How CAN I add a user to Knoppix V6.2 DVD KDE boot

[GCMartin]

I've booted Knoppix desktop=KDE. But I cannot administer any desktop apps.

I want to add users to my Knoppix system. But I can't because I don't know the correct procedure for Knoppix use. After booting, on Knoppix desktop, I go to "Start" and it shows that the current Knoppix logon desktop user is "knoppix".

Booting Knoppix. At desktop I go to Start...Applications...System...Users & Groups...User Settings or hit button for Group Settings. These screens look like where I should be adding users, BUT, everything is 'grayed-out'.

Anyone know why???

Also, other administration applications screens are grayed out as well. Hmmmm...Why?

Also, I go to Start...Favorties...System Setting...Personal...User. screen. There,. I cannot change my current desktop user ID, "knoppix", password here. Hmmmm...Why?

Knoppix at the desktop; it Seems ALL system and desktop administration is "locked". Hmmmm...Why?

If you know the reason, it would really help. If you know a resolution, that would most certainly help.

[laptopdragon]

1st thing, i am currently using mandriva w/ e16, my knoppix is on my living room pc. so these screenshots may not be what you see..

i start off with a simple s.s. and easy background, the middle 3 are busy, so is the s.s., the last is back to serenity.

simply stated, in a terminal window (i love eterm) type .
su -
yourrootpassword
adduser yournewusername
exit
cd /home
ls

and you will find it all very neat and easy. (and powerful)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/loginasroot.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/addeduserg1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/g1exists.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/addedusermomo.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/CDtoHOMEandLStofindallusersnoticehi.jpg


and that sums it up.
now, if you want passwords too, log back in as root (or su - ) and addpasswd yourusername (you don't need a passwd tho, just hit enter to login w/a passwordless user.

[laptopdragon]

after reviewing those pix, i find they are too small.

here is a rundown for posterity.

you will not get ANY notification if you succeed on a new user, i got a messege of failure-= already exists...

the /home is necessary to see your users (thats where they live by defualt) notice hidden user g1 (even from root


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e152/idanity/regionomg.jpg

[GCMartin]

@laptopdragon - Thank you for your post.

I can see some of the effort you suggest here. BUT,

what I was hoping for is a description to use Knoppix's GUI services to add/remove a user. For starters, I cannot seem to use the Knoppix desktop KDE menu items to administer anything in the system. Its as if all admin tools are NOT allowed by anyone who boots using Knoppix LiveCD.

I can go to a terminal window. become superuser (su), and do things. BUT this does NOT allow me to use KDE menu items to do admin tasks.

I am missing something about how the "RIGHTS" are assigned to allow this to happen. Should I set another ID? should I change some rights somewhere? What am I missing to do admin services using KDE tools?

If there is a writeup somewhere on how to use Knoppix LiveCD's KDE for admininistering its services, I will use that.

Anything...anyone....Help

[laptopdragon]

just learn cli

you may drown with information and ability, and never use a gui again (power is cli)


here is a link (http://linux.about.com/od/linux101/l/blnewbie5_3.htm), or just google search command line ...


you can login "su -" you can do anything, beware rm -

to add a user, just "adduser USERNAME " <enter>
while in root


o , and to add.
knoppix is a bit silly at times, i heard a lot of root issues, and other stuff.
for a much more simpler distro, try mandriva 2010, (hey, its all free) and you will see a completely different login/ ability system.

i think, knoppix is restricting you for some reason
you can change your permissions, and even add your login or user to group with root...


hope that helps

btw, you really joined in 2003 ?? :o

[Capricorny]

@laptopdragon - Thank you for your post.
....
what I was hoping for is a description to use Knoppix's GUI services to add/remove a user. For starters, I cannot seem to use the Knoppix desktop KDE menu items to administer anything in the system. Its as if all admin tools are NOT allowed by anyone who boots using Knoppix LiveCD.

I can go to a terminal window. become superuser (su), and do things. BUT this does NOT allow me to use KDE menu items to do admin tasks.

I am missing something about how the "RIGHTS" are assigned to allow this to happen. Should I set another ID? should I change some rights somewhere? What am I missing to do admin services using KDE tools?


