set user as administrator

[mateito]

Using the new KDE . Just installed it. I am the only user. I have of course the root account and an account that I set up for myself. I can't seem to get the machine to allow me to set the self account as administrator. I have to go back and forth between self and root to do admin things. This should be simple, but it escapes me. I'm a former Linux Mint person that has just gotten started with PCLOS. It's probably something simple.

[Just17]

Using the new KDE . Just installed it. I am the only user. I have of course the root account and an account that I set up for myself. I can't seem to get the machine to allow me to set the self account as administrator. I have to go back and forth between self and root to do admin things. This should be simple, but it escapes me. I'm a former Linux Mint person that has just gotten started with PCLOS. It's probably something simple.

You need to explain what it is that you wish to do as administrator that cannot be managed from your user account.

Essentially there should be nothing.

To get admin/root privileges at the terminal type

su

and supply the root password.

[Archie]

Or hit Alt+F2 and type kdesu <command> where <command> is an application launcher. For example, you want to use Dolphin as root ... kdesu dolphin ... you will be prompted for your root password ... the you can use the admin's dolphin filemanager on your session.

[scoundrel]

thought there was root dolphin in the main menu.. like in LXDE menu

[T6]

the idea of run linux as a user is to keep system as safe as possible by not providing excessive privileges to normal user

when you are logged as root you have full access to the system and you can do inadvertently or accidentally modifications to files that can comprise the security of the system

when you need to install apps, you should provide the root password, when you want to configure your pc, you should provide the root password, that is the idea of use linux, keep system as secure as possible

some apps won't work when logged as admin if i remember correctly

not much reasons to work as a system administrator afik

[Neal ManBear]

Any admin task you need to do can be done from your user account. Need to update or install software - open Synaptic Package Manager - give root's password when requested. Need to set up your video driver - open PCLinuxOS Control Center - give root's password when requested.     
And so on for other other admin tools.     

There is no need to log into the root account.     

[mateito]

Thanks people my problem has been solved and yes I understand that running without admin privileges is beneficial in that you can't really screw things up. Mostly I do run on an account w/o.

[Neal ManBear]

Thanks people my problem has been solved and yes I understand that running without admin privileges is beneficial in that you can't really screw things up. Mostly I do run on an account w/o.

     
Really, you never need to run as root (admin to windows users ). Tools are provided that allow you to perform root tasks from your user account. In other words, when you have an 'admin task' to perform, there is a tool available that allows you to be administrator temporarily and do the job.     

[Rudge]

Mateito, just a "heads up"...

If you operate your install from day to day as root, it could be difficult to get support at this forum for anything that goes wrong.

We all highly recommend that this not be done.

Of course,, you are free to do as you wish. Have Fun!

[mateito]

I operate most of the time from my user non root account. This does bring me to a new related question though. If I'm in the user account and in terminal enter su and the password to perform some task, can I enter a new command in the terminal to go back to the simple user function without a re boot?

[JohnW_57]

I operate most of the time from my user non root account. This does bring me to a new related question though. If I'm in the user account and in terminal enter su and the password to perform some task, can I enter a new command in the terminal to go back to the simple user function without a re boot?

Just type: exit
Then you back in user mode.

JohnW

[Old-Polack]

I operate most of the time from my user non root account. This does bring me to a new related question though. If I'm in the user account and in terminal enter su and the password to perform some task, can I enter a new command in the terminal to go back to the simple user function without a re boot?

Type exit and press the Enter key.

[JohnW_57]

I operate most of the time from my user non root account. This does bring me to a new related question though. If I'm in the user account and in terminal enter su and the password to perform some task, can I enter a new command in the terminal to go back to the simple user function without a re boot?

Type exit and press the Enter key.

 

JohnW

[mateito]

thanks

[Neal ManBear]

The exit command is one of the most important commands, IMO.