how can i access system administration

Hello i use ubuntu 8.10 and i have a problem that i can't access to synaptic package manager when i try to open it its give me this: Failed to run usr/sbin/synaptic as user root. the underlining authorization mechanism(sudo) does not allow you to run this program.contact the system administrator.

and when i try to open users and groups gives me this message: the configuration could not be loaded. you are not allowed to access the system configuration

please i need some help i don't want to uninstall it

oma54r said:

the underlining authorization mechanism(sudo) does not allow you to run this program.contact the system administrator.

Looks like a problem with your /etc/sudoers file; did you try to edit it?

To repair, boot into recovery mode; give the command ``` visudo

Look for lines similar to > # User privilege specification
root    ALL=(ALL) ALL
# Members of the admin group may gain root privileges
%admin ALL=(ALL) ALL


If the lines look different from the above, change them to exactly match the above.

Then save and exit (if you're using nano press, Ctrl+o, Ctrl+x, if you are using vim type :wq).

Also give the additional commands```

cp /etc/sudoers /root/sudoers
chmod o+r /root/sudoers

Now reboot into regular mode and check if sudo is working. If it still isn't post the result of the command``` cat /root/sudoers

i write visudo on recovery mode and give me the same lines with another lines and i delete the other lines and i write the additional commands but nothing happened. i check with the terminal with this command cat /root/sudoers and give me what in visudo and still i can't access

by the way i use this command before this happened gksudo nautilus

Ubuntu uses sudo to give admin access.

so

sudo visudo

See also : https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RootSudo

oma54r said: check with the terminal with this command cat /root/sudoers and give me what in visudo and still i can't access

Please post the output of the command (Need to see your sudoers file)``` cat /root/sudoers

this is what shown in cat /root/sudoers

 # /etc/sudoers
#
# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.
#
# See the man page for details on how to write a sudoers file.
#

Defaults	env_reset

# Uncomment to allow members of group sudo to not need a password 
# %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL

# Host alias specification

# User alias specification

# Cmnd alias specification

# User privilege specification
root	ALL=(ALL) ALL


# Members of the admin group may gain root privileges
%admin ALL=(ALL) ALL

ths is what in cat /root/sudoers

I hope you realize that prshah's comment has a typo the correct command is:

sudo cat /etc/sudoers

Jim

i found it for this u can add this command

adduser username admin

username should be ur username

prshah said: Also give the additional commands```

cp /etc/sudoers /root/sudoers chmod o+r /root/sudoers

post the result of the command```
cat /root/sudoers

cariboo907 said: I hope you realize that prshah's comment has a typo the correct command is:

sudo cat /etc/sudoers

Nope; you need to follow the thread from the beginning:

Points to note for _this_ thread: a)"sudo" is locked out for him. b) the /etc/sudoers file is +r for root:root only. So, in regular mode, he cannot access the file in any way (even to read / cat) since his sudo is broken. c) Which is why I asked him to make a copy of the /etc/sudoers file to /root when in Recovery Mode (root prompt), as well as change the permissions to allow other users to read the file. d) Then, if the suggested change does not work, he is to post the copy of the sudoers file which he has placed in /root and made world readable.

Thus he cannot use the command you have given him, and has to stick with what I've given him.

oma54r said:

Defaults env_reset

.. change to ```

Defaults	!lecture,tty_tickets,!fqdn

Obviously you need to do this using "visudo" from Recovery Mode. (_NOT_ "sudo visudo")