Adding Groups to User in Linux

[Markoman01027]

Hello all,

Currently I have root account and "Matt" account. Right now, I am logged in as "Matt" because I don't want to be logged in as "Root", but I want "Matt" to have Root privilages.

So I went into the Mandrake Control center, and clicked on system, then users, clicked on my user name "Matt", then clicked on groups..Added "adm" and "wheel" and clicked ok, ok exited out of there...

Loggedd off and logged in back as "Matt". I went back into Mandrake Control center, systems, users, and once I click on users, I get a message saying " Cannot lock user lib, file /etc/ptmp or /etc/gtmp/ exist"

I am able to log in as "Matt" still. I still get the same message when I log in as "Root".

Thanks!

[jglen490]

If Matt has all of root's privileges, then Matt is not only as powerfull as root, but is also as dangerous as root.

Leave Matt alone, although you can give Matt some root privileges through something like "sudo" -- but be very careful with that one, too.

I've found that there is very little that I need to do in an X window, for instance, and when I do, I'm prompted for the root password. When that particular process is done, then I am my "normal" user again.

Also, in a terminal or at the command line, I have found very little use for being root. When I do need to do root stuff, I do the following:

su - (NOTE: The "-" brings in the root user environment)

[Enter root password]

[Do root stuff]
[Do root stuff]
etc.

exit

Now I'm back as my normal user, and have (hopefully) exposed my system to minimal danger.

Life goes on!!

[Markoman01027]

I only added "adm" and "wheel" groups into "Matt". I don't know how to get rid of them, because whenever I try to go into "Users" in "system" of Mandrake control center, I get that error.

[Computer Hobbyist]

Mark,

I have been thinking about your post for a couple of days. I am not sure what you did. That's why I didn't respond. Could you elaborate.

It sounds like you are saying that you tried to add groups to a user. I don't know what that means since I add users to groups. You can give both groups and users privileges of various degrees. But I am sort of at a loss as to what you did.

Normally only root can give privileges to users or groups.

I suggest you reverse course, and take "adm" and "wheel" from Matt. Keep Matt a normal user, for the reasons Glen said. Anyway what you did is not the technique for expanding Matt's privileges.

CH

[Markoman01027]

The problem is. After what I did, I can't even access "users" anymore to get rid of the privilages that I gave to Matt.

I basically gave Matt some privilages, and then it started happening. I did it while I was logged in as Matt, and not as root.

Any idea guys? It's really cool though..I am just experimenting..so it's no big deal.