There is one good reason there is little help available on this: The consensus is that if you want a permanent install, you should rather use "pure" Debian (or some other distro).
All the conflicts with KDE, privileges etc is one reason I now only use LXDE with Knoppix. Works very well for me.

If you want to use Knoppix as an ordinary multiuser system, you should get to know the init process. Comparing Knoppix and ordinary Debian init, you will see where you have to modify Knoppix. As you can install virtually any Debian package on Knoppix, you can get all the needed tools.

[chip.ling]

@laptopdragon - Thank you for your post.

I can see some of the effort you suggest here. BUT,

what I was hoping for is a description to use Knoppix's GUI services to add/remove a user. For starters, I cannot seem to use the Knoppix desktop KDE menu items to administer anything in the system. Its as if all admin tools are NOT allowed by anyone who boots using Knoppix LiveCD.

I can go to a terminal window. become superuser (su), and do things. BUT this does NOT allow me to use KDE menu items to do admin tasks.



To answer your question:

User Knoppix cannot create new user nor user group. Your GUI session is started as user knoppix, that's why you cannot perform any activity related to that area.

So in theory, if you can logon as root in the GUI session, you should be able to do whatever you want. So check out if there any way you can logout user knoppix and relogon again as root.

One other way I think it might work. Try to boot up knoppix in text mode first. Then start xwindow as root. I never try it before and you may need to do some tests here to find out if it works or not.

This might work, boot knoppix to text mode with the following cheat code:

knoppix 3

To become root:

su

Startup the xwindow:

init 5


Keep us posted if you have any success.

Rgds,
Chip

[chip.ling]

I just did the testing using the Knoppix 6.2 CD version. I just download it.

First of all, the combination of "knoppix 3" and "init 5" does not work. It still starts up the Xwindow under the user knoppix.

However, after I did some digging, I am able to start Xwindow under root. But since the CD version does not contain KDE, it still not a 100% solution for you. But I believe it could be a good starting point.

Here is what I did:

First of all, boot from the knoppix 6.2 CD to text mode using the following cheat code:

knoppix 3

Now you are root in text mode, go to the directory /etc/init.d and edit the file knoppix-startx, I use vi

cd /etc/init.d
vi knoppix-startx

Search for the start function in the script, you will see the following:


# Start function
start(){
USER="knoppix"
GROUP="knoppix"
SESSION="lxde"


Change the script to:


# Start function
start(){
USER="root"
GROUP="root"
SESSION="lxde"


Then I save the changes and exit vi

Now start the Xwindow session with the following command:

/etc/init.d/startx start

Then you will be in Xwindow as root.

Since the CD version is missing the KDE binary, I cannot test out desktop=KDE. The following is the solution from my imagination for your case:

Change the script to:


# Start function
start(){
USER="root"
GROUP="root"
SESSION="kde"
DESKTOP="KDE"


The value "KDE" maybe in lower case, you may need to try it out yourself with difference upper case/lower case combinations between the variables SESSION and DESKTOP.

Once again, we seldom login to the GUI using root since it is very dangerous. I believe that's why knoppix and most Linux distros never have the default setting to let you use the GUI as root.

I still believe using su or sudo commands should be the way to go if you really want to be root. It is the natural language of root. If you cannot master it, you better off to be a normal user then. Well, it is just my opinion. You don't need to agree with me.

Anyway, let me know the result. I don't think I am able to download the DVD version to test it out.

Rgds,
Chip

[GCMartin]

@Chip.Ling...Thank You!

The KNOPPIX LiveCD/DVD provides many applications via its menus when you boot to its GUI desktop(s). But you cannot use them for many necessary functions.

There may be several methods to get into a Knoppix desktop to manage all of the applications that come with the system. But, this method provided by Chip is reasonable, straight-forward, and simple to understand.

