[NTLUG:Discuss] Ubuntu GDM issues (or maybe X - not sure)...

[Johnny Cybermyth]

After re-reading my original reply, I see that my tone may have been 
misleading.  I wasn't trying to accuse you of the Cardinal Sin of using 
root as a user account ;)

As a long time Ubuntu user, I was trying to figure out why root is 
entering into this at all.  Default Ubuntu systems don't have the root 
setup at all.  To get a real root account, you have to dome some extra 
steps yourself.  Previously, I was trying to understand if you had done 
those steps and why.

When the typical user runs Synaptic, he/she is greeted with a message 
box saying something like "Enter your password to perform administrative 
tasks".  The requested password is your USER password; the same one 
which you used to log in.  This is not a request for a root password.

So, have you tried entering your own password into the message box when 
Synaptic is started?

When you try that, could you post the result to us?

Good luck!

--David

P.S. Here is some additional info on sudo and gksudo.

This same idea works with command line utilities as well.  To run 
command line utilities with root privileges, one must use the sudo 
command in front of the command which you are trying to run like this:

sudo gedit /etc/inittab

because simply trying:

gedit /etc/inittab

wouldn't give you the permissions to save any changes made to the file. 
  sudo will prompt you for your password, not root's password.

gksudo is the GUI version if sudo.

--
Jeff wrote:
> I'm not retarded enough to use my root account as my main account.  I am 
> using my user account and I'm using synaptic to update/install 
> packages.  When you want to update/install, it prompts you for the root 
> password.  When I enter it, the os locks requiring me to restart GDM.
> 
> If I use apt-get to update/install packages on the command line from my 
> user account, it also asks for the root password.  I enter it and 
> everything works fine.  Does that make more sense? 
> 
> 
> Johnny Cybermyth wrote:
>> Why are you using the root account with Ubuntu?  By default, Ubuntu 
>> doesn't come with a root account set up.  They are using sudo and gksudo 
>> for administrative tasks.  Every time you need administrator's 
>> privileges, you should be prompted for YOUR USER password.
>>
>> So, to get back to your original question, If we knew why you were using 
>> root rather than a user account, we might be able to dig a little deeper 
>> into your problem.
>>
>> Right now, I'm not sure I know what would be going on in your box.
>>
>> --Johnny
>>
>> Jeff wrote:
>>   
>>> Whenever I have to enter the root password to use an administrative tool 
>>> gui, Gnome locks up after the password is entered.  I have to go to a 
>>> different tty and restart gdm to get it to work again.  The command line 
>>> equivalent  works fine, however.  After looking around for days on this 
>>> I still haven't been able to figure out what's going on...Anyone?  
>>> Bueller?  Bueller?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>>
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> 
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