Editing Root access

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Learn more about Contributing to the wiki.

'''Warning: The steps described on this page ''could'' lead to severe damage to your system and/or device. Proceed at your own peril. It is ''likely'' that any breakage would be fixed by [[Upgrading tablet OS|reflashing your device]]: however this will lose any settings not backed up.'''

Having [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_user root] access is an important step for users interested in modifying things "under the covers" of their tablets; without it, you won't have the necessary permissions to make those modifications. Root access is disabled by default on new tablets. Thankfully, the steps to enable root access are simple.

== Why do I want root? ==

Root access is ''not'' required to install additional applications through Application Manager, open X Terminal or use your tablet in day-to-day operation.

If you want to edit the underlying system configuration, install applications ''through the command line'' or other low-level tasks, you ''will'' require root access.

== rootsh ==
''Note: As rootsh is the simplest option, and does not require a desktop computer or running additional services, it is the recommended method for gaining root access.''

rootsh is available in Extras, and can be installed from the Application manager if you have [[Extras]] enabled.

Then, from the shell, run <code>sudo gainroot</code> (or <code>root</code> for short). This will give you a root shell.

== sudser ==
''Note: Some scripts require rootsh to run properly, so it's recommended to have both suders and rootsh installed if you're using sudser.''

sudser adds the user to sudoers so you can use the <code>sudo</code> command to run commands as root. It is available in Extras, and can be installed from the Application manager if you have [[Extras]] enabled.

It is not currently available for Fremantle (i.e. N900).

Then, from the shell, run <code>sudo ''command''</code>. This will execute <code>''command''</code> with root privileges.

== OpenSSH ==

# Enable [[Extras]] (if you haven't already).
# Install OpenSSH (client and server).
#* This will prompt you to change the root password from the default, <code>rootme</code>.
# SSH into your tablet as root
#* For local access, run <code>ssh root@localhost</code>
#* For remote access, run <code>ssh root@''tablet's ip address''</code>
# Use the root password entered at step (2) to log in.

To debug issues with SSH connections, use the SSH '-v' option.

(To get SSH X forwarding ('-X' option) to work, you need to install ''xauth'' (or ''xbase-clients'') package and enable X forwarding in the SSH server configuration file on the machine where you're connecting to.)

== Research &amp; Development Mode (R&amp;D or RD Mode) ==

''Note: As R&D mode has other side effects beyond simply enabling root access (including several that may negatively impact battery life), it is ''not'' the recommended method for gaining root access. Use [[#rootsh|rootsh]] instead.

You can enable the R&D mode which enables you to execute <code>sudo gainroot</code> to get a root shell, simply follow the setup steps for flashing covered in [[updating the tablet firmware#Flashing_your_Nokia_tablet|updating the tablet firmware]], then execute

sudo ./flasher-3.5 --enable-rd-mode -R

You are now in R&D mode, and the sudo gainroot script's check will be satisfied.

