Can’t start root privileged programs

[Member Pumukli]

Hello,

Well, a perfect install media makes wonders. 🙂

Now I have a successfully installed antiX 19 config on my Thinkpad R50e. It works, I could refresh the package list, could do apt-get update, browse the net, add a local keyboard layout to the default one, change the wallpaper, etc. Then I shut down the computer.
This day I powered up the machine again, logged in as a regular user and wanted to install something from the repositories. I selected “package manager” or something like that from the applications. I was greeted with a window which requested the root password. It was expected. I typed in the root password and that’s all. The requested application did not start. I checked several times. Nothing. I changed the windows manager, tried Icewm, rox-icewm, jwm: I couldn’t get the requested root privileged program to load!
I tried to start the keyboard layout manager – yesterday it worked. Today I was greeted by the window which requested the root password, I typed in the password but the layout manager didn’t start.

What’s the problem? It surely worked right after the installation yesterday, after a system restart it doesn’t.

What should I look for?

Thanks in advance,

Pumukli

[Member kernelpanic]

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maybe it`s an easy solution:

did you check your authentication mode? “su” or “sudo”?
open controlcentre – session – and check the authentification behavior.

if “sudo” is checked: your (user)password is the correct one.
if “su”: give password for root.

[Member Pumukli]

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Thanks for the tip!

Unfortunately neither one work. 🙂

(The password requesting window explicitely asked for the root password.)

Pumukli

[Member fatmac]

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You should only need to enter your user password – did you check you got a good download, before installing(?).

Linux (& BSD) since 1999

[Member Pumukli]

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If I want to INSTALL something into the system then I expect root password is required. When I enter the root password nothing happens, the Package Installer doesn’t start.

[Moderator caprea]

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Could it be that it has something to do with

Pumukli wrote:

add a local keyboard layout to the default one

Please
cat /etc/default/keyboard

[Member Pumukli]

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Cat /etc/default/keyboard

#KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION FILE
#Consult the keyboard(5) manual page.

XKBMODEL=”pc105″
XKBLAYOUT=”hu,us”
XKBVARIANT=”102_qwerty_comma_nodead,”
XKBOPTIONS=”grp:shifts_toggle,grp_led:num,terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp”

BACKSPACE=”guess”

I tried the login under both layouts. Neither worked.

Thanks,

Pumukli

[Moderator caprea]

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It is relatively easy and fast to reset the password for root if you have an antiX19 live-stick at hand.

Boot the live-stick
Go to the menu > applications > antiX > Chroot Rescue Scan

Select your antiX-installation in the drop-down list

To change root password type

passwd

If you like you can also change user password , type
passwd your-user-name

Type exit and go to quit rescue-scan.

Reboot and your password should be reset.

[Member Pumukli]

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I don’t want to reset the passwords, because they are working IF you try to login on the first log-in screen at the end of the boot process OR if you press ctr-alt-F1, get to the console and type the passwords there.

The problem is: I can’t use the root passwords when I need root privileges during an X-session, under the various windows managers. Sudo-ing does not work.

Pumukli

[Anonymous]

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If I want to INSTALL something into the system then I expect root password is required. When I enter the root password nothing happens, the Package Installer doesn’t start.

The default policy grants sudo group membership to all user login accounts, and just about everywhere you’re asked for a password to authorize an elevated-permissions process, the auth mechanism is sudo ~~ which expects YOUR password.

If I attempt to supply the ROOT user password when launching packageinstaller, yes, that fails (and that’s the to-be-expected result)

[Member Pumukli]

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Skidoo, you are the man! 🙂

I supplied my user password and it worked! The package installer started.

I think it is a “bit” confusing though that the window, which pops up after you request a root privileged operation and asks for the password EXPLICITELY says thet “enter your root password”! How should I know that the root password is the user’s password in this case?

Kernelpanic also pointed out the solution but somehow it did not worked yesterday. Maybe I was too quick to assume the password did not work because it does take a few secs on this old machine to bring up the package manager’s window and I was typing and clicking “like crazy” and it migh confused the system. I’m fairly new to this Linux thing, mind you. 🙂

Thanks guys for the help, I think I’ll can manage it now on – until the next obstacle 😉

Pumukli

[Author]

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