I believe his help has provided an excellent starting point, for me, as I start the trek to understanding how to use these utilities to achieve those things I am used to doing when working with my Windows machine's applications. It gives anyone who follow his instructions the ability to manage the Knoppix machine he is viewing. There are many applications that are useful for those of us who want to integrate this system into the current community of PCs on my home/office network of PCs. I have several NAS units and would simply like to access, read and write to these units. Knoppix has the tools that allow access, but to use them, the “

Problem: Knoppix CD boots you to a Knoppix desktop logged in as a non-administrative user, named “knoppix”. This user lacks the ability to manage the machine he is viewing. There are many applications that are useful for those of us who want to integrate this system into the current community of PCs on my home network of PCs. I have several NAS units and would simple like to access, read and write to these units. Knoppix has the tools that allow access, but to use them, the “knoppix” does NOT have the rights to use the KDE/LXDE/GNOME applications. For example, after doing a CLI “mount” of a remote share, I cannot write from a word-processor to that NAS.

Resolution: Login as the root user to the desktop by changing Knoppix at startup to allow logon as the root user.

Following Chip.Ling's testing, here is what I did:
Boot from the knoppix 6.2 CD to text mode using the following cheat codes:

knoppix lang=us desktop=kde 3

Now you are root user in console mode. Go to the directory /etc/init.d and edit the file knoppix-startx, I use vi

cd /etc/init.d
vi knoppix-startx

Search for the start function in the script, you will see the following:

# Start function
start(){
USER="knoppix"
GROUP="knoppix"
SESSION="lxde"

I used the arrow keys to get the USER-GROUP lines and Changed the script from the knoppix user to the root user as follows:

# Start function
start(){
USER="root"
GROUP="root"
SESSION="lxde"
Then I hit the ESC key to get out of Insert mode and typed “:wq” to save the changes and exit vi.

Start the Xwindow session with the following command:

/etc/init.d/startx
Then you will be in knoppix desktop as root. Now all of my utilities are working and their menu items are NOT grayed-out. I can even mount the remote NAS and immediate write to it without my need to fight with CLIs attempting to “fix” desktop usage. Everything just works now!!! ….Wow

This allows me to use a Knoppix distro with the authority necessary to use the utilities as they are designed. For me, these utilities are a must for the way I want to use my Knoppix diskless machines. I want to have a bootable CD/DVD system with all my permanent and writable files on my NAS. I want to manage my Knoppix machine just as I do my Windows machines. I fully recognize my responsibility and I accept my need to operate in a safe and secure fashion. That is my responsibility. You have really helped me!

You are the first Knoppix assistance that I have gotten where someone was NOT trying to force their position on me and really was trying to help. (Maybe this is their way of covering up their lack of knowledge or maybe its there way of exerting power by keeping the knowledge to themselves.)

I don't know any other way to express my gratitude to you for your understanding and your help. I will try to be the same polite person you have been with me when I assist others trying to grasp Linux.

Thanks loads and may the Linux Gods bless you too.

[Capricorny]

Running a graphical environment as root is generally considered dangerous practice. When you for example do that in KDE/Mandriva, you get a red background as default, to remind you of the dangers. I do it sometimes, but with Knoppix, I have been able to do everything I need either with sudo or becoming root with su in a terminal window. As "local" root, I can also run X applications with root privilieges when I need it for administrative purposes. With LXDE and 6.X, everything works fine for me that way - maybe it is otherwise with KDE. In order to limit the consequences of errors I inadvertently make all the time, I try to work with as low privilieges as possible.


The KNOPPIX LiveCD/DVD provides many applications via its menus when you boot to its GUI desktop(s). But you cannot use them for many necessary functions.


If that had been the case for me, I would certainly have tried to get the distribution setup changed. But it isn't, and I don't think many experience it. For me, there are just a few tasks I get forced to do as root. Irritating enough, but no reason for me to run X as root.

Your subject was: How CAN I add a user to Knoppix V6.2 DVD KDE boot? This solution seems to be running as root, not adding another user. I'll be interested in experiences with adding ordinary users. With the new Knoppix much closer to standard Debian, perhaps that is not so much of a problem as it has been traditionally.

[GCMartin]

@Capricorny

Thanks for your reminder of the danger. I agree with you. And, over the past months I have seen some of the wonderful assistance you have given many others. BUT...

I am looking for a LiveCD/LiveDVD based system for a specific need that I have for my local net of 4 computers. My need is to "NOT be controlled" or "barred" from using the management tools; instead, I need a system where I can execute those tools to administer the local machine. I want to be able to things as simple as using the printer management utility to print to the local LAN printer, etc.

