xorg start only as super user! why?

oui · 2022-01-06 22:28:17

I continue to be searching for a really minimal install from Devuan (comparable with the live Puppy Linux made with Devuan ).

To do that, I did install now with the ISO devuan_daedalus_5.0.preview-20211227_i386_netinstall.iso from main site.

The completely normal "install", all questions answered with "yes" or default value (excepted "all the disk"). In "tasksel" only the last option preserved so the installer installs only 141 new packages. It is the only difference to the proposed stereotypic installation!

on this base
I did continue as root as sudo is not preinstalled

su -

and I did install after that

apt install sudo gpm deborphan alsa-utils refractasnapshot-base links2 menu 9menu xorg xli

fill the file suders:

nano /etc/sudoers

and exit superuser mode

exit

then as user with superuser rights continue:

xinit

X starts willing and rxvt (or better little sized screen field) appears

I can start

links2 -g

no problem (I handle as superuser)!

go off from X mode

exit

go off from superuser mode

exit

and

startx

No way...

X starts, the cursor appears but become not black, all the keys seem to be blocked (no way to open a next console to quit regular the linux session. "reset" is the only way!)

- I did reinstall, same thing happens again! -

what is wrong?

Last edited by oui (2022-01-06 22:32:56)

Dutch_Master · 2022-01-06 23:36:37

For startx to work, you need the xinit package. And if it's not pulled in as dependency, the xdm package as well.

Last edited by Dutch_Master (2022-01-06 23:37:41)

oui · 2022-01-07 00:12:46

Thank you for your help Dutch_Master but in this case, it is not the reason:

xinit, vers. 1.4.0, IS installed (and works as superuser). and xdm is not a dependency: it is needed if you will start directly in graphic mode. this is the reason why the "normal" graphic mode (out the console) names "startx"...

it must be an other reason (concerning "rights" perhaps?)...

berni51 · 2022-01-07 08:34:59

startx need root permissions to start X. If you do not want to use ugly tricks, you must let do the display manager the job. Try it by starting, lets say slim or xdm, and the it must work.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-07 12:54:24

berni51 wrote:

startx need root permissions to start X.

^ This is not correct. Running startx as a normal user is better than using LightDM or SLiM because it runs X under the normal user. See https://www.debian.org/releases/stretch … uires-root for the Debian stretch release announcement that states this unequivocally.

oui wrote:

xinit
X starts willing

I've just installed Devuan daedalus in a VM using the devuan_daedalus_5.0.preview-20220103_i386_netinstall.iso image and that command does not work for my user. I need to run this from TTY1 to avoid a permissions error:

xinit -- vt1

However startx works just fine and starts an X session with xterm.

I think you are confused and have posted a problem about the wrong command...

And just to note:

oui wrote:

nano /etc/sudoers

Don't do that, you can completely break your system with a single typo.

Use this instead:

SUDO_EDITOR=nano visudo

^ That will check the file before saving it.

berni51 · 2022-01-07 14:22:12

You are right, off course! I had OpenBSD in my mind, where the setuid bit was removed from the X server some years ago.

Last edited by berni51 (2022-01-07 14:22:43)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-07 15:05:58

OpenBSD can also run startx as the normal user. But xenodm(1) is recommended for that operating system.

https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq11.html#StartingX

fsmithred · 2022-01-07 15:24:51

From the Beowulf release notes. I just tested the second method in daedalus, and it still works.

### Starting X from a terminal
In Devuan 3 Beowulf, the X server can now be run without root
privileges. As a result, some additional requirements must be met when
launching X directly from a TTY (e.g., with 'xinit' or 'startx')
especially on systems upgraded from Devuan Jessie.
In Devuan 3 Beowulf it is sufficient to install 'elogind' and
'libpam-elogind', and then use either 'startx' or 'xinit' as usual
from a regular user account. In this case, the Xorg log file will be
available under '~/.local/share/xorg/'.
The system still needs to support Kernel Mode Setting (KMS).
Therefore, this solution may not work in some virtualization
environments (e.g., virtualbox) or if the kernel has no driver that
supports your GPU.
Alternatively, it is still possible to run X with setuid root. In this
case, you need to install `xserver-xorg-legacy` and ensure that the
file '/etc/X11/Xwrapper.config' contains the (uncommented) line:
needs_root_rights=yes

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-07 16:00:53

The OP should have elogind installed. I installed the exact same list of packages in my VM and elogind is there. Good point about KMS though.

