user # access?

[Robert Heller]

At Wed, 15 May 2019 10:11:44 -0700 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:

> 
> On Wed, 15 May 2019 08:53:58 -0400 (EDT)
> Robert Heller <heller at deepsoft.com> wrote:
> 
> > At Wed, 15 May 2019 06:24:39 +0200 "Ubuntu user technical support,
> > not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > 
> > > On Tue, 14 May 2019 23:20:39 -0400 (EDT), Robert Heller wrote:  
> > > >Well, you are not going to able to use a GUI out-of-the-box, unless
> > > >you login to the GUI as root -- not something that is normally
> > > >possible with an out-of-the-box install of Ubuntu (and is not
> > > >something that is recomended even on a Linux distro with a real
> > > >root login).  
> > > 
> > > That is generalized nonsense.
> > > 
> > > Without root privileges a GUI app such as
> > > 
> > >   gparted
> > > 
> > > is useless! It is strongly recommended to run the GUI app gparted
> > > with root privileges!  
> > 
> > Yes, but one can use sudo for that. I do that with virt-manager on my
> > CentOS machine. Using a system *logged in as root to the full GUI
> > desktop* is dangerous and not recomended, most certainly not for
> > day-to-day use, although sometimes needed for special admin tasks.
> > The OP is (obviously) something of a newby and NOT an experienced
> > system admin. The recomendation in his case is to not login as root
> > -- he is likely to get himself in serious trouble, and for what he is
> > doing, there are other, safer options.
> 
> I DO understand the dangers and would not do that unless it was very 
> temporary and there was no other way.
> 
> Newby is an interesting word. It suggests "new to comps" but misses the
> issue. I've been using personal comps since CPM, so they're not new to
> me. But, I'm a user of just another tool, and I learn just enough about
> this VERRRY complex tool to do the task at hand. In that respect I'm
> probably just like most users. But, if I do have a problem I first
> search for a solution and see if I can fix it on my own. If I can't put
> the pieces together to get a solution I may contact the list, but only
> as a last resort. I do appreciate the help from the very knowledgeable
> folks on this list!

I merely meant you were new to Linux (from an admin POV).

> 
> Part of the issue is that I've had 3-6 users on my local comps and I
> need to access, and copy parts of, all the info on the old disks.
> 
> > > 
> > > My Ubuntu 16.04 install isn't an OOTB install, but among other I've
> > > got the
> > > 
> > > Ubuntu-Mate 18.04.1 live DVD
> > > Xubuntu 18.10 live DVD
> > > Ubuntu-Budgie 19.04 live DVD
> > > 
> > > at hand.
> > > 
> > > Usually I'm using those live DVDs to backup my Ubuntu 16.04 and Arch
> > > Linux installs, but sometimes I'm using a GUI with root privileges
> > > to access home of a user with incompatible UID and GID.
> > > 
> > > If a file browser is wanted I recommend to install caja when running
> > > Xubuntu or Ubuntu-Budgie live media.
> > > 
> > >   sudo apt update
> > >   sudo apt install caja
> > > 
> > > Ubuntu-Mate comes with it by default.
> > > 
> > > Open the terminal and run
> > > 
> > >   sudo -i
> > > 
> > > then run
> > > 
> > >   caja
> > > 
> > > close caja and run another GUI app.
> > > 
> > > When not using one of those live DVDs consider to start a X session
> > > instead of a Wayland session. Install the package gksu. After that
> > > start GUI apps with gksudo. For example
> > > 
> > >   gksudo caja
> > > 
> > > Regards,
> > > Ralf
> > > 
> > >   
> > 
> 
> 

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