Bug 472991 - Unable login as a superuser
Summary: Unable login as a superuser
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: gdm
Version: 10
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
medium
medium
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: jmccann
QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2008-11-25 22:51 UTC by markm
Modified: 2015-01-14 23:22 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

Fixed In Version:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2008-12-01 15:45:56 UTC
Type: ---
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description markm 2008-11-25 22:51:57 UTC
Description of problem:

When I first start newest Fedora, I like to do some maintenance tasks logged as root, latest version of Fedora does not allow me to do so. 

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

Fedora 10 installed from the iso DVD.

How reproducible:

always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install Fedora 10
2. Restart it
3. Login as root
  
Actual results:

gdm says “unable to authenticate user”

Expected results:

root user being logged in with a warning message (as it used to be in Fedora 8/9)

Additional info:

a dirty solution is to boot with “3” added to kernel params, then login as root and startx - but why do I need to do that? why making people's life difficult?

Comment 1 Ray Strode [halfline] 2008-12-01 15:45:56 UTC
Hi,

This policy is configurable.  See the file, 

/etc/pam.d/gdm

The default is to not allow root because

1) a lot of things don't function correctly in a root environment (screen lock, irc clients, certain policykit security policies), and there are some security implications.

2) a lot of things that have traditionally required root don't anymore.


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