[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
Per your request / suggestion: sudo /usr/sbin/adduser --gecos --disabled-password bugta [sudo] password for administ: Adding user `bugta' ... Adding new group `bugta' (1001) ... Adding new user `bugta' (1001) with group `bugta' ... Creating home directory `/home/bugta' ... Stopped: Couldn't create home directory `/home/bugta': No such file or directory. Removing directory `/home/bugta' ... Removing user `bugta' ... Removing group `bugta' ... groupdel: group 'bugta' does not exist adduser: `groupdel bugta' returned error code 6. Exiting. administ@bagend:~/CannotAdd$ exit exit Script done, file is 2011.01.16.2004.log Ah, /home is an automount map (auto.home). Thank you for showing me how to get to the bottom of my problem, and so quickly. I would think that having /home be an automount map would be a common configuration. Is there a way for you to detect this condition so that it can be handled intelligently? I have an action now to disable my automount map, make a user in /home, then try to move it to /lhome when they are not logged in to see if it works. Cannot do tonight. Thank you for your patience. As far as a mis-configured system, I only changed: /etc/inetd.conf /etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf /etc/auto.home /etc/auto.master /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/fstab /etc/default/grub /etc/default/console-setup /etc/exports (And installed to corresponding packages that they support) as required). I should have recognized that one cannot create a directory in an automount map. I guess my suggestion at this point would be to try to put out a better message... but you mentioned earlier that you cannot report errors ... but there was the recent dialog box I got "The configuration cannot be saved: You are not allowed to modify the system configuration." That got through. Could you not capture the output I got (below) and stick it in a dialog box? Also, the message about "The configuration cannot be saved" is misleading. It is not that something could not be saved, it is that the home directory could not be created. But then I know literally nothing about gnome. Thank you for your help. I will get to the above verification that things work when home is not an automount and report. --Ray -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 Title: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
I apologize for not attaching the files the second time. Now I seem to have a bigger problem, it will not let me add an account. I have been continuing to configure my system, but I don't know (obviously) what I did wrong. In general I have edited various configuration files and merged them from a previous Ubuntu system. I have gone back and checked the file owners and modes from a backup I created just after installation. Would you please help me to sort this out? Then I will get back to the original problem, if it still exists. I have followed the procedure, adding using "script" to capture what I typed. Files attached in a tar file. I: Started script on Console 1 capturing in console1.log Started script on Console 2 capturing in console2.log Typed: sudo killall /usr/bin/perl; sudo /usr/share/system-tools-backends-2.0/scripts/SystemToolsBackends.pl -m UsersConfig -v &> ~/stb-users.log in console 1 per web page, and as captured in console1.log Entered by password. Typed: users-admin &> ~/users-admin.log in console 2 per web page, and as captured in console2.log Clicked "Add" "Create a new user" dialog appeared Provided Name and Username, both "bugta" Dialog popped up: "Tye configuration cannot be saved. You are not allowed to modify the system configuration" Exited user creation tool. Exited script shell on console2 Exited script shell on console1 I was logged in as "administ", which when I run "id" prints: uid=1000(administ) gid=1000(administ) groups=1000(administ),4(adm),20(dialout),24(cdrom),46(plugdev),111(lpadmin),119(admin),122(sambashare),123(vboxusers) grep administ /etc/group prints: admin:x:119:administ,ray,rnsc,rnscadm ls -l passwd shadow group gshadow -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1662 2011-01-16 14:19 group -rw-r- 1 root shadow 1441 2011-01-16 14:19 gshadow -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2712 2011-01-16 14:19 passwd -rw-r- 1 root shadow 2874 2011-01-16 14:19 shadow ** Attachment added: ""script" capture of console1 and console2, stb-users.log, users-admin.log" https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-system-tools/+bug/666555/+attachment/1795997/+files/CannotAdd.2011.01.16.1435.tar -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 Title: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
Following up, new system. Gave up on getting 10.04 video to work on my system (another story), switched to 10.10. Created a user named "bugta", user 1001, group 1001. Tried to use System / Administration / Users and Groups to change the home directory of bugta from /home to /lhome. lhome pre-existed, but did NOT have a directory in it called bugta. After prompting me, it created /lhome/bugta and copied the contents of /home/bugta into it. However it did not update /etc/passwd. To be explicit, the bugta line in /etc/passwd still had /home/bugta as the user's home directory. Repeated the test described in my 2010-11-14 post exactly, except for changing the user. The line below was copy pasted from what I typed: /usr/sbin/usermod -d /lhome/bugta -g 1001 -l bugta -s /bin/bash -u 1001 bugta >2011.01.02-1709.log 2>&1 /etc/passwd was modified to make the home directory /lhome/bugta. I believe that this represents a bug in 10.10. The System / Administration / users and groups dialog does not modify /etc/passwd even when the user being changed is not logged on. --- With regard to modifying the user who is logged on, I believe that *somehow* this should work. My need for it *is* driven by how I build my systems, which will explain below, but that is immaterial and I do not want to cloud my message. It suggest the following: The issue would arise any time userid, groupid, home directory is changed for an active user. If the user is *not* in the user trying to make the change, I suggest that the program refuse to make the change, and specify that the user must log off and all processes running under that user ID must exit before the change can be made. Note that in obscure cases that this may still not be sufficient, as any process could have information about the target user ID in private memory. The only 100% safe thing to do is to reboot. The user could be warned and given a choice - log off or reboot. If the user is the one running "Users and Groups", I suggest that a dialog offer the choices of aborting the change, or continuing with a unavoidable and immediate system restart without further warning afterward to ensure consistency for running processes related to that user ID (To avoid giving the user the opportunity to ctrl-alt-backspace for example out of the reboot). I do not like the idea of having to reboot