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

[Jeff]

Gotcha...I used the password I use for my user account - the same one I 
always have when using sudo - and it locks up.  I tried it a few times 
today and it appeared to work, albeit after waiting nine thousand years 
while the busy cursor was on.  I'll try and see if I can pin it down 
better.  Good ol' sudo works fine on the command line, but anything that 
requires a password to make system alterations that uses a gui seems to 
either lock up, or take forever...

No worries on the tone, brother.  It's hard to convey tone over the 
interweb, even using emoticons. ;)

-J

Johnny Cybermyth wrote:
> 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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>>>
>>>   
>>>       
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>
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