Personal tools

Navigation

Views

Editing Root access

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{danger}}
+'''Warning: The steps described on this page ''could'' lead to severe damage to your system and/or device. Proceed at your own peril. It is ''likely'' that any breakage would be fixed by [[Upgrading tablet OS|reflashing your device]]: however this will lose any settings not backed up.'''
-Having [[:wikipedia:Superuser|root]] access is an important step for users interested in modifying things "under the covers" of their tablets; without it, you won't have the necessary permissions to make those modifications. Root access is disabled by default on new tablets. Thankfully, the steps to enable root access are simple.
+Having [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_user root] access is an important step for users interested in modifying things "under the covers" of their tablets; without it, you won't have the necessary permissions to make those modifications. Root access is disabled by default on new tablets. Thankfully, the steps to enable root access are simple.
 == Why do I want root? ==
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 <small>''Note: As rootsh is the simplest option, and does not require a desktop computer or running additional services, it is the recommended method for gaining root access.''</small>
-<code>rootsh</code> is available in [[Extras]], and can be installed from the Application manager if you have the Extras repository enabled. It is also available directly from [http://maemo.org/downloads/product/Maemo5/rootsh/ maemo.org].
+rootsh is available in Extras, and can be installed from the Application manager if you have [[Extras]] enabled.
-Then, from the [[terminal|shell]], run:
+Then, from the shell, run <code>sudo gainroot</code> (or <code>root</code> for short). This will give you a root shell.
- sudo gainroot
-(or <code>root</code> for short). This will give you a root shell.
 == sudser ==
-<small>''Note: Some scripts require rootsh to run properly, so it's recommended to have both sudser and rootsh installed if you're using sudser.''</small>
+<small>''Note: Some scripts require rootsh to run properly, so it's recommended to have both suders and rootsh installed if you're using sudser.''</small>
-sudser adds the user to sudoers so you can use the <code>sudo</code> command to run commands as root.
+sudser adds the user to sudoers so you can use the <code>sudo</code> command to run commands as root. It is available in Extras, and can be installed from the Application manager if you have [[Extras]] enabled.
-It is available in Extras, and can be installed from the Application manager if you have Extras enabled.
+It is not currently available for Fremantle (i.e. N900).
 Then, from the shell, run <code>sudo ''command''</code>. This will execute <code>''command''</code> with root privileges.
-<small>''Note: Adding user to the sudoers without a password isn't best for security so use at own risk.''</small>
 == OpenSSH ==
-# Enable Extras (if it is disabled)
+# Enable [[Extras]] (if you haven't already).
-# Install OpenSSH (client and server)
+# Install OpenSSH (client and server).
-#* This will prompt you to change the root password from the default, <code>rootme</code>
+#* This will prompt you to change the root password from the default, <code>rootme</code>.
 # SSH into your tablet as root
 #* For local access, run <code>ssh root@localhost</code>
 #* For remote access, run <code>ssh root@''tablet's ip address''</code>
-# Use the root password entered at step (2) to log in
+# Use the root password entered at step (2) to log in.
 To debug issues with SSH connections, use the SSH '-v' option.
@@ Line 46: / Line 41: @@
 == Research &amp; Development Mode (R&amp;D or RD Mode) ==
-{{ambox|text=As R&D mode has other side effects beyond simply enabling root access (including several that may negatively impact battery life), it is ''not'' the recommended method for gaining root access. Use [[#rootsh|rootsh]] instead.}}
+<small>''Note: As R&D mode has other side effects beyond simply enabling root access (including several that may negatively impact battery life), it is ''not'' the recommended method for gaining root access. Use [[#rootsh|rootsh]] instead.</small>
-{{main|R&D mode}}
+You can enable the R&D mode which enables you to execute <code>sudo gainroot</code> to get a root shell, simply follow the setup steps for flashing covered in [[updating the tablet firmware#Flashing_your_Nokia_tablet|updating the tablet firmware]], then execute
-You can enable the R&D mode which enables you to execute <code>sudo gainroot</code> to get a root shell, simply follow the setup steps for flashing covered in [[Updating the firmware|updating the tablet firmware]], then execute
   sudo ./flasher-3.5 --enable-rd-mode -R
@@ Line 56: / Line 49: @@
 You are now in R&D mode, and the sudo gainroot script's check will be satisfied.
-== On-Device Sudoers Edit (No External Dependencies) ==
+See also the [[R&D mode]] article.
-This covers how to get root access on-device. without any external downloads/dependencies, as well as advocates a more desktop-like approach to setting up your sudoers file.
-http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=94494
 == A note on sudo ==
-This information is aimed at people who come to maemo from other linux distributions (Debian for example) that may have used sudo in a different way.
+This information is aimed at people who come to maemo from other linux system (Debian for example) that may have used sudo in a different way.
 In fremantle (Maemo 5) sudo is a key part of the system. It is used by system processes that are started as the user to provide access (as root) when needed.
 Examples of this are:
 Media Tracker.
 The firmware version on the 'Settings' > 'About Product' page.
@@ Line 71: / Line 63: @@
 Both of these will malfunction if there are problems with sudo.
-Sudo relies on <code>/etc/sudoers</code>, a configuration file that details who can run what commands. <code>/etc/sudoers</code> is traditionally modified by using the 'visudo' command. DO NOT DO THIS ON MAEMO. In maemo sudoers is regenerated periodically from config snippets in <code>/etc/sudoers.d/</code>, using <code>visudo</code> can cause the slow death of your system as your edit gets pushed further down /etc/sudoers.
+Sudo relies on '/etc/sudoers', a configuration file that details who can run what commands. 'visudoers' is traditionally modified by using the 'visudo' command. DO NOT DO THIS ON MAEMO. In maemo sudoers is regenerated periodically from config snippets in /etc/sudoers.d/, using visudo  can cause a slow death of your system as your edit gets pushed further down /etc/sudoers.
-For those who don't know, <code>/etc/sudoers</code> works on a last match principle, so if your edit conflicts with entries above it, it will break those entries.
+For those who don't know, '/etc/sudoers' works on a last match principle, so if your edit conflicts with entries above it, it will break those entries.
-The 'correct' way to do this would be to put your entry in a file in <code>/etc/sudoers.d/</code>. I leave the detail of this up the experience of the end-user. Just be advised that using <code>visudo</code> runs the risk of subtly breaking your system.
+The 'correct' way to do this would be to put your entry in a file in '/etc/sudoers.s/'. I leave the detail of this up the experience of the end-user. Just be advised that using 'visudo' runs the risk of subtly breaking your system.
 [[Category:Wiki page of the day]]
 [[Category:Power users]]