sudo - multi user setup & other dumb questions

[PMB]

Good Day All . . .

If this has been already addressed then I apologise but I searched for "root user" and went through two pages of fifteen and I found nothing close.

So here goes.

To start with, I am uncomfortable using sudo instead of su and this may show in the questions.

If I configure a Kubuntu 6.0.6.1 system with two or more users then each user has access through sudo to modify the system settings. I loaded a test run onto one of my removeable hard drives and as a user I can enter my password and modify as administrator. Do this continue with two or more users?

I create daily backups but I was unable to copy some of my username files from my backup to the /home/user area. Both user names are identical but Kubuntu treats the files as userid 500. Any opinions?

Is it possible to create a root user and do away (am I kicking a sacred cow) with the sudo method and run a su. Is there anything internally in kubuntu that would be screwed up?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[devnulljp]

Re: sudo - multi user setup & other dumb questions

K->System Settings->Users & Groups
You want Administrator mode
Show System accounts
Activate root

Although you're better off just removing the other user from the sudo group and using sudo
FWIW sudo -s will give you persistent root access in that terminal.

[kubicle]

Re: sudo - multi user setup & other dumb questions

If this has been already addressed then I apologise but I searched for "root user" and went through two pages of fifteen and I found nothing close.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo is recommended reading on the use of sudo and root on (k)ubuntu

To start with, I am uncomfortable using sudo instead of su and this may show in the questions.

As mentioned, you can use either 'sudo -i', 'sudo -s' or 'sudo su' just as you would use 'su' (Just use your user password)

If I configure a Kubuntu 6.0.6.1 system with two or more users then each user has access through sudo to modify the system settings. I loaded a test run onto one of my removeable hard drives and as a user I can enter my password and modify as administrator. Do this continue with two or more users?

By default, no. Only the first user created on installation is automatically added to the 'admin' group (members in admin group can use sudo)...You can give other users sudo rights by adding them to the admin group. You can also give other users restricted sudo rights (like allowing them to run certain programs they need with sudo etc.) by editing /etc/sudoers (see 'man sudoers')

Is it possible to create a root user and do away (am I kicking a sacred cow) with the sudo method and run a su. Is there anything internally in kubuntu that would be screwed up?

The link at the start of this post describes how to create a root password to 'unlock' the root account...but you may run into some errors/problems trying to run X-applications. Generally it's not recommended, but it's your call...personally I've found that sudo/kdesu is much faster and more versatile than a traditional root account, but I have to admit an 'old' user might need a bit of time to get used to it )

(And remember you can always get a 'root' terminal with 'sudo -i', 'sudo -s' or 'sudo su'...there are a few differences between the commands, like -i preserving the user environment variables etc...see 'man sudo' for details)