Subject: Re: admin/14192: Problem using su
To: None <dustin@arctichost.com>
From: Jeremy C. Reed <reed@reedmedia.net>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 10/08/2001 22:09:44
> I don't know if this is a bug or if its just me..but here it is:
> 
> $ su
> su: you are not listed in the correct secondary group (wheel) to su root.
> $ id
> uid=1000(dustin) gid=0(wheel) groups=0(wheel)

This id indicates that your login group ID (as defined in /etc/passwd) is
wheel and it looks like you are not in any groups as defined by
/etc/group. (Well I should say getgroups(2) instead of the filename.)

I wouldn't consider this an error, because the manual page says "Only
users in group ``wheel'' (normally gid 0), as listed in /etc/group, can su
to ``root'', unless group wheel does not exist or has no members."

In addition, the error message clearly says: "not listed in the correct
secondary group".

So I don't see how this is a bug, since it follows what is documented.

It is a bug if you (dustin) are a member of the wheel group as defined by
/etc/group or if you don't have any members in your wheel group (or it
doesn't exist).

Or maybe its a change request, if you are saying that su (to root) should
work if the login group ID is wheel. (This is probably a bad idea, because
then by default all your files and work will be done as "wheel" group --
and probably not what you are the other sysadmins want.)

If this confusion was prompted by some misworded documentation, let us
know -- so this can be made more clear.

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://bsd.reedmedia.net/