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GNUser

Member

Registered: 2017-03-16

Posts: 570  

[SOLVED] refractainstaller: confused about sudo options

At the new hostname and new username step of refractainstaller, it asks three questions about sudo. I'm a little bit confused as to what the questions are getting at.

"Permit sudo for new user?"
This is pretty clear to me.

"Use sudo as default for new user?"
I'm not sure what this means.
Checking this box will cause sudo to be used in the new installation in which situations?
Default for what?

"Use sudo only for shutdown?"
Does this mean sudo is enabled for user but only for shutdown command?
Does checking this box contradict checking the boxes for questions 1 and/or 2?

Last edited by GNUser (2018-08-13 16:42:12)

fsmithred

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 2,486  

Re: [SOLVED] refractainstaller: confused about sudo options

The wording in the cli installer is better than in the graphical.

	1) Disable sudo (recommended)
	2) Permit sudo for new user (and keep root account.)
	3) Use sudo as default for new user (and disable root account.)
	4) Use sudo only for shutdown (and keep root account.)

#2 and #3 put the primary user in the sudo group, so all admin commands are available.
#4 adds a file to /etc/sudoers.d/ to let the user reboot, shutdown, suspend or hibernate.

Edit: I just made a note to myself to fix the wording in the graphical installer.

GNUser

Member

Registered: 2017-03-16

Posts: 570  

Re: [SOLVED] refractainstaller: confused about sudo options

Thank you, fsmithred. Yes, the cli installer explains it better. I get it now.

I think I screwed up an install I did recently: I checked off both 2 and 3. Does that mean root account is disabled on that machine? If so, how do I re-enable it?

fsmithred

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 2,486  

Re: [SOLVED] refractainstaller: confused about sudo options

Sorry for the late reply. I didn't see this one until now.

If you chose 2 and 3, you got both. (but 3 gets 2 anyway).
2 adds the user to the sudo group
3 adds the user to the sudo group, disables the root password and edits a couple files in the user's home.

To re-enable the root account, run

sudo su
passwd

You might also need to change sudo-mode and super-user-command in these files if you have them. (It might also be safe to delete/move these. I've never tried that.)
~/.gconf/apps/gksu/%gconf.xml
~/.*/share/config/*desurc