Question

Allowing Users to Run FSCK

Asked by: streaks619

I would like to allow my users to run fsck after power loss without giving them the root password. When the system is improperly shutdown and boots into single-user mode, the user is asked for the root password before running fsck - how can I prevent this? I do not have access to the systems in order to input the password myself.

Thanks.

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Asked On
2005-07-11 at 08:58:16ID21487265
Tags

fsck

,

run

Topic

Linux Administration

Participating Experts
5
Points
250
Comments
8

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Answers

 

by: ravenplPosted on 2005-07-11 at 09:17:31ID: 14413706

What distro?
Once I had this same problem on my RH boxes, I developed 3 solutions:
- I edited /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit script and added '-y' flag to the fsck (it always answers yes to the fsck questions)
- I removed root password (asterix in /etc/shadow entry). After that user just need to hit enter at boot prompt for root password (+ sudo as root access)
- changed filesystem to reiserfs ;)

 

by: xDamoxPosted on 2005-07-11 at 09:28:35ID: 14413813

Hi,

I would recomment not allow normal user to run fsck as it can damage your file system if run incorrectly, if you dont
have to do an fsck on your machine edit the /etc/fstab and you should see something similar to:

LABEL=/home             /home                   ext2    defaults        1 2

Notice the two on the end change that to a 0 for it to skip the fsck scan.

LABEL=/home             /home                   ext2    defaults        1 0

 

by: ravenplPosted on 2005-07-11 at 09:42:18ID: 14413919

Eee, Yes You could do it, hence I would not recommend to run system on nonconsistent filesystem...

 

by: jleviePosted on 2005-07-11 at 11:17:03ID: 14414719

Be careful with this. Not only is there the possibility of unrecoverable damage to a filesystem by allowing users access to single user mode for the purpose of running fsck, but allowing that  also allows a malicious user to make unauthorized changes to the system.

 

by: Tachyon_1Posted on 2005-07-11 at 13:17:19ID: 14415785

Personally, I think the real problem here is you need run an Uninterruptable Power Supply, and switch to a journalling filesystem.

I'm serious. If this is a problem often enough that you are resorting to letting useres run fsck, then you definitely have a more serious problem underlying.

At worst you need to either chenge your kernel boot parameters and init.d scripts to automatically run fsck at boot, or you need to move to reiser/ext3 journalling filesystems and or get a UPS.

Otherwise, you are just asking for trouble. Might as well remove the HD's, run Live CD's, and mount /home off a battery backed, resiser fs server.

Tachyon

 

by: toneusPosted on 2005-07-12 at 03:31:27ID: 14420071

Hi,

remember that splitting the rights to run specific tasks between users and root has a purpose...

switching to a journaling fs will probably make it easier to recover problems.

regards,
Ton

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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