the system for a change, but this is a very unusual situation. --- Why I need this (And a little bit of a soap box): In general, my user home directories are on a file server. This is /home, created by an auto mount map or direct nfs mount. I create the accounts on each machine to avoid the complexity of LDAP at the cost of 15 minutes work when I rebuild. The account created during installation I use as a local administrator account (naming it administ), which is functional and whole even if my network or the file server with the home directories is non-functional. But Ubuntu gives me no choice but to create it in /home! So I let it create it, then need to move it to *somewhere else* before I can make /home refer to my server and activate my other accounts. I choose /lhome (local home). I use the Ubuntu System / administration / users and groups dialog to change the home directory (This *is* the mainstream Ubuntu mechanism). I guess I *could* create another administrator account, then change it from there, then delete the second account. But I feel that somehow the system should deal with this situation, not block out a valid change. Regarding using the dialog vs. the command line stuff, I "grew up" editing UNIX configuration files such as /etc/passwd and /etc/group, creating home directories with mkdir. "man" explained the actions of each command, and each configuration file. Life was simple and transparent. Today a plethora of dialog boxes provide magical access to who-knows-what underlying mechanisms, and maintaining coherence of who- knows-what interdependencies. I am afraid to change anything the easy way, and instead use the provided dialogs. I fear that Linux is moving toward Windows, where everything is opaque and based on hidden magic, vs. UNIX where everything was transparent and intuitive to the most casual observer. Because the dialogs are not well documented as to what they do, one cannot manage the system the old way because you have no way of knowing what to do any more. Hiding the underlying mechanisms is a good architectural principle, but I would prefer the simple transparent system with those clearly identified as the system interfaces, perhaps with nice helpful graphical applications whose stated role is to manipulate those system interfaces in well defined and documented (transparent) ways to make the system nice for those who cannot type. I like to be in control and secure that I can make the system work. Otherwise I might as well buy Windows, where everything is easy, confusing, seems to encounter unanticipated situations and malfunctions
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
sudo /usr/sbin/usermod -d /newdir/administ -g 1000 -l administ -s /bin/bash -u 1000 administ > 2010-11-14-1455.log 2>&1 Nothing comes out on stdout, the following comes out on stderr: usermod: user administ is currently logged in So perhaps that is the problem. It did work in 0810, even when I was logged on. I do admit that there a strange situation here, and one has to know what they are doing or there will be unpredictable results. I am not in a position to check it on another account right now, I hope to be in a few days. I will post results at that time. -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
It will not let me upload an empty file, it removed it and posted the comment without an attachement. (Probably not news to you, but thought I should clearly document what is going on here). Thanks. -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
users-admin.log is zero length. There is no mistake here. -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
Sorry for the delay. Boy, that was easy. I did the following: Started the two processes in the two consoles, per the directions. mkdir /newdir Selected the "administ" account Pressed the [Advanced Settings] button Selected the "Advanced" tab Change the home directory from "/lhome/administ" to "/newdir/administ" Pressed "OK" Pressed "Closed" Wrote this note, attached the two files. Note that one is zero length. stb-users.log is attached. A follow-on comment will include the zero length file, for whatever it is worth. ** Attachment added: "stb-users.log" https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-system-tools/+bug/666555/+attachment/1732808/+files/stb-users.log -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
Re: [Bug 666555] Re: "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
Will try to do tonight, may be a few days. I have fiddled with 10.04 before also. This is at least the second, perhaps the third or fourth clean install with this behavior. I just shrugged it off that I must have done something wrong in the past, but this time I was prepared and very meticulous, and verified. Again, I will do what you asked soon. --Ray Milan Bouchet-Valat wrote: > Interesting... Indeed, doesn't seem to be a duplicate of bug 659758, > which is only about newly created users (and about which I know the root > cause). > > Please follow the instructions at : > https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingGnomeSystemTools#For%20Users%20[users-admin] > and attach the information here. Thanks! > > ** Changed in: gnome-system-tools (Ubuntu) >Status: New => Incomplete > > ** Changed in: gnome-system-tools (Ubuntu) >Importance: Undecided => Medium > > -- > "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" > https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 > You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber > of the bug. -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
[Bug 666555] [NEW] "users and groups" home directory change does not "take"
Public bug reported: Binary package hint: gnome-system-tools May be same root cause as 659758, but symptoms are a little different. Clean 10.04 LTS desktop install. Console login to account created during install, create "/lhome", logoff Desktop login to account created during install System / Administration / Users and Groups Click on account created during installation. Click on "Advanced", enter password "Advanced User Settings" dialog appears. "Advanced" tab Change home directory from /home/xxx to /lhome/xxx OK If re-enter advanced tab, it shows up as /lhome (New value) Close (User Settings) Home directory is not changed: Restart System / Administration / Users and Groups ... Still /home/xxx Verify by looking at /etc/passwd This is different from 659758 in that: 758 was creating a new user 758 stated that if it was done again, it *was* saved. I have done it many times, and it never saves it. If I manually edit /etc/passwd, looking in the panel later I see the change, and it works fine. This bug did not exist in 0810. ** Affects: gnome-system-tools (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New -- "users and groups" home directory change does not "take" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/666555 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Desktop Bugs, which is subscribed to gnome-system-tools in ubuntu. -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
