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Asked: 2024-09-26T18:35:40+05:30 In:

How can I resolve the issue of the sudo command being absent on my Ubuntu system?

I’ve been wrestling with a pretty frustrating issue on my Ubuntu system lately, and I hope someone here can help me out. So here’s the deal: I recently installed Ubuntu (the latest version, I believe), and everything seemed to go smoothly until I tried using the sudo command. To my surprise, it looks like it’s completely absent! Yeah, you heard me right – I can’t use sudo to run commands with elevated privileges, which is kind of a bummer since that’s a core part of managing the system effectively.

At first, I thought maybe I just didn’t install it for some reason, but I looked into it, and it seems like sudo is a default package. I’ve tried searching for solutions online, but a lot of the advice seems to assume that you have at least some level of access, which I don’t really have right now since this is a fresh system and I messed something up during the installation process (totally my fault).

I attempted logging in as the root user, but I can’t remember setting a root password during the installation. So, I’m kind of stuck in this cycle where I can’t do anything because I can’t run commands with sudo or switch to root without one. It’s like a never-ending loop of frustration!

I’ve checked some forums, but they mostly suggest reinstalling or booting from a live USB, which feels like a hassle and I really want to avoid that if possible. I’m at the point where I’m just hoping someone else has run into this issue and can share the light on how they managed to resolve it. Is there a way to reinstall sudo or get it back without having access to root? Any detailed steps or workarounds would be super helpful.

I’m really keen on getting this sorted out so I can start using my system properly. If anyone has any tips, or even similar stories, I’d love to hear them! Thanks in advance for any insights you can share.

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    2 Answers


    1. It sounds like you’re in quite a tough spot with your Ubuntu installation. The absence of the sudo command can indeed make managing your system incredibly frustrating. Since you mentioned that you cannot remember setting a root password, you may need to reset the root password to regain administrative access. To do this, you should boot your system into recovery mode. Restart your machine and hold down the Shift key during startup to access the GRUB menu. From there, select the recovery option, which usually allows you to drop into a root shell. Once you’re in the root shell, you can set a new password for the root user by executing passwd, followed by the username ‘root’. After setting the root password, you should be able to log in as root and install or fix the sudo package as needed.

      If you’re still feeling hesitant about using recovery mode or accessing root directly, another method worth considering involves using a live USB. Booting from a live USB allows you to mount your existing installation and potentially fix the issue. For instance, you could chroot into your installed system from the live environment, effectively giving you administrative access without needing the original sudo command. You would need to mount your system partition and run the chroot command, allowing you to reset the root password or reinstall sudo without the normal restrictions. While this might seem like a hassle, it’s a powerful way to recover your system without a complete reinstall.




    2. Ubuntu Sudo Issue Help

      Stuck Without Sudo on Ubuntu? Here’s What You Can Try!

      It sounds like you’re really in a tough spot! Not having sudo can definitely feel like being locked out of your own system. First off, don’t worry; this happens more often than you’d think!

      Here are a couple of things you could try to get around this issue:

      1. Try Recovering Root Access

      If you didn’t set a root password, you might be able to reset it by booting in recovery mode:

      1. Restart your system and hold down the Shift key right after the BIOS screen to bring up the GRUB menu.
      2. Select the option that says “Advanced options for Ubuntu.”
      3. Choose a recovery mode option (usually has “(recovery mode)” in the name).
      4. Once in the recovery menu, look for “root – Drop to root shell prompt” and select that.

      Now, you should have root access!

      2. Reinstalling Sudo

      Once you’re in that root shell, you can try reinstalling sudo:

      apt-get update
      apt-get install sudo

      Don’t forget to add your user back to the sudo group if needed!

      usermod -aG sudo YOUR_USERNAME

      3. Booting from a Live USB

      If that doesn’t work and you still can’t get access, your last resort might be booting from a live USB. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it allows you to mount your root filesystem and make necessary changes to the installed system.

      4. Future Precautions

      Once you’ve sorted this out, make sure to set a root password or check your user’s permissions in the future! You can also keep a live USB handy just in case.

      Good luck! You’ll get through this!


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