Bug 564

Summary: Linuxconf can't be used as Installation Guide suggests
Product: [Retired] Red Hat Linux Reporter: Chris Evans <chris>
Component: linuxconfAssignee: Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm>
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG QA Contact:
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: 5.2   
Target Milestone: ---   
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: i386   
OS: Linux   
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Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
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Clone Of: Environment:
Last Closed: 1999-03-18 22:15:50 UTC Type: ---
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
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oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
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Description Chris Evans 1998-12-22 23:24:05 UTC 
In the installation guide, running "linuxconf" is explained
from running both as root and non-root.
If you run as non-root, you are supposed to be able to enter
the root password to start.
Unfortunately running as non-root is not possible; the
linuxconf binary itself has far too restrictive permissions!

A discrepancy between documentation and reality like this is
_not_ good for newbies.

Finally note that the "run as non-root then enter root
password" mode may be disabled for (very valid) security
reasons.
Comment 1 Jay Turner 1998-12-30 22:41:59 UTC 
I have verified this to be true. Running linuxconf as a normal user as
stated by the User's Guide fails complaining of permission denied. A
list in of the linuxconf binary produces

-rwx------  1  root  root  789024  Oct 12  linuxconf
Comment 2 Jay Turner 1998-12-30 22:42:59 UTC 
I have verified this to be true. Running linuxconf as a normal user as
stated by the User's Guide fails complaining of permission denied. A
list in of the linuxconf binary produces

-rwx------  1  root  root  789024  Oct 12  linuxconf
Comment 3 Michael K. Johnson 1999-03-18 22:15:59 UTC 
This is an intentional attempt on our part to avoid security holes.
I will report this to the documentation department.