I can´t su to root from a common user

[Sandreliz]

Hello everybody...

I have the following problem, when I try su to root from a common user I can´t, and the answer is su:Sorry, but I´m able to su to a common user from root, but if I su to a common user from root and after that su to root from this common user it´s allowed.
I´ve already looked /usr/bin/su and /usr/bin/login, as I saw in others foruns but it´s OK.

I´ll be waiting for any help.
Thanks!

[Rick Garland]

Does this happen with a specific user? Can you su - (to the root) from another user?

Keyboard is OK? Not doing caps lock on?

What does the sulog say? The specific entry when it fails. Anything in syslog.log?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi:

See if you have 'SU_ROOT_GROUP' defined in '/etc/default/security'.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Sandreliz]

It happens with every common user.
My keybord is ok, and the´s nothing in syslog.log

sulog shows:
SU 09/30 13:32 - tCb sandre-root

[Sandreliz]

I don´t have this file /etc/default/security
But I don´t have it in all my servers and only one is presenting this problem.

[Raj D.]

Hi Sandreliz,

Check the permission of su

-r-sr-xr-x 1 root bin 24576 Aug 6 1998 /usr/bin/su

cheers,
Raj.

[Sandreliz]

Hi Raj,

The permission is ok, just like yours.

[baiju_3]

If you do not have /etc/default/security file , then create one , the permissions are

-rw-r--r-- 1 root sys 47 Feb 13 2003 security
and enter SU_ROOT_GROUP="your group" and try again .

thx,
bl.

[Sandman!]

Can you login to root directly on your system?

[Sandreliz]

No, I can´t login to root directly, because it´s a rule of my company, but before it has been set I had this problem.

[Thomas J. Harrold_1]

Many flavors of Unix require that the non-root account be a member of a certain group (wheel, system, etc..)

Not sure if HP-UX has this requirement.
Just for fun, try adding your non-root account to the same groups as root, and see if that fixes the problem. If so, you're on the right track.

-tjh

[John Kittel · Accepted solution]

a very old knowledge base document, id 200000080078793, discusses similar problem caused for posix shell users when root password contains special characters such as @, #, $, %,etc .

If your root password has one of these characters you might want to try changing the password to one without, then see if su works from these problem users.

- John

[VIKAS AGRAWAL]

go to directory

/usr/bin

use what su
what version it is showing

# what su
su:
$Revision: B.11.22_LR
Tue Jul 23 18:59:22 PDT 2002 $

it should show some thing like this , or upgrade your su.

vikas

[Muthukumar_5]

What is there in /etc/profile and .profile for su related things? Sometime they may be blocked to use su to root.

What is there in /etc/securetty file?
Is sudo running to control root based logins?

Check it and revert back.

hth.

[Sandreliz]

Hi John,

My root password really had special characters, then I changed it and the problem is over.

Thanks very much.

And thanks everyone that tried to help me.

Sandreliz

[Muthukumar_5]

Sandreliz,

Special character like # will not work with present hp-ux systems. I hope 11.32 will do.

hth.

[Muthukumar_5]

More reference is:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=805657


If you are problem is resolved, try to assign points.

hth.

[Sandreliz]

The problem was the special character in my root password.

[Muthukumar_5]

Sandreliz,

Please assing points to the repliers to help you in future. ;)

thx.

[Sandreliz]

Ok Muthukumar,
I've already assigned points.

Thanks again.
Sandreliz