Help with root login

Queseuq · 2011-02-03 00:16:04

Hi, I want to test a pam module by running an strace of me logging in as root. Unfortunately I can't seem to login in as root in a terminal (after running sudo login) even with the pam module commented out. I am given the error message 'Login incorrect' even though I can log in fine in tty1. I hope someone can help me troubleshoot this issue.

Strace of failed login: http://aur.pastebin.com/gJ5YdMxW

daemonspecter · 2011-02-03 03:29:06

I'm not incredibly experienced with linux so please forgive me if I am wrong...

If you are trying to log in as root using sudo, you have to first set permissions for your user to do that. I believe that is included in the big "how to install/set up arch" wiki page.

I have a similar issue where my sudo always tells me I have the wrong log in, and I think its just because I'm too lazy to add permissions, I always just go into su.

Queseuq · 2011-02-03 09:07:04

Thanks for the reply, however my problem is not with sudo. I just use that to run the 'login' command, which works fine. The problem is that I then can't log in as root from the username/password prompt.

lswest · 2011-02-03 09:39:27

This isn't really an answer to your question, but I just wanted to mention that I can't log in as root using your method either. Is there a specific reason you need to use login instead of su (switch user - or does that not allow for an strace)? Even switching to root and running login doesn't allow me to log in as root. I'd venture a guess that this is a security setting, probably something you can circumvent, but I'm not sure that it would be the best solution.

Queseuq · 2011-02-03 10:52:48

Hmmm, thanks for the info. Thought I'd done this before and just mucked something up but maybe it's a new security feature.

The idea is that I'm trying to get pam_encfs to run during login but it's not working. The problem is similar to a bug from a while back so I was going to troubleshoot it the same way, http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepor … =593336#25. Unfortunately I cannot if I can't login as root and logging in as a normal user gives the same "Operation not
permitted" error. If no one has any better ideas I'll just go ahead and contact the maintainer of pam_encfs.

lswest · 2011-02-03 15:59:06

Well, I can't think of how to get the strace working the way you'd like (never used strace). However, why don't you just add your pam_encfs command as an autostart program? In the sudoers file you can allow the running of pam_encfs without a password prompt, which would essentially do what you want? If you log in using startx/CDM, you can just make a script that runs the command before executing the desktop environment/window manager you use. I realize this isn't the most secure way to do it, but since you want it to run on every login in the first place, this might be a viable alternative? Unless this is what you're trying and it's what you want to debug. Have you checked the usual logfiles/dmesg? Might be a place to start.

Last edited by lswest (2011-02-03 16:00:03)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-02-03 00:16:04

Help with root login

#2 2011-02-03 03:29:06

Re: Help with root login

#3 2011-02-03 09:07:04

Re: Help with root login

#4 2011-02-03 09:39:27

Re: Help with root login

#5 2011-02-03 10:52:48

Re: Help with root login

#6 2011-02-03 15:59:06

Re: Help with root login

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