:

Code:

sudo chmod g+s /usr/bin/slocate
Password:

bigdawg@Heavnersnetwork:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/slocate
-rwxr-sr-x  1 root slocate 26652 2004-05-29 23:52 /usr/bin/slocate*

It's now working... I had it working yesterday but when I booted up today it wasn't working. Is there anything that could be changing the permissions inadvertantly or otherwise??

Thanks for you help gilead!!

gilead · 02-15-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rollo69

It's now working... I had it working yesterday but when I booted up today it wasn't working. Is there anything that could be changing the permissions inadvertantly or otherwise??

There shouldn't be - I ran the following on my system to look for scripts, config files, etc. that affect slocate and didn't get anything that changed permissions (nothing relevant was returned):

Code:

# grep -ir slocate /etc/*
# grep -ir slocate /var/spool/cron/*

Rollo69 · 02-16-2008, 06:21 PM

Thanks gilead.. I have booted up now and slocate is still working. I appreciate your help as well as this forum.

Thanks to you and to all who help us!!!