Description of problem: The system-config-packages utility reports an error "Unknown Error" when launched from the command line as a non-root user. This is different behaviour from the other system-config tools that prompt for the root password. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): pirut-1.2.5, system-config-packages How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. As a non-root user, start system-config-packages. 2. 3. Actual results: "Unknown error" dialog appears. Expected results: Root authentication dialog or more informative error (e.g., "Only root can configure packages."). Additional info: On FC5, running "pirut" (there's no system-config-packages) seems to work as expected and prompts for the root PW on the command line.
Does running 'pirut' work?
thanks for the quick response (on a Sunday even!)... Yes, pirut works, but it's not nearly as intuitively named as the system-config-packages link. Within KDE/Gnome (with the Add/Remove Software link) it's not a big deal, but within Fluxbox or some other minimal environment (e.g., the twm desktop in the default VNC setup) it wasn't too obvious.
There's no system-config-packages pam setting in /etc/pam.d/ and no /etc/security/console.apps/system-config-packages config. Adding both resolves my issue.
Fedora Core 5 and Fedora Core 6 are, as we're sure you've noticed, no longer test releases. We're cleaning up the bug database and making sure important bug reports filed against these test releases don't get lost. It would be helpful if you could test this issue with a released version of Fedora or with the latest development / test release. Thanks for your help and for your patience. [This is a bulk message for all open FC5/FC6 test release bugs. I'm adding myself to the CC list for each bug, so I'll see any comments you make after this and do my best to make sure every issue gets proper attention.]
This bug is still present in F7 Test 4 (I installed from the x86_64 live cd).
system-config-packages fails to start in F7 with "unknown error". I am starting it from a command line and running on i386. pirut-1.3.7-1.fc7
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 238118 ***