Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 14, 2003 12:14 AM |
lyonsdj88 |
Sorry, keep seeing this BS all over the place. Log in as 'Root' until your eyes fall out and nothing is going to happen. We were root and system and wheel for 17years in OS 1-9, don't think so. GOTO system folder and remove anything you want. Now try that in OS X even as 'root'. Sure 'root' is not the every day user but it is your computer and you should be able to tell it what you want it to do. Don't fear root nothing is going to happen you don't tell the computer to do. You can do far more damage booting from OS 9 or 8 to OS X than you can as root, unless you know what you are doing. I mean it's not as if you log in as 'root' and some magic just starts deleting you files. You could run as 'root' from now till the end of time and not do anything. This being said the next person who posts a 'log in as root, but be carefull' post, it's open season on you;-) |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 20, 2003 9:40 AM |
gregoryy |
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My friends who (try) use OS 9 put stuff all over the place, have multiple system folders, applications in the System Folder. Real nightmare mess. For them, OS X is perfect with its "enforced" structure. Sometimes as root just moving my own data files around would cause trouble later. And instead of moving, they were copy/duplicated. Permissions that got changed. Lots of little stuff. And I really don't like the fact that root's home directory is down in the system's /private/ directories (/var?). Also, some installers that say that you HAVE to boot and be root to install - some of them can't otherwise install stuff "correctly" in /Library areas. Or you have Carbon app junk (Norton) scattered everywhere and no easy startup manager for startupitems and extensions. The ability to just boot to say, Extension Manager thing, and DISABLE that 10.2.8 extension that is causing trouble. I use to use Boot config to disable startupitems but it doesn't seem to do a good job anymore. Path Finder use to let me kill files and folders easily - 10.2.6 or 10.2.8 seems to have made it harder to kill files. So I am forced to the terminal when I prefer a GUI, or root. Tell me this: what good is archiving a system if you can't access the parts, if you can't revert (like Windows can). to retain ~/ ? Should be able to install and leave that. Does archive compress? I doubt it. I've got 5 good books, O'Reily and others, to help understand and when in a crunch or ready to jump in over my head, and plan to get a couple new ones that deal with Panther and unix/terminal tips. For those rare but pesky problems. Three years, $390 later. Maybe 3rd times the charm? |
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johnbclark |
October, 20, 2003 7:12 AM |
jseibyl |
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I HAVE retained the admin rights to just me!! ;-) |
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johnbclark |
October, 20, 2003 7:10 AM |
jseibyl |
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nice... :-) thnks! |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 19, 2003 11:41 PM |
krevnik |
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Ugh, the worst thing that happens while logged in as root (coming from a Linux/OS 9 dual-booter until OS X came along) is that any mistype or mistake you make cannot be undone easily when it comes to removal or editing of critical files. I don't fear root, but I certainly am not foolish enough to let the human error aspect of computer usage root access even 10% of the time. I use sudo to get root work done, and if I really need root for an extended period of time I sudo -s, and Panther adds the ability to elevate Finder tasks to root when needed (such as deleting a previous system install from an Archive/Install). |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 19, 2003 10:00 PM |
worldalex |
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I personally don't think the average Mac user needs root set. I do not think Apple should not disable the ability to set root. This is UNIX or at least Unix, and root is central too the perfection of Unix. If you know what you are doing, then root access is a great thing. I do also believe that children and fools should be warned of the dangers that root access entails. It is not the same in Unix as in Mac Classic. As an aside, I don't know how many times I have had to help a friend who moved the Apple Menu Items folder out of the System Folder and was amazed that the Apple Menu was blank, or the times I have had to reinstall a device driver because they moved it. Root access can be (not is) a real pain. ~al |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 19, 2003 6:34 PM |
gregoryy |
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Console is not root, but it is a useful method, especially where the system boots to login screen but that's as far as it goes, or you can't boot into single user mode and need to fsck or repair permissions. A number of problems that crept up with 10.2.8. I would never use root anymore. I've done so. I knew what I was doing, but I don't like what Jaguar does as a result. If you do A, while logged in as root, then B, is missing. |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 19, 2003 5:26 PM |
lyonsdj88 |
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gregoryy, thanks for sharing but WTF are you talking about????? |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 19, 2003 10:11 AM |
gregoryy |
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1. Boot the machine to the login window 2. Login as >console 3. From the console, login as an administrator 4. Then type 'sudo shutdown now' 5. Supply your admin password The computer will then shutdown to single user mode and once there you can run "fsck -y" to verify the drive. When you're all done, I recommend you do a full reboot by typing "reboot". |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 18, 2003 10:22 PM |
lyonsdj88 |
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let's just pull root out of the hands of the user;-0 |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 18, 2003 9:02 PM |
johnbclark |
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I always try to be careful when I mess around with my root... (I just couldn't resist!) BTW, jseibyl, I guess your "root login" is "single user" now - I never officially told you congrats! |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 17, 2003 1:10 AM |
lyonsdj88 |
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Sure ,let's just pull root out of the hands of the user. Who is the average user. I'm not saying use root as you day to day, I'm saying don't fear root. If you have Trojan's or viruses on you Mac I think you screwed if or if not you log in as root. Seasoned UNIX and Linux users don't fear root nor do they feel the need to make other fear it. The normal thread I see on logging in as root always starts as'be careful' without telling what to be careful of. Makes it sound like some monster is going to jump out and bite you if you log in as root.Be careful tells the user nothing but fear root. Sorry if you take this thread the wrong way, I saw a thread in another forum that had a 'Seasoned Unix' user saying that Apple should make it so folks could not log in as root because the 'average user' not only did not need it, but would not be able to understand it. That ticked me off. Sort of like saying "I can be root because I am so damn smart, but you, you average user are not able to learn." I know this is far from what you are saying, but I don't need to follow anyone. Seem to me that the average Mac user is smarter than the average linux user, but my view can be skewed by the lack of smart linux users who take the time to answer even a basic ? BTW some of us were loading UNIX on terminals over modem from UofL while other were still waiting to be born. |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 17, 2003 12:04 AM |
worldalex |
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First, logging in as root is not necessary for the average user. Sudo works fine, and an administrator account gives basically the same access as you had in 9. Second, when you log on as root, any Trojan, or virus that accesses your computer while you are logged in has the potential to do root level damage. Then again have you ever wondered what a buggy software program could do with root access, without the protections offered by sudo or administrator accesses limited privileges. One of the selling points of "X" is increased security with increased network capabilities. Routinely logging in as root goes a long way towards defeating this. Finally, I am not going to go into all the reasons why root access in 9 is very different to X. I will though point out that if you do not understand why seasoned UNIX and Linux users use administrator accounts, then you might be better off to just follow their lead. |
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RE: Nerer log in as 'Root'! |
October, 14, 2003 11:31 AM |
jseibyl |
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....got root......?? |