root user and any GUI

[Dazed_75]

Either I am missing something or I am not being clear to you.  95+% of the
time I simply use sudo or gksudo to do things needing root permissions. I am
happy to do so and do not mind having to enter my password.

The other 5-% of the time just having to add the sudo and sometimes (I don't
always know why) having to quote parts of the command line is just plain
irritating.  I "su -" and enter roots password and go on my merry way
KNOWING that I need to excercise extra caution but not having to take extra
steps to do my work.  During those times it would sometimes be handy to use
tools available via the gui desktop without having to spend 20-30 minutes
finding out HOW to do so since they are tools I do not know how to run from
the command line.

I think I should be able to do that without removing the need to use a
password with sudo.  I further think someone was on the right track earlier
with xhost but I suspect that is only part of the solution.  But then I am
probably just wrong.

On 11/28/06, Dan Lund <situationalawareness at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Right, which leads me back to what I just said.
>
> On 11/28/06, Dazed_75 <lthielster at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Apparently not.  Trying to log in as root at the ubuntu gdm login is
> > prohibited even tho the real root user is enabled and has a password.
> > Logging in as me and using Ctrl-Alt-F2 to go to the second textual
> console
> > allows me to login there as root.  However, trying to startx there gives
> the
> > same result as trying to do so inside an xterminal in which I have done
> su
> > -.  Specifically:
> > root at ldesk:~# startx
> > xauth:  creating new authority file /root/.serverauth.7463
> >
> > X: warning; process set to priority -1 instead of requested priority 0
> >
> > Fatal server error:
> > Server is already active for display 0
> >         If this server is no longer running, remove /tmp/.X0-lock
> >         and start again.
> >
> > Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
> > Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
> > giving up.
> > xinit:  unable to connect to X server
> > xinit:  No such process (errno 3):  Server error.
> > root at ldesk:~#
> > Now this makes sense to me since there really IS an x-server running and
> it
> > does own resources I would be using.
> >
> >
> > On 11/28/06, Jeremy C. Reed <reed at reedmedia.net> wrote:
> > > > So once again, I would like to be capable of using a gui desktop and
> gui
> > > > tools while logged in a root when I as sole proprietor of my network
> and
> > > > computing facilities decide to do so.  I want the freedom and do not
> > want my
> > > > OS to prevent me.  My risk and my freedom.  Like I said I use sudo
> for
> > most
> > > > such things but just hate being a second class citizen (unable to
> use
> > > > MYchoice of tools) when I decide to be root.
> > >
> > > Yes, you can run startx as root.
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-- 
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter
and those who matter don't mind.  - Dr. Seuss
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