SuperUser Nautilus

**sjewins** · 24-Sep-2008, 15:37

Is there a way to launch nautilus as super user. I am doing a lot of tinkering and the repeated password entry is getting really tedious.

Can Yast be launched as SuperUser so as to avoid the endless password entry?

Before you tell me how dangerous that is, I already know. But it is my system and my fault if I screw up. I think Linux is just a little too anal when it comes to protecting me from myself.

Ideally those of us who live alone, have a computer in a locked dwelling, that is only ever used by us, should be allowed to select to use Linux without all these passwords.

Anyway, any help appreciated,
Simon

**xaiviax** · 24-Sep-2008, 15:42

I'm just a new amateur, but I just run a terminal and type su then enter then password then nautilus
works for me...

**sjewins** · 24-Sep-2008, 16:03

Originally Posted by xaiviax

I'm just a new amateur, but I just run a terminal and type su then enter then password then nautilus
works for me...

Yes, but I want to try and eliminate the password. Add a nautilus link to the menu bar and click it and get Nautilus with root priv.

Simon

ab@novell.com · 24-Sep-2008, 16:10

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Well, perhaps try 'gnomesu nautilus' in your Alt+F2 menu though unless
'/etc/sudoers' has some effect on this you'll still need a password. Do
you really need access to Nautilus as root enough to create an icon? Of
all the apps I wouldn't want to run as 'root' nautilus (or any file
browser) is near the top of my list since an accidental keystroke can
wipe out files, directories, filesystems, etc. Bad times indeed....

Good luck.

sjewins wrote:
> xaiviax;1875313 Wrote:
>> I'm just a new amateur, but I just run a terminal and type su then
>> enter then password then nautilus
>> works for me...
>
> Yes, but I want to try and eliminate the password. Add a nautilus link
> to the menu bar and click it and get Nautilus with root priv.
>
> Simon
>
>
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**sjewins** · 24-Sep-2008, 16:45

Originally Posted by ab@novell.com

Well, perhaps try 'gnomesu nautilus' in your Alt+F2 menu though unless
'/etc/sudoers' has some effect on this you'll still need a password. Do
you really need access to Nautilus as root enough to create an icon? Of
all the apps I wouldn't want to run as 'root' nautilus (or any file
browser) is near the top of my list since an accidental keystroke can
wipe out files, directories, filesystems, etc. Bad times indeed....

Yeah, but that's what backups are for. I like tinkering. I have broken and reinstalled this system more times than I can count. Not a big deal.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I tried it and it still wanted a password.

Another thought, can a user (me, the only one) be assigned root privs somehow (like su) but that last for the whole session instead of just the one command or program. Sort of like, do it once at the beginning and then be root until you tell it to stop?

I figured out sudoers and now have eliminated the request for a sudo password which helps but it still isn't enough.

Ah, well, I guess I'll just log in as root all the time. Just can't figure out how to auto-login root. Root isn't in the drop-down list for auto-login. <sigh>

**rackham** · 24-Sep-2008, 16:47

Well, not concerned about shooting yourself in the foot

so to say, you could of course login as root and run as such all the time.
However if only a few applications like yast and nautilus are the ones you would like to run as root you could use the sudo command.

First you need to edit the /etc/sudoers file using the command visudo, as root of course. It will enter the vi editor and open the /etc/sudoers file automatically. Then add the following lines

Code:

ALL ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /sbin/yast2
ALL ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/nautilus

Save and exit vi.
As a normal user you should then be able to start yast by typing

Code:

sudo /sbin/yast2

at a command shell prompt.
For nautilus you may have to set xhost to accept connections first and then start it like

Code:

xhost +
sudo /usr/bin/nautilus --display=:0.0

If you don't want to type that every time, put it in a shell script and run it.

You may find the vi editor a bit awkward if you haven't used it before. It works in modes and starts in command mode. Typing an a lets you append text, an i means insert, x deletes a character to the right of the cursor. ESC brings you back to command mode. The sequence ESC : w writes the file to disk and ESC : q exits the editor.

Good luck!

**sjewins** · 24-Sep-2008, 16:52

Very helpful, thanks very much. The nautilus script thingie works a treat.

Again, thanks.

Simon

**malcolmlewis** · 24-Sep-2008, 16:59

Originally Posted by sjewins

ab@novell.com;1875323 Wrote:
>
>
> Well, perhaps try 'gnomesu nautilus' in your Alt+F2 menu though unless
> '/etc/sudoers' has some effect on this you'll still need a password.
> Do
> you really need access to Nautilus as root enough to create an icon?
> Of
> all the apps I wouldn't want to run as 'root' nautilus (or any file
> browser) is near the top of my list since an accidental keystroke can
> wipe out files, directories, filesystems, etc. Bad times indeed....
>

Yeah, but that's what backups are for. I like tinkering. I have broken
and reinstalled this system more times than I can count. Not a big
deal.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I tried it and it still wanted a
password.

Another thought, can a user (me, the only one) be assigned root privs
somehow (like su) but that last for the whole session instead of just
the one command or program. Sort of like, do it once at the beginning
and then be root until you tell it to stop?

I figured out sudoers and now have eliminated the request for a sudo
password which helps but it still isn't enough.

Ah, well, I guess I'll just log in as root all the time. Just can't
figure out how to auto-login root. Root isn't in the drop-down list for
auto-login. <sigh>

Hi
Why not just open a cli session and su - to root? Just start apps from
the cli....? If your moving files around, look at using the mv command?

--
Cheers Malcolm �� (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.0 x86 Kernel 2.6.25.16-0.1-default
up 1 day 11:30, 2 users, load average: 0.00, 0.03, 0.01
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 173.14.12

**sjewins** · 24-Sep-2008, 17:12

I just tried that and it is pretty good. I can just open the shell at the start and run from there.

I have arthritis in my fingers and much prefer point and click to all that typing but this is quite workable.

Thanks.

Simon

**malcolmlewis** · 24-Sep-2008, 17:24

Originally Posted by sjewins

I just tried that and it is pretty good. I can just open the shell at
the start and run from there.

I have arthritis in my fingers and much prefer point and click to all
that typing but this is quite workable.

Thanks.

Simon

Hi
Look at using the virtual keyboard and also you could copy common
commands you run to a file via the history command.

--
Cheers Malcolm �� (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.0 x86 Kernel 2.6.25.16-0.1-default
up 1 day 11:54, 1 user, load average: 0.40, 0.37, 0.26
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 173.14.12