Create root user account on Linux

Create extra root user account to your Linux box.

The ‘root’ account with user id 0 is the most powerful user in Linux and Unix system. This article show the step by step to create the duplicate root account that have the same privileges as super user root account on the Linux Fedora Core operating system.

You may want to make replicate of root user account, or to create more than one user account that have the same capabilities as a 'root' user (superuser) account. Why, may be for a root backup user account, incase of something happen to the 'root' user account or may be just for fun :-).

To create another root user account, we need to replicate the 'root' user account characteristic, then make one account that have the same characteristic and capabilities of the 'root' user account.

Let begin by check the 'root' user account.

1. Check user id for ‘root’ user account:

[root@fedora ~]# id root

uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel)

Explanations of the command output:

A. uid=0(root) The user id for user 'root' user is 0.

B. gid=0(root) the group id for user ‘root’ is 0.

C. groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel) The user ‘root’ is belong in groups; root, bin, daemon, sys, adm, disk and wheel.

2. Now we take a look at the passwd, shadow and group files that contain ‘root’ user information:

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/passwd

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/shadow

root:$1$B2BEWv4X$Gb.QPb6I3RwCkEkz13ow21:13080:0:99999:7:::

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/group

root:x:0:root

bin:x:1:root,bin,daemon

daemon:x:2:root,bin,daemon

sys:x:3:root,bin,adm

adm:x:4:root,adm,daemon

tdisk:x:6:root

wheel:x:10:root

From the information gather above, to create a user that have the same power (superuser power) as a ‘root’ user in Linux system, we need to create a user with same root user uid, gid and group.

3. To create user account that has the same ability (super user) as the ‘root’ user, issue this command:

[root@fedora ~]# adduser -u 0 -o -g 0 -G 0,1,2,3,4,6,10 -M root2

Adduser command explanations:

adduser	-u 0 -o	-g 0	-G 0,1,2,3,4,6,10	-M	root2
Using Linux adduser command to create a new user account or to update default new user information.	Set the value of user id to 0.	Set the initial group number or name to 0	Set supplementary group to: 0 = root 1 = bin 2 = daemon 3 = sys 4 = adm 6 = disk 10 = wheel	'home directory' not created for the user.	User name of the new user account.

Note: you need to have the administrative privilege on the system in order to issue 'adduser' command above.

4. Now add a password for user ‘root2’ by issue the ‘passwd root2’ command, see example below:

[root@fedora ~]# passwd root2

Changing password for user root2.

New UNIX password:

Retype new UNIX password:

passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.

Note: you need to have the administrative privilege on the system in order to issue 'passwd' command above.

5. Check id for user root2 by issue the ‘id root2’ command, see example below:

[root@fedora ~]# id root2

uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel)

6. Now recheck the passwd, shadow and group files that contain ‘root2’ user informations to confirm the changes:

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/passwd

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

root2:x:0:0::/home/root2:/bin/bash

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/shadow

root:$1$B2BRWv4X$Gb.MPc6I3RwCkEkT13ow21:13080:0:99999:7:::

root2:$1$bQHGH4cX$TtsV/WVdFe5cIsHWjzc.N1:13112:0:99999:7:::

[root@fedora ~]# less /etc/group

root:x:0:root,root2

bin:x:1:root,bin,daemon,root2

daemon:x:2:root,bin,daemon,root2

sys:x:3:root,bin,adm,root2

adm:x:4:root,adm,daemon,root2

disk:x:6:root,root2

wheel:x:10:root,root2

7. Everything should be ok, now try to login to system with newly created ‘root2’ account, see example:

login as: root2

root2@10.7.0.211's password:

Last login: Thu Nov 24 23:48:49 2005 from 10.7.0.112

Could not chdir to home directory /home/root2: No such file or directory

-bash-3.00#

-bash-3.00#

-bash-3.00# su –

[root@fedora ~]#

8. Make sure that you execute the su command with hyphen ( su - ) to get the PATH of the user that you become to... below is the example of the su command with hyphen and without hyphen.

Loggin in as user tenouk, then execute $PATH as example below.

[tenouk@fedora ~]$ $PATH

-bash: /usr/lib/qt-3.3/bin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/home/ tenouk/bin: No such file or directory

[tenouk@tenouk ~]$

Use the su command to change to root user as example below and then execute $PATH as example below.

[tenouk@fedora ~]$ su root

Password:

[root@fedora tenouk]# $PATH

bash: /usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/lib/qt-3.3/bin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/b in:/usr/bin:/home/tenouk/bin: No such file or directory

[root@fedora tenouk]#

Then try use the su - command and verify with the $PATH as example below.

[root@tenouk tenouk]# su - root

[root@tenouk ~]# $PATH

-bash: /usr/lib/qt-3.3/bin:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin: /usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/root/bin: No such file or director y

[root@tenouk ~]#

Note: The execution of su command, without the hypen ( - ) you inherit the PATH of the current user. Use the su command, with hyphen ( su - ) to get the default PATH of the root user.

Step-by-step how to procedure above tested on:

Operating System: GNU/Linux Fedora Core 4

Kernel Name: Linux

Kernel Release: 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4

Kernel Version: #1 Thu Jun 2 22:55:56 EDT 2005

Machine Hardware: i686

Machine Processor: i686

Hardware Platform: i386

Shell: GNU bash, version 3.00.16(1)-release (i386-redhat-linux-gnu)

Installation Type: Full Installation (Custom)

SELinux: Disable

Keywords: root user, create root user account, add root user, create root user, adding root user account, root user account, add root user account.