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Old 08-25-2014, 12:43 PM   #1
piobair
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root login after 12.04


Prior to the latest dist upgrade, I could log into root by (first) enabling root:
/etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc AllowRootLogin=true
However, the latest upgrade does not provide a block in the login splash screen for root user.

I tried <ctl><alt>F1 (login as root). That does allow root access, but without X11. startx. That resulted in a blank (black) screen.

Suggestions?
 
Old 08-25-2014, 01:05 PM   #2
jailbait
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As user in a KDE desktop on my Debian system I can open a terminal, su, password, and startx. That gets me into a KDE desktop as root. Then I can use system settings, login screen, users to put root on the login screen. This might work on Ubuntu.

----------------------
Steve Stites

Last edited by jailbait; 08-25-2014 at 01:19 PM.
 
Old 08-25-2014, 03:01 PM   #3
John VV
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there is really NEVER any need to boot into the gui and the root account
-- now there are a few exceptions, their always are --

log in as your normal user
and use "sudo" or "su -" to become root in the terminal

and only then if you NEED to use a gui
start it
"dolphin" or "nautilus"
 
Old 08-25-2014, 09:31 PM   #4
piobair
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Steve Stites aka Jailbait;
As I said initially, startx does not work for me after a root login. I got a black screen. You got to root via su instead of directly. See my comment following. Also, the addition of root as a user in Debian does not result in root showing up as a valid user choice during login. Instad, I must type "root" into the "other" block. The latest Kubuntu doe not provide an "other" block even if root logins have been permitted.

John VV;
Opinions. You cannot convince me that sudo is as secure as a root login; I cannot convince you of the total stupidity of the existance of sudo. Enough said.
After direct login as root, I invoked dolphin. I got an error message: "cannot connect to X server". Presumably I would get the same message if nautilus had been installed. That you can invoke dolphin from an sudo terminal implies that you are invoking services controlled by User while superuser privilges have been granted. That only reinforces my paranoia concerning sudo.

Why cannot I startx from command line while logged in as root?

PS I use a different wallpaper as root, just to reinforce that I am not in User mode.

On the subject of security, sign me, "Paranoid and proud."

Quote:
Originally Posted by John VV View Post
there is really NEVER any need to boot into the gui and the root account
-- now there are a few exceptions, their always are --

log in as your normal user
and use "sudo" or "su -" to become root in the terminal

and only then if you NEED to use a gui
start it
"dolphin" or "nautilus"

Last edited by piobair; 08-25-2014 at 09:36 PM. Reason: added PS
 
Old 08-25-2014, 09:38 PM   #5
John VV
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do a search of this forum about root gui login

i WILL NOT argue with someone about that
there are only a few exceptions and normally one would be using a recovery disk for those tasks
 
Old 08-25-2014, 10:49 PM   #6
Randicus Draco Albus
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Quote:
Originally Posted by piobair View Post
On the subject of security, sign me, "Paranoid and proud."
You are paranoid about security, but you want to run X as root? Call me confused.

I also fail to see the difference in security between su and sudo when using X. And I am a fervent opponent to sudo abuse. I believe it should only be used for the purpose it was designed for, but in this case, I fail to see the logic. Whether using su or sudo, the result is the same; running X with root privileges.
 
Old 08-26-2014, 08:16 AM   #7
piobair
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John VV;
I did say "enough said." Can we agree to disagree?
As you instructed, I tried to search this forum on the keyword "gui", and could not find a discussion on root gui logins.

Draco;
I also see no difference between su and sudo. However, that is not what I attempted. <ctl><alt>F1 results is a pure root login (not su from user). My issue with invoking sudo from User is that if the User has been compromised, it is theoretically possible to compromise root while logged in as User.

All that is beside the point. Why cannot I startx while logged in as root?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Randicus Draco Albus View Post
You are paranoid about security, but you want to run X as root? Call me confused.

I also fail to see the difference in security between su and sudo when using X. And I am a fervent opponent to sudo abuse. I believe it should only be used for the purpose it was designed for, but in this case, I fail to see the logic. Whether using su or sudo, the result is the same; running X with root privileges.
 
Old 08-26-2014, 10:31 AM   #8
jailbait
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Quote:
Originally Posted by piobair View Post
Why cannot I startx from command line while logged in as root?

PS I use a different wallpaper as root, just to reinforce that I am not in User mode.

On the subject of security, sign me, "Paranoid and proud."
Quote:
Originally Posted by piobair View Post
the addition of root as a user in Debian does not result in root showing up as a valid user choice during login. Instead, I must type "root" into the "other" block. The latest Kubuntu doe not provide an "other" block even if root logins have been permitted.
Yes, I know. Whenever I install a Debian system I enable root login with /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc AllowRootLogin=true as you did. Then I have to add root to the list of users displayed by the KDM login screen. Since you stated that you lost the root user from the KDM login screen I told you how I can get it back on Debian.

Maybe you have also lost /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc AllowRootLogin=true. If so you can get it back by booting a rescue CD and changing /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc again.

Quote:
Originally Posted by piobair View Post
Why cannot I startx from command line while logged in as root?
I think that <ctl><alt>F1 goes to runlevel 3. Try su from a user that is running at runlevel 5.

--------------------------
Steve Stites
 
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Old 08-26-2014, 02:02 PM   #9
piobair
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I learned something new: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runlevel
If <ctl><alt>F1 is runlevel 3, and that is w/o display manager for Ubuntu, then that explains why I couldn't get startx to work. That makes good sense: It provides a fallback for when the display manager is broken.

I do have AllowRootLogin=true . Also (oops) I am talking about Ubuntu 14.04, not 12.04. However, I cannot identify which file/program controls the user list at login.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jailbait View Post
Yes, I know. Whenever I install a Debian system I enable root login with /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc AllowRootLogin=true as you did. Then I have to add root to the list of users displayed by the KDM login screen. Since you stated that you lost the root user from the KDM login screen I told you how I can get it back on Debian.

Maybe you have also lost /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc AllowRootLogin=true. If so you can get it back by booting a rescue CD and changing /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc again.



I think that <ctl><alt>F1 goes to runlevel 3. Try su from a user that is running at runlevel 5.

--------------------------
Steve Stites
 
Old 08-26-2014, 03:56 PM   #10
jailbait
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Quote:
Originally Posted by piobair View Post
I cannot identify which file/program controls the user list at login.
For years I have been changing the user list by using a KDE desktop. If you can get into a root KDE desktop by using su in a user KDE desktop terminal then try clicking on Kmenu -> system settings -> login screen -> users find the login screen users list. I don't remember how to do it by editing a file anymore.


http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kde-wo...dmconfig-users



--------------------------
Steve Stites
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 08-26-2014, 10:19 PM   #11
piobair
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Got it!!
I changed the login screen from "user bar" to "classic", and all problems disappeared!
Many thanks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jailbait View Post
For years I have been changing the user list by using a KDE desktop. If you can get into a root KDE desktop by using su in a user KDE desktop terminal then try clicking on Kmenu -> system settings -> login screen -> users find the login screen users list. I don't remember how to do it by editing a file anymore.


http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kde-wo...dmconfig-users



--------------------------
Steve Stites
 
  


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