How to switch between non-root/root user in LINUX/UNIX?

Asked By Cypress Hill 0 points N/A Posted on - 10/31/2011

Why is it that when I added a non-root user and tried to make use of the "su" command to turn the user into root, it didn't work, instead I got the error message "permission denied". What else can I do to solve this problem?

• Status: Open
• Question Views: 963
• Answer Count: 2
• Vote Up 0 Vote Down

• Answer Accepted: Yes
• Question Category: Linux Distributions

Best Answer by Schneider Matthew

Go To Solution

Answered By baygee 0 points N/A #98140

How to switch between non-root/root user in LINUX/UNIX?

If you have sudo facility in your system

you can do like this:

sudo "command"    #executed as root

"command"           #executed as normal user (if you log in as normal user)

"command"

sudo "command"    # again executed as root

 

About baygee

Questions
0

Answers
1

Best Answers
0

• Vote Up 0 Vote Down

• Posted on - 11/25/2011
• Question Category: Linux Distributions

Best Answer

Best Answer

Answered By Schneider Matthew 0 points N/A #197358

How to switch between non-root/root user in LINUX/UNIX?

Hi Cypress Hill,

 

Are you able to log in to the non-root user you created using "su -l 'username' " command. If possible, please try using "su -l" command to log in to root.

 

If the above method doesn't work, use the below method

 

You need to enter your user name into any of the group in /etc/group file. For this, please follow below steps.

 

Open /etc/group. 

 

It will look like this

 

 

Now, just enter your username into any of the group.

 

eg: wheel:x:10:root,new_user_name

 

You can use as many usernames under a group, but you need to keep them comma separated.

 

Hope it helps

About Schneider Matthew

Questions
3

Answers
107

Best Answers
23

• Vote Up 0 Vote Down

• Posted on - 01/29/2013
• Question Category: Linux Distributions