power down without being root?

eduardo451 · 03-25-2005, 09:10 AM

I've installed Ubuntu on my wife's old computer, and I would like her to be able to power down and reboot without being root. How would I do this? It is a custom install using xfce, without gnome desktop installed, if that matters. Thanks.

Linus VanPelt · 03-25-2005, 09:48 AM

If you trust her with the root password, you could just have her do "sudo shutdown -r" from a command line.

overlord73 · 03-25-2005, 09:57 AM

hi,
alternative:

create group shutdown
#addgroup shutdown
chamge ownership
#chown root.shutdown /sbin/shutdown
set the setui-Bit, to allow only members of ´shutdown´ to execute shutdown
#chmod 4754 /sbin/shutdown
make new link
#ln -s /sbin/shutdown /bin/shutdown

eduardo451 · 03-25-2005, 10:10 AM

It's not that I don't trust her with the root password. In fact, her present password doubles as the root password (at least it can be used for sudo commands). But having to use command line would be a turn-off for her, as would having to log back in as root. I want this to be more enjoyable and at least as easy for her as using Windoze, and she always hated having to log-in as Administrator to do stuff with Windoze. Of course, she never had to be Administrator to power down. Any suggestions?

eduardo451 · 03-25-2005, 10:13 AM

Thanks overlord73. You must have posted while I was typing my last message. Could you clarify what you typed? Are these different options? If so, what's the difference?

overlord73 · 03-25-2005, 10:37 AM

no difference options! just a little howto ;-)
follow from top to bottom

P.S.: # stand for console

eduardo451 · 03-25-2005, 10:38 AM

Nevermind overlord - I typed exactly what you did at the prompts, and it works great! Thanks a bunch!

David_Moses · 03-26-2005, 11:40 AM

Hi guys

I think i have a problem on similar lines.

I want my girlfriend to be able to use her USB and access the internet through linux, so far she has only ever used M$ and i'm trying hard to convert her.

The problem is i don;t want her to have root priv's or really the password (unless i have to), but she can't mount her usb stick or run dhclient to get a ip address without these access priv's

I have created scripts that run off the desktop and promts for the password (not ideal) so all she will have to do click on the icons.

Because my wireless connection is weak i often have to re-run dhclient after the connection gets droped. Otherwise i would configure it to run at boot.

I'm sure there is a way to do this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

DM