@oui: what is your graphics hardware?

oui · 2022-01-07 20:29:15

Hi
I did enter now in this forum through the use of "Links2 -g" in the new installation. It now goes after the installation of elogind, libpam-elogind, as well as xserv-xorg-legacy (probably that the last is decisive for the attribution of rights as you can after that opt for one of 3 rights level for the installation). As I am not confortable in links2 -g, excuse me, but not more comments now ;-) (I am happy if that msg will appear in the forum out that very low level...)!

oui · 2022-01-07 20:31:02

As I know wunder: It is appeared! Wonderfull... This forum is yet links2 able!

berni51 · 2022-01-07 22:13:57

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

OpenBSD can also run startx as the normal user. But xenodm(1) is recommended for that operating system.
https://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq11.html#StartingX

No, the normal user without root privileges cannot start X via startx - not ex works. This has changed in 6.6 or 6.7 already. SO a dm is a MUST quasi.

oui · 2022-01-07 23:08:04

no, your affirmation is simply

wrong

(see above!).

I don't know if the installation WITHOUT SOME display manager have to include elogind, libpam-elogind (it starts a deamon before the login!).

but using

xserv-xorg-legacy

(is not pre installed) permit to choice between 3 level of security.

ACTUALLY all 3 ways are yet a bit unsercure ;-) (not my comment: the application explains it itself in the help comment for the choice, ty it, you will understand, and, I think, that is the most pleasant and ridiculous information...)

I did use the 2d choice as it is the WELL ALLOWED choice permitting to preserve the old usage to start X also with startx as user to avoid super user level,

and can now startx with startx as user!

As I did suppose in my msg from today 00:12:46 (see above)

it must be an other reason (concerning "rights" perhaps?)...

it is really only a matter of permission (my problem actually: I am French and speak fluent German and understand well some Russian but did only "learn" the BASIC English made by C.K. Ogden with only 850 words ;-) . It is not enough for Linux. More, a lot of Linux gods, creators, write some extremely and fantastic difficult English (-probably because they are themself not mother tongue English speakers-). In essential NEW questions (this point was not so in the first years of Linux! I did never meet until now this point really on the edge) are the man pages only useful if you can read them in (one, if you have more one, of) your language(s) but they often don't exist yet in translation! So they are not known outside the English language room... In this case, it is double difficult, as the system resources are not already allow: you can't enter into X, you can't start an efficient browser, more, I have now (as I can startx with startx, now) open more than 1 (one) Terminal but I can't really read the content of then as the preinstalled Terminal resolution does only able to operate with the resources of "faceSize" and to changer that, I have to change read the man page of faceSize itself, one of the most longer man page of Linux, and that, in about microscopic size as I would have to already know how to use faceSize to permit me to read that man page of faceSize, an absolute idiotic situation!

each Linux installation with X !!!

includes always at least

3 (good usuable) editors (nano, vim and, and, and, and what? the forgotten xedit of course, where 1 good editor would be enough...)

but the standard installation from the main lines of Linux (also Devuan) don't secure that the user meet a Terminal with readable size for all people...

and they force also unexperimented users to search through all the system for a way to change that (debian-menu > selection bash >> some menu text in clear xml code or not >>> name of the command >>>> x-terminal-emulator >>>>> link object = lxterm >>>>>> xterm (says at leat the man page from lxterm))

;-)

What a nonsens!!!

so an totally UNfriendly system did Linux become along the years...

it is not possible!

I can understand the users of Microsoft! A genial distributor since 1990 and longer all always in the country language in in each country language! Never some difficulties to see the letters of the texts... Linux is becoming a pest only made for some gurus, really,..

Last edited by oui (2022-01-07 23:25:40)

berni51 · 2022-01-08 09:55:25

Sorry, but I talked about OpenBSD.

PedroReina · 2022-01-08 09:59:32

oui wrote:

an totally UNfriendly system did Linux become along the years...

There are a lot of Linux distros to choose from. Here Devuan users want to know how manage our systems. Other distros take a different way. Nobody is forced to use an specific distro.

Ogis1975 · 2022-01-08 12:19:02

oui wrote:

I don't know if the installation WITHOUT SOME display manager have to include elogind, libpam-elogind (it starts a deamon before the login!).

Yes. It comes. You need install

xorg

metapackage

Last edited by Ogis1975 (2022-01-08 12:20:13)

weedug · 2022-01-23 19:46:22

try https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=4473 I installed it. I dropped to a tty ran: free -m. It was idling @ 91MB

The officially official Devuan Forum!

#1 2022-01-06 22:28:17

xorg start only as super user! why?

#2 2022-01-06 23:36:37

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#3 2022-01-07 00:12:46

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#4 2022-01-07 08:34:59

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#5 2022-01-07 12:54:24

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#6 2022-01-07 14:22:12

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#7 2022-01-07 15:05:58

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#8 2022-01-07 15:24:51

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#9 2022-01-07 16:00:53

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#10 2022-01-07 20:29:15

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#11 2022-01-07 20:31:02

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#12 2022-01-07 22:13:57

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#13 2022-01-07 23:08:04

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#14 2022-01-08 09:55:25

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#15 2022-01-08 09:59:32

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#16 2022-01-08 12:19:02

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

#17 2022-01-23 19:46:22

Re: xorg start only as super user! why?

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