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Can't su root from VNC client
http://forum.linhes.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13984		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  colinnwn [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Can't su root from VNC client
Hi,

I want to set up my new, marginally working Myth box in the Den next to the TV. To administer it, I figured out how to connect with TightVNC from my WinXP box in my bedroom.

Every time I try to su root and put in my password, it says authentication failed. After reading a lot of forums, it seems you have to permit root in your VNC configuration files. The only place I found it step by step was on a Gentoo (I think it was) site. Apparently these files are in a different place with Debian, and I can't find them.

Can someone point me to a resource on how to do this?
Thanks.
Author:  mythedoff [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:55 am ]
Post subject: 
Did you view this:
http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=x11vncHowTo
Author:  colinnwn [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
That is the article I used to get VNC working initially. I don't think it addresses not being able to log into root unless that is the part around the "Workarounds for this:" heading. I didn't understand what the problem and resolution was there. Does trying to log in as root open an additional x connection? If so, perhaps following the "method" suggestions would work for me?

Thanks.
Author:  mythedoff [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Did you look in the log file? Is your client ip allowed?
cat /var/log/x11vnc.log | grep -i allow
allow: 192.168.1.
Author:  colinnwn [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 3:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
I will try adding it when I get home. But I was under the impression that allowing an IP either allowed the connection or didn't.

I can connect to Myth, I can see the desktop and X-term. I can even issue commands allowed as user mythtv. The only thing I have discovered I can't do so far is to su to root.

And that is probably one of the most important things to be able to do if I am going to disconnect Myth from the monitor and keyboard and have it sitting by the TV.

Thanks.
Author:  bruce_s01 [ Thu Feb 01, 2007 7:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
You can always ssh into your box at the same time that you make your vnc connection. No user connection limit for Linux. :)

Bruce S.
Author:  alien [ Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:39 am ]
Post subject: 
I believe the root issue the wiki talks about is that by default, only mythtv can open up windows on an X-session owned by mythtv.

You should still be able to open an xterm and su to root successfully. It is just once you do that, you can't open up a window (ex. mythfrontend) owned by root. This is, in general, a good thing.

Are you getting authentication failed when you try to su in an xterm? That sounds like a different problem. Can you su from a console (i.e. do you have the correct root passwd)? Another possibility is a keyboard mapping problem. Do you have any non-letter chars in the passwd? If so, you might try changing the passwd to something less likely to cause problems (ie. only lowercase letters). Typing the passwd directly in an xterm command line to see the characters displayed might reveal something.

Allen
Author:  colinnwn [ Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:12 am ]
Post subject: 
Allen,
I think you are getting my problem

Quote:
You should still be able to open an xterm and su to root successfully.

I can do that on the box, but not through TightVNC.

Quote:
Are you getting authentication failed when you try to su in an xterm?

Yes, when doing it through TightVNC.

Quote:
Can you su from a console (i.e. do you have the correct root passwd)?

Yes, when on the box directly.

Quote:
Do you have any non-letter chars in the passwd?

It is all numbers right now. I know this is not secure. I haven't done anything in Myth or TightVNC to change keyboard mapping. I don't think this is the problem, but I will try as you say in TightVNC to see what comes up for my password.

Thanks.
Author:  colinnwn [ Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:26 am ]
Post subject:  Allen was right
I typed my password into a regular prompt through TightVNC and discovered even though the num-lock was on, the keypad was issuing non-numeric characters. Entering my password with the regular number keys allowed me to authenticate as root.

The keypad works fine directly on the Mythbox, it is only mismapped by TightVNC. Does anyone know if there is a way to correct the behavior of the keypad in TightVNC? I tried some of the settings menus in TightVNC and it kept saying "Can't find WinVNC."

Thanks Allen!
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