Failed to open the X11 Display

[linuxdad]

Does anyone know why the sudo su - process does not set the Display?

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[aewhale@localhost ~]$ sudo su -
[root@localhost ~]# VirtualBox
Failed to open the X11 display!

[doktor5000]

Yes, because since quite some time it strips off some env variables, including DISPLAY.

Either use sudo -E to prevent that or adjust the relevant part of the sudoers:

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Defaults    env_reset
Defaults    env_keep =  "COLORS DISPLAY HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC KDEDIR LS_COLORS"
Defaults    env_keep += "MAIL PS1 PS2 QTDIR USERNAME LANG LC_ADDRESS LC_CTYPE"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_COLLATE LC_IDENTIFICATION LC_MEASUREMENT LC_MESSAGES"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_MONETARY LC_NAME LC_NUMERIC LC_PAPER LC_TELEPHONE"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_TIME LC_ALL LANGUAGE LINGUAS _XKB_CHARSET XAUTHORITY"

[linuxdad]

Thank you!

[linuxdad]

Maybe I was a bit premature?

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[aewhale@localhost ~]$ sudo -E su -
[root@localhost ~]# VirtualBox
Failed to open the X11 display!

I have not edited the sudoers file, but it has the following anyway.

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Defaults    requiretty

Defaults    env_reset
Defaults    env_keep =  "COLORS DISPLAY HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC KDEDIR LS_COLORS"
Defaults    env_keep += "MAIL PS1 PS2 QTDIR USERNAME LANG LC_ADDRESS LC_CTYPE"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_COLLATE LC_IDENTIFICATION LC_MEASUREMENT LC_MESSAGES"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_MONETARY LC_NAME LC_NUMERIC LC_PAPER LC_TELEPHONE"
Defaults    env_keep += "LC_TIME LC_ALL LANGUAGE LINGUAS _XKB_CHARSET XAUTHORITY"

Defaults    secure_path = /sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin


[doktor5000]

You should probably use

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sudo -E VirtualBox

- as doing su - and using sudo -E at the sime time goes for two things at the same time ...

Apart from that, what are you actually trying to achieve by running VirtualBox as root?

[linuxdad]

So, that is a good question. Normally I am used to restricting access to everything, unlees you have root. Permitting a generic user to run VirtualBox is an interesting concept, and also begs the question, why?

So any unsuspecting user can get access tot he server, login and now create VMs with the intent of .... Do you see my point?

So I like the added benefit of security.

BTW, if the environment variables are already within the /etc/sudoers file, why dont the Environment parameters follow when you perform a sudo su -? (I have not had this issue on other flavors of *nix).

[doktor5000]

Hmmm, just tried either way, with sudo -E, without -E and with only su - and DISPLAY was always set and VirtualBox always launched.
So not sure what differs in your setup so that it doesn't work for you.