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File editing for a dummy

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stu

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  • "stu" started this thread

Posts: 7

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1

Saturday, January 3rd 2004, 10:03am

File editing for a dummy

Hi,

How the heck can I edit a file (in this case XF86config in the etc/X11 directory). I do not have write access to this file (despite creating an account with root privelidges)???

cmbofh

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Saturday, January 3rd 2004, 10:47am

Re: File editing for a dummy

Quoted

Original von stu

Hi,

How the heck can I edit a file (in this case XF86config in the etc/X11 directory). I do not have write access to this file (despite creating an account with root privelidges)???

The "account with root privileges" already exists.
It's called "root" ;-)

Well, there's a reason why the system's config files are not writable by just anybody (security!). So IMHO the normal answer is: You're not supposed to unless you know the root password.


The standard ways to edit them are:

- Change to root and edit the file (e.g.: in konsole, issue the command "su" and enter the root password)

- Use a tool that asks you for the root password and does the change with root privileges. Some of the KDE control center modules do this ("administrator mode").


The following two are potentially unsafe because they don't require the root password from the user:

- Use a tool that has the "suid" bit set and belongs to root (It's automatically executed with root privileges)

- Use the sudo tool (which must be properly configured by root). It allows normal users to execute certain commands with root privileges.

I'd go for the first two options.