You or no-one had come forward and share how to do this using my V6.2 of Knoppix. I have gratefully THANKED Chip for his help. He was/is like a blessing from heaven to have taken the time to guide me. AND, I learned a little more about Linux (which I am taking the time to learn as much as I can.).

I dont have your level of experience or knowledge, yet, but I am learning more how to use the GUI tools in the Knoppix desktop for my needs. I want to be like you with your level of knowledge, but coming from a Windoze environment, I've got a long way to go, yet.

If you DO HAPPEN TO KNOW OF ANOTHER METHOD OR PROCEDURE THAT I CAN EMPLOY TO RUN ALL OF THE MANAGEMENT UTILITIES ON THE LIVEDVD/CD, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME......PLEASE.

[dahveed3]

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=40158

I was pleased to see that setting up the link as described in that how-to allowed me to use kdesu in Knoppix as it had in Debian's kde4.

Then when you want to open a GUI program as root you simply do kdesu kate /etc/apt/sources.lst, as an example.

There is also a program in the System section of KMenu that allows you to set a root password via a Knoppix GUI script. You'll need to do that in order to give kdesu the root password when it pops up asking for it before opening the program you started with it. Either use that handy script or do the old sudo passwd root, which will accomplish the same thing.

Knoppix user and root are locked in Knoppix. But many GUI programs are setup in a customized way to offer administrative access where they aren't in standard KDE. You just need a few programs and tasks that aren't setup that way, and so need to setup a root password and use kdesu for GUI programs and either su - (once you've set the root password) or sudo for the command line programs.

[Capricorny]

I am looking for a LiveCD/LiveDVD based system for a specific need that I have for my local net of 4 computers. My need is to "NOT be controlled" or "barred" from using the management tools; instead, I need a system where I can execute those tools to administer the local machine. I want to be able to things as simple as using the printer management utility to print to the local LAN printer, etc.
.....
If you DO HAPPEN TO KNOW OF ANOTHER METHOD OR PROCEDURE THAT I CAN EMPLOY TO RUN ALL OF THE MANAGEMENT UTILITIES ON THE LIVEDVD/CD, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME......PLEASE.
.....


Same method as given before. Execute something as root: sudo <command>

Or open a terminal window, and permanently become root there (which I often do, but I only use that terminal window for administration). Click on the LXTerminal icon on the status line, issue su. The you can open new windows (like editors) as root. But beware of the powers you have got then.

I have never had problems printing to LAN printers in my Knoppix setup. It proved far worse from Windows in one case! But you just pass sweeping generalizations instead of explaining more precisely what you do and what goes wrong, so it's impossible to guess what may be the problem. But you clearly have little understanding of the sudo mechanism and privileges, and I think you could start there. Linux/Unix is not a good "cookbook" system, you need a fair amount of basic system understanding to attack all the new problems cropping up along the way.

The main reason I have answered, has got nothing to do with your case. It's to protect other newbies from believing that your "method" is something experienced users would recommend.

Setting root and user passwords, as dahweed instructs, is a very good way to attack the problems when the sudo/su mechanism doesn't cut it. And it can be necessary with KDE. That is one of the reasons I strongly recommend newbies to stick to LXDE at first, where I have not encountered any such problems so far. My experience so far with using Knoppix more as a "normal" system are rather mixed, so I personally stick to the "best password is no password" principle for now. But that may change, maybe 6.2.1 already is there.

[dahveed3]

Actually I haven't found a reason to set the password for the knoppix user, only the root user. And that's really only for the use of the kdesu to open GUI programs with root privileges. I gave the debian forum thread how-to link so as to enable that aspect which is for some reason turned off in KDE 4. Really nonsense not to be able to simply invoke kdesu dolphin in order to do GUI file management.

And it's MUCH preferable to any form of logging in to the whole GUI as root user. That opens up a world of vulnerabilities so that the user might as well be using Windows XP or earlier. One is turning off all security and subjecting the entire system to modification by any nasty out there.

As for lxde or KDE or any DE, that's user preference. If the OP likes KDE and its GUI tools, which from reading the docs on the lxde website make me believe are much more GUI oriented than lxde, then there's no reason not to take advantage of them.

