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

[David Stanaway]

How about if you use gksudo ?

Jeff wrote:
> Close, but I can launch anything using sudo from a terminal with no 
> problem.  The only time it locks up is when I try to launch (for 
> example) the network admin panel and enter in the password when it is 
> asks me to.  If I do a sudo network-admin , everything works fine. 
> 
> It's not a major issue, but it has been steadily getting on my nerves 
> for a while...I'm on Feisty with the most recent updates on my laptop.  
> I've tried voodoo, exorcism, and ritualistic scarification, none of 
> which seems to work.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Jeff
> 
> Johnny Cybermyth wrote:
>> I think I found your bug:
>>
>> https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/71248
>>
>> It seems that it is a dbus problem.  There are comments at the link 
>> above which indicate that this will fix the problem:
>>
>> sudo dbus-launch synaptic
>>
>> Let us know!
>>
>> --Johnny
>>
>> Jeff wrote:
>>   
>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>     
>>>>>>>         
>>>>>>>             
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>>>>
>>>>>>   
>>>>>>       
>>>>>>           
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>>>
>>>>>     
>>>>>         
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>>
>>>>   
>>>>       
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>>     
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>   
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>