New to VL with a strange problem

[Bluebris]

Hello Ladies and gents,

I'm new to VL, although I've used other Linux flavours for maybe 5 years now.

My problem is a little strange.  Whenever I try to open an app that requires root access, such as say, gslapt, or vasm, the box opens asking for the root password, which I enter, and then I see a kind of very fast shot of the wallpaper, and then it disappears.  No application actually opens though, so I'm not sure what to do.

Any ideas?

I'm not sure what information people will need to help out this old newbie, but I would really appreciate some guidance.

[M0E-lnx]

wrong password maybe?

Try opening a terminal and run this

Code:

vsuper gslapt

Post the output of the terminal if it does not work.

[Bluebris]

wrong password maybe?

Try opening a terminal and run this

Code:

vsuper gslapt

Post the output of the terminal if it does not work.

OK, I entered that, it then prompts me for a password, which I entered.  It then kind of flicks the VL background for a split second and disappears, and then in terminal it says:

brian:$ vsuper gslapt
/usr/sbin/gslapt
sudo: sorry, a password is required to run sudo


I know the password is correct, I am 100% sure.  I tested this by following your instructions again, but deliberately entering an incorrect password.  It then told me the password was incorrect until I entered the correct one.

[M0E-lnx]

which vector version is this?  It should not be running sudo.

Please post your /etc/vector-version

[Bluebris]

Vector Linux 7.0 STD GOLD built on NOV-21-2011

I just downloaded it and installed it 2 days ago.

[Bluebris]

OK, I think this was (not surprisingly) all down to a mistake I made.

I was trying to work out how to install a font which I found very easily in the repositories of other Linux distros.  As I didn't know where it was I just (stupidly) added all of the available repositories.  After that very long task, I allowed all updates to run.  After that I couldn't open the apps as stated above.

I decided that I had been impressed enough with VL to wipe my other distros off for now and install only VL as a fresh system.  I hadn't changed enough to miss anything, so I've done that and now all appears to be ok.

I look forward to learning about the differences between VL and the other systems I've used (Debian and 'buntu based in the main).

Thanks for trying to help.

[MarkGrieveson]

I did the same thing initially.  I enabled a bunch of repositories (specifically the slackware ones) and upgraded, which broke my system.  I figure the same thing would happen if I was running Debian stable and enabled both unstable and some Ubuntu or Mepis repositories as well.  It would likely break.

When you're trying to run Gslapt, do you enter your root user password, or do you enter your regular user password (as if it's a sudo system)?  The former, rather than the latter, is what should be done.