[Capricorny]

As for lxde or KDE or any DE, that's user preference. If the OP likes KDE and its GUI tools, which from reading the docs on the lxde website make me believe are much more GUI oriented than lxde, then there's no reason not to take advantage of them.
Except for the bugs and intricacies in KDE, which makes it far more difficult, not the least for newbies, to do more complex things. As your recipe is an example of. And in Knoppix 6.2.0, I wasn't able to set the correct screen resolution at all with KDE running. (Nor with Gnome, only LXDE did it right). Speaking as a KDE user since (ca) 1998, formerly very enthusiastic about it, I find that rather tragic.

Knoppix user password: I think at least xscreensaver uses it. I have disabled that one..

[dahveed3]

I just used the screensaver preferences link in the Debian section of KMenu. When it asked to activate I said no, and clicked to disable in the preferences.

I use Debian testing (Squeeze) and I guess I don't do too many complicated things as I enjoy KDE 4. I also used KDE for all my time in Linux and really didn't switch over to KDE 4 until a couple of months after it appeared in Squeeze, only checking out the progress using Live CD until that point. I kept Lenny on my main system until that point. I seem to have bypassed most of the major bugs by waiting.

The update-alternatives --config commands were useful to me in order to prevent lxde getting involved, which is the default in Knoppix. Everything I've encountered so far using KDE tools has been working fine with the exception of Powerdevil. That appears to be ignoring my setting the performance edits to not turn off my monitor. And I get a warning on login that there appears to be no user assigned to apply powerdevils preferences. But I have no trouble simply moving the mouse to turn my monitor back on without a password prompt.

For my screen I installed the nvidia drivers the Debian way using module-assistant and the sid debian nvidia packages. I let nvidia-xconfig revamp the xorg.conf and nvidia auto-select just appeared to use what I had been using the knoppix cheat code screen=1024x768 and depth=24 while the nv driver had been automatically been used prior to my installing nvidia. Once the nvidia drivers were installed I had no need to use the cheat codes, which would do nothing to the resolution as once nvidia-xconfig made its own xorg.conf the knoppix bootup then always states that it was not modifying my customized xorg.conf. KDE just automatically uses what nvidia setup.

I suppose I could have kept the Knoppix X setup by just issuing the cheatcode xmodule=nviidia (as I had used successfully in previous Knoppix 6 setups), but that would have required that I keep using the screen and depth cheat codes. This way (nvidia-xconfig) I allow nvidia-settings to do its thing without the massive Knoppix xorg.conf inserting all those depreciated commands. Xorg really doesn't need all that stuff anymore.

After commenting out the stable repos, changing default-release to testing in /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/00KNOPPIX, and adding debian-multimedia.org's squeeze main and non-free in menu.list, I've even been doing aptitude safe-upgrade daily and Knoppix is purring along with updated Squeeze packages. I only installed mplayer, libdvdcss2, acroread, and w32codecs from debian-multimedia and allowed the safe-upgrades to their other packages. Seems to get my codecs running fine. I fixed Quicktime trailers by purging the mozilla-mplayer and totem-mozilla and adding gecko-mediaplayer-plugin.

All that and I still have 1.9 GB free in my FAT32 limited 3888 MB sized knoppix-data file on the 8GB USB stick. Since I'm using the DVD, it already has just about any program I use installed so I think things will go fine.

[GCMartin]

@dahveed3

Thanks for your insights. It is "Food for thought", much of which I hope to follow to get a similar configuration. I applaud your effort and your sharing your achievement.

It give me ideas that I can use as my system is about to recieve a Nvidia card.

My ability and my request for here was 2-fold:
1. I wanted to have the ability to adjust my system as simply as possible and thus my approaching the forum for suggestions was to possition me to do that without restrictions and
2.I really need to expand my knowledge of administering a platform that I feel is inherently safe....e.g. LiveCD/LiveDVD.

I had use Puppy and did NOT have the restrictions of navigation that I was running into in Knoppix. This post has helped me tremendously as I am learning rapidly thats to my removing the restrictions I was having before.

Thanks again for you insights. You are helpful.