.Xauthority file problems on Slack 10.2

brooky9999 · 02-08-2008, 09:19 AM

Hi,

I have somehow managed to delete root's .Xauthority file on my Slack 10.2 box.

Now if I become root and try to launch an application (for example to upgrade it) then I get the following:

Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(firefox-bin:5117): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:

I have copied one over from a normal user, but this doesn't work properly / only works for a short time.

I have tried to generate a new .Xauhority file but haven't had much luck. Any ideas?

M.

brooky9999 · 02-08-2008, 09:28 AM

I have tried generating a new .Xauthority file by doing:

Code:

xauth generate :0 .

which gives me:

xauth: creating new authority file /root/.Xauthority <------ this looks promising
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

xauth: (argv):1: unable to open display ":0". <------ not so promising

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

M.

gnashley · 02-08-2008, 12:41 PM

Usually you don't need to generate these files manually. Just start using 'startx'.

brooky9999 · 02-08-2008, 12:45 PM

I can log on as root, that's fine.

The issue is when I log on as a normal user, and then use 'su' in a terminal to become root.

Any thoughts?

M.

gnashley · 02-08-2008, 01:54 PM

Do you mean that while running X as a normal user and trying to su to root inside a terminal emulator(xterm). Or are you trying to su to root from a real cli console? Are you trying to start an application directly before starting X?

brooky9999 · 02-08-2008, 02:20 PM

Yes - I am running X as a normal user.

Then I fire up an xterm, and run 'su'. The idea is that I become root, run the app I want, and then close it. I then kill the xterm session.

M.

gnashley · 02-09-2008, 01:24 AM

You want to start the app as root and which of the below?
1. have it run on your user desktop
2. have it run on root's desktop
3. have it run on roots cli

cwwilson721 · 02-09-2008, 05:12 AM

I think i understand what the OP is referring to.

They are trying to run a GUI app by su in the terminal from a user's x session. (For example, running thunar as root from user foo's gui xsession.)

Code:

foo@home:~:su
Password:
root@home:/home/foo#thunar

then the errors start.

What they are trying to do, in general, won't work. But if you try using 'sudo' instead of 'su', I think you will better success.

NOTE: I just tried the 'su' route on my box, but I've modified my sudoers file and many, many other things, that 'su' DOES work...It didn't before...

To modify your sudoers file safely(according to the common wisdom/knowledge/custom), use 'visudo' (I used a text editor with no ill effects so far, but...).

As for how to use visudo, search the forum, it has better instructions than I could even attempt to write here.

gnashley · 02-09-2008, 06:31 AM

I suspect the same as you -that's why I am trying to pin dowm exactly what he wants. There is a small program (actually a script) which makes these things a little easier to do. It's called 'sux'. You can get a package of it here:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...ils/sux-1.0.1/

brooky9999 · 02-09-2008, 06:56 AM

Hi guys,

Thanks for your answers.

I'm pretty well up on sudo, and after editing my sudoers file, it appears to solve my problems.

It's also easier this way too.

One point though - I could definitely run applications using the xterm / su route before hosing root's .Xauthority file. But that's irrelevant now.

Many thanks,

M.

cwwilson721 · 02-09-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brooky9999

...

One point though - I could definitely run applications using the xterm / su route before hosing root's .Xauthority file. But that's irrelevant now.

Many thanks,

M.

I believe that is the route that gnashley was referring to, a modification of the .Xauthority file.

In the kernel sticky here in the forum, there is also a way to have su apps displayed on the users gui. (It may be the same script. Been a long time since I remembered seeing it in that post...Lots of stuff to read in there...lol

But since mine also runs root apps thru the terminal using 'su', I'm assuming I DID run that script or something very similar at some point (one of the 'issues' of old age..."Did I already do that?")

But very glad to see you found a way. That's what I love about the Slackware community...If you ask three different people a question, you'll more than likely get 6 answers, and one of them ought to not only work, but that you'll feel comfortable using.