Can't do anything in the shell

[Minemac2]

So I just setup a new TrueNas Scale server but I am unable to use any commands in the shell in the webui. I can run commands directly on the system but not on the web interface. In the web interface I am seeing the user showing as admin instead of root like the documentation shows (Assuming because when setting up I chose to use admin instead of root to log in) and when I try and run a command like smartctl and it says command not found.

Any help would be appreciated as it is really frustrating to not be able to use the shell.

 

[danb35]

Yeah, iX had the bright idea to allow (or encourage, or before long force) non-root admin logins, but didn't bother to make them actually work--but I'd thought it was supposed to be improved with 22.12.1. Which version of SCALE are you using?

 

[Minemac2]

Yeah, iX had the bright idea to allow (or encourage, or before long force) non-root admin logins, but didn't bother to make them actually work--but I'd thought it was supposed to be improved with 22.12.1. Which version of SCALE are you using?

Looks like I am on 22.12.0. I see I have the update available so I will try that and see if it works. thanks!

 

[Minemac2]

Looks like after the update I still have the same issue. Am I best off trying to reinstall and use root as the login?

 

[Jailer]

Looks like after the update I still have the same issue. Am I best off trying to reinstall and use root as the login?

No you're best off using a proper SSH client and running your commands from there.

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

Anyone tried sudo su -, yet?

 

[Minemac2]

I went ahead and reinstalled and just used root as the user for now. Probably try switching again later down the road to see if it is working yet.

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Whattteva]

So I just setup a new TrueNas Scale server but I am unable to use any commands in the shell in the webui. I can run commands directly on the system but not on the web interface. In the web interface I am seeing the user showing as admin instead of root like the documentation shows (Assuming because when setting up I chose to use admin instead of root to log in) and when I try and run a command like smartctl and it says command not found.

Any help would be appreciated as it is really frustrating to not be able to use the shell.

This is because some administrative programs like smartctl is located in /usr/sbin instead of the usual /usr/bin and as such, it is only recognized as a valid command for the root user. Hint: the "s" in sbin stands for "super", so this is ONLY included in the PATH of the "super user (aka root)" and NOT regular users PATH environment variable. You can check this by simply executing echo $PATH

What does this mean? Well, this means that you can execute smartctl in two ways:

• Become a super user with sudo su - and then execute smartctl
  OR
• Just straight up do sudo /usr/sbin/smartctl from your normal user account.

I'd probably do the former if you have to do a bunch of general administrative tasks as it's less tedious or (what I and most BSD users actually prefer) just keep the root account active as you've already done.

 

[danb35]

sudo su -

...or just sudo -i

 

[jgreco]

...or just sudo -i

or sudo tcsh if someone has changed the default shell to something crappy; substitute your preferred shell for "tcsh" obviously.

 

[Whattteva]

...or just sudo -i

Ah right, that works also. I'm just used to doing su - because on my systems, I don't even have sudo installed normally. But yeah, that works also and is more concise.

 

[Whattteva]

or sudo tcsh if someone has changed the default shell to something crappy; substitute your preferred shell for "tcsh" obviously.

Naah, that wouldn't work because this is Linux that we're talking about and they don't include tcsh by default and use silly shenanigans like substitute bash/zsh as the default shell along with other silliness like disabling root user, and inserting other monstrosities like systemd, etc.

 

[jgreco]

Naah, that wouldn't work because this is Linux that we're talking about and they don't include tcsh by default and use silly shenanigans like substitute bash/zsh as the default shell along with other silliness like disabling root user, and inserting other monstrosities like systemd, etc.

Well, I did say "substitute your preferred shell". I've had to do this with OS X and certain other systems for many years. It has a certain readability and memorability to it that "-i" or "su -" lacks.

 

[Whattteva]

Well, I did say "substitute your preferred shell". I've had to do this with OS X and certain other systems for many years. It has a certain readability and memorability to it that "-i" or "su -" lacks.

Ahhh... touché. I did miss that part. My mistake.

Yes, OS X used to stay true to its FreeBSD roots and shipped with tcsh by default, but then started following Linux and switched to bash for a bit and now to zsh in the latest version.

 

[winnielinnie]

sudo su -

...or just sudo -i

or sudo tcsh

Or su -c "sudo su -c 'sudo sususu su -l'"

this is ONLY included in the PATH of the "super user (aka root)" and NOT regular users PATH environment variable.

Wait, can't you just add /usr/sbin to the "admin" user's PATH?

 

[Whattteva]

Or su -c "sudo su -c 'sudo sususu su -l'"



Wait, can't you just add /usr/sbin to the "admin" user's PATH?

Yes, but it's more than just that. There are:

1. /usr/sbin
2. /usr/local/sbin
3. /sbin
4. /root/bin (this is more custom stuff though).

 

[jgreco]

Wait, can't you just add /usr/sbin to the "admin" user's PATH?

Yes, but the default profile in /etc is a bit insipid. See my post #2 reply in the following thread

Shell command issues with non-root-admin

Hi, I have created a new non-root-admin on Bluefin after the latest update. However while using the shell as this user for example I can't run the "zpool" command, as this will give me the error "zpool: command not found" When going back to the root-account it works fine. Any hints how to fix...

www.truenas.com

Your fix for this is to use your preferred dotfiles. You *do* have preferred dotfiles, don't you? The problem seems to be that none of the developers have actually tried to use their newfangled admin account feature for actual administrative tasks.

 

[danb35]

The problem seems to be that none of the developers have actually tried to use their newfangled admin account feature for actual administrative tasks.

It lets you work in the GUI; what else could you possibly want?