User and Groups unlocking error

[jespes]

hi,
i'm having the same problem --can't make changes in "users and groups," and i get this same error message.

booting in recovery mode and adding MYUSERNAME to the admin group doesn't fix it; i have the same problem still.

yikes? any suggestions? many thanks.

this is a very new install of ubuntu 8.10 desktop, only a week or so old.

EDIT/UPDATE:
I tried going into recovery mode and creating a temporary new admin-level user, TESTUSER, to see if the problem occurs when signed on as TESTUSER. and it does have the same problem.

[Schok]

any luck?

[theozzlives]

hi,
i'm having the same problem --can't make changes in "users and groups," and i get this same error message.

booting in recovery mode and adding MYUSERNAME to the admin group doesn't fix it; i have the same problem still.

yikes? any suggestions? many thanks.

this is a very new install of ubuntu 8.10 desktop, only a week or so old.

EDIT/UPDATE:
I tried going into recovery mode and creating a temporary new admin-level user, TESTUSER, to see if the problem occurs when signed on as TESTUSER. and it does have the same problem.

How do you add yourself to the admin group if you can't change users and groups?

[Schok]

if im not mistaken u can do it on the terminal like this:

useradd -m yournewuser
passwd yournewpassword
adduser yournewuser admin
reboot

not sure if u need to login to root to do that or just sudo it..there's a thread somewhere about this

[jespes]

if im not mistaken u can do it on the terminal like this:

useradd -m yournewuser
passwd yournewpassword
adduser yournewuser admin
reboot

not sure if u need to login to root to do that or just sudo it..there's a thread somewhere about this

that's precisely what i tried: i went into Recovery Mode and used terminal commands to create a new admin user. then i did a normal reboot and signed on as this newly created admin user, in hopes i'd be able to regain admin authority in the "users and groups" panel.

but it didn't work: i still had the same "can't authenticate" problem when logged in as the new user.

separately i also tried booting in Recovery Mode and reassigning my original username to "admin." but that didn't have the desired effect either.

bottom line: the "users and groups" panel is non-functional for me. i can't create new users, and i can't modify any of the user settings there. each time i try, i get the "can't authenticate" error described at top of this thread.

[Schok]

do u have ubuntu tweak installed?

[jespes]

xxx ubuntu tweak ? xxx

ah, i'm unfamiliar with ubuntu tweak. does it address this issue? (i just a superfast google on it and didn't turn up an answer ...)

[Schok]

this problem emerged after i started using ubuntu-tweak..so i guess thats not the problem

[mthelms]

Sorted what you do is this

1. go to recovery mode
2. Select root command prompt
3. type in

sudo adduser you current user name admin

4. reboot

You will have your prviileges back. I suggest then making a 2nd admin account incase it ever happens again!

I first starting encountering this problem when I created a 2nd admin account (perhaps i shouldn't have called it admin?). This fix got me back to normal, though. Thanks!

[ScottyP]

I first starting encountering this problem when I created a 2nd admin account (perhaps i shouldn't have called it admin?). This fix got me back to normal, though. Thanks!

I think that was my problem, too. No more "admin" accounts for me. From now on they're "superduck" or something.