Invocation of applications which require root permitions

[Jury Levykin]

. . .

> I don't think so. You both did some job, but no one knows on what type 
> of machine you performed and other details, I don't know too much what.

IBM ThinkPad Z60t

>
> I did about 28 installations among 3 or more distributions but 3 
> principally. What it leads me to say, is that during the several I did 
> with Ubuntu among which half a dozen just for tests and explore the 
> install possibilities, expert mode would never ruin a user's 
> caracteristics.
>
> About sudoers file, it has to be edited as root so if you can't use your
> password it's of no use.

I have root's permissions:
$ su -
Password: **********
#

I can use console tools but can not use X tools.

>
> What to do ? same as Old Rocker did to solve his recent problem with a 
> file that he could not reach as root : take a live CD, run the 
> terminal as root (no password required in a live CD) mount the / 
> partition of your install in the /mnt of the live CD's / then chroot 
> it and add a root account :
> see on the CategoryDocumentation to find the 'HowToRootSudo'. It look 
> like something like that:
> $sudo passwd root
> or $sudo root passwd I'n not sure anymore.
>
> Then you can reboot and login as user (Jury how did you login as user 
> anyhow ?

I login to X session as user without any problem, but I can not to do it 
as root.
I can login to console session (Alt + Ctrl + F2) as root and as user.

 From X session (xterm):
----------------------------------
jura at thinkpad:~$ su -
Password:
root at thinkpad:~# synaptic

(synaptic:8219): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
root at thinkpad:~#
root at thinkpad:~# export DISPLAY=:0.0
root at thinkpad:~#
root at thinkpad:~# synaptic
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(synaptic:8258): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
root at thinkpad:~#
----------------------------------

What tools or files I need use to solve this problem?

cat /etc/sudoers
# /etc/sudoers
#
# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.
#
# See the man page for details on how to write a sudoers file.
#

# Host alias specification

# User alias specification

# Cmnd alias specification

# Defaults

Defaults        !lecture,tty_tickets,!fqdn

# User privilege specification
root    ALL=(ALL) ALL

> Then you can access to administration tools to make things properly 
> for your user (change the password to have a new user password I'd say).
>
> When finished, do lock the root account again, for safe :
> $sudo -l root
> (this one I'm sure to remember).
>
> HowTo chroot ?
> #chroot /mnt
>
> HowTo mount "/" in "/mnt" ?
> #mount /dev/hdax /mnt
>
> (or sdxx) where x are numbers I don't know...
>
> HowTo see how is your device named in the partitions ?
> #mount
>
> HowTo see in what partition you have your "/" ?
> #cfdisk /dev/hdx
>
> (or sdx...)
>
> be careful with cfdisk, it's a partitioning tool, so quit with the 
> quit option you reach with the direction arrows as soon as you have 
> seen the content.
> Best greetings, and welcome in the Tux country.

:-)

> Joyce Markoll.

Thanks, Jury