My current preferred method to revert to the old behavior is to add

ALWAYS_SET_PATH yes

to /etc/default/su.

There are a few methods. Years ago I decided to change almost all the configuration files of Bash of my systems. Now, with Devuan my modifications work well.

fsmithred wrote:

But then you won't be able to start graphical apps as root from that terminal. For that, you're supposed to use pkexec.

I use an old trick for that:

cp /home/user/.Xauthority /root/

Good to know, thanks. My current preferred method to revert to the old behavior is to add

ALWAYS_SET_PATH yes

to /etc/default/su. This is documented in 'man su'.  You can put the line in /etc/login.defs instead, but then you get an error message when you log in.

fsmithred wrote:

I tried copying .Xauthority and that didn't work for me in beowulf. Are you using that in beowulf now?

No, in Beowulf no.

I'm working with Beowulf beta3 for a couple of days. Coping .Xauthority to the root home works for me. I can start X Window programs as root: bare user -> su - -> program. YMMV. Mine is lightdm, webkit2 greeter and KDE without much further tinkering.

#1: Devuan does the right thing: During installation you have to  give two passwords for two accounts. One for root and one for yourself (UID=1000). And there are two home directories, see /etc/passwd.

#2: Since decades i'm used to type su - and the right password to gain a root shell, where I can do everything. YES, including shot me knee and break every toe afterwards. You're warned.

#3: On the other hand sudo ... asks for confirmation with my own password. Just to remember that UID=1000 is able to ruin compromise the system, too.

Back to topic: IMHO there should be a link from /sbin/ to /usr/sbin/ (just in case the merge is done:-(

BTW: Some people are mounting the /usr via network, aka remote. And then mounting /usr/local from local?

PS: Should root be able to interact with user's X-server? I've had never heard about pkexec up to now but looks like policy-kit. I'm going RTFM ...

I tried copying .Xauthority and that didn't work for me in beowulf. Are you using that in beowulf now?

No, in Beowulf no.

update-grub ...
...file manager as root,

Yep ~ I donno reasons either, but always & still working is ..sudo update-grub.
Oh shoot, I'm in miyo-xtra/beowulf partition! ...better reboot to beowulf and check

The problem you're running into is the change in root's path when you run su in a terminal. That path no longer contains the sbins. If you use su - instead, you'll get the root path that you're used to. But then you won't be able to start graphical apps as root from that terminal. For that, you're supposed to use pkexec. When you figure all that out, I'll read your posts. Until then, or until someone gives me good reasons not to do this, I'm working around the problem.

# grep PATH /root/.bashrc
export PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"

Oh yeah, the other workaround is to use the full path for commands.

/sbin/blkid
/usr/sbin/update-grub

Thanks fsr. The "full path" answer is what I thought of after doing it the way that I did. I wasn't aware of su -. Thanks.

As for opening items with pkexec, I have a couple of apps in the "MiyoLinux Accessories" that run as root. PCManFM and Lxappearance. The way that I solved that was to add a file for both of them in /usr/share/policykit-1/actions/

I just used one of the existing ones as a template and changed each instance of the original application's name in the existing file to the appropriate name of the application that I wanted to use it for in the file I was creating; such as, if I were using the synaptic file as an example, I replaced every instance of synaptic with lxapppearance...hope that makes sense. Also, I changed the icon used and named both files similarly to how the existing files are named.

Anyway, I can now open both PCManFM (as root) and Customize Look and Feel (as root) from the menu using pkexec.

I also tried xhost + and that didn't work, either.

But then you won't be able to start graphical apps as root from that terminal. For that, you're supposed to use pkexec.

I use an old trick for that:

cp /home/user/.Xauthority /root/

# grep PATH /root/.bashrc
export PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"

Oh yeah, the other workaround is to use the full path for commands.

/sbin/blkid
/usr/sbin/update-grub

Has to be something to do with systemd.

I dont think so. Just remember the history of the split:
http://lists.busybox.net/pipermail/busy … 74114.html

Geoff

From "man hier"

/bin   This  directory  contains executable programs which are needed in single user mode and to bring
              the system up or repair it.

       /sbin  Like  /bin,  this directory holds commands needed to boot the system, but which are usually not
              executed by normal users.

       /usr/bin
              This is the primary directory for executable programs.  Most programs executed by normal  users
              which  are  not  needed  for  booting  or  for repairing the system and which are not installed
              locally should be placed in this directory.

https://lists.dyne.org/lurker/message/2 … fe.en.html

Geoff