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Asked: 2024-09-24T19:41:08+05:30 In:

I’m trying to install Ubuntu 22.04 on VirtualBox, but after the installation, I find that my user account doesn’t have sudo privileges. What steps can I take to resolve this issue and ensure my account has the necessary permissions?

I just started diving into the world of Linux and decided to install Ubuntu 22.04 on VirtualBox, which seemed like a simple enough task. I followed the installation instructions, and everything went smoothly—until it didn’t. After I set up my user account and logged in for the first time, I discovered that I don’t have `sudo` privileges! I mean, what’s the point of using Linux if I can’t run commands that require elevated permissions, right?

I’ve done a bit of research and saw that some users run into this kind of issue, but the solutions are a bit over my head. I feel like I must have missed a step during the installation, but I can’t pinpoint what it was. Is it possible that I didn’t set myself as an administrator during the user account setup?

I read that there’s a way to add your user to the `sudo` group, but since I don’t have permissions to use `sudo`, I’m in a catch-22 situation. I don’t really want to go through the whole installation process again because I was excited to start tinkering with Ubuntu and learning about its features.

I heard that there’s a way to access the root user mode during boot, but I’m not sure how to do that either. Is there a specific way I should boot into Recovery Mode or something to regain those privileges? Also, would it affect any of the settings or files I already have?

It feels like I might be overthinking this. How do I fix this without losing anything I’ve done so far? Any step-by-step instructions or helpful tips would be greatly appreciated. I just want to get my system up and running with the proper permissions so I can start learning without these annoying roadblocks. Thanks in advance for the help!

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    2 Answers


    1. It sounds like you’re facing a common scenario with newly installed Ubuntu systems. During the installation, the system usually adds the first created user to the `sudo` group by default. However, if there was a misconfiguration during this setup, you might find yourself without `sudo` privileges. To resolve this issue, you can boot into Recovery Mode. Start by restarting your VirtualBox and hold the Shift key to display the GRUB menu. From there, select the Advanced options for Ubuntu, and choose a recovery mode option (it usually ends with `(recovery mode)`).

      Once in the Recovery Mode menu, you can select Root – Drop to root shell prompt. You’ll be prompted with a command line where you can remount the filesystem with write permissions by entering mount -o remount,rw /. After that, you can add your user account to the `sudo` group by executing usermod -aG sudo your_username (replace your_username with your actual username). Finally, reboot your system with reboot. This process should not affect your settings or files, allowing you to retain all your previous work while gaining the necessary permissions to further explore Ubuntu.




    2. Fixing Sudo Privileges in Ubuntu 22.04

      Getting Sudo Access in Ubuntu 22.04

      It sounds like you hit a little hiccup after your Ubuntu installation, but no worries! You can easily get back on track. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you regain those sudo privileges:

      1. Boot into Recovery Mode

      First, you’ll need to restart your virtual machine. When it’s booting up, repeatedly press the Shift key (if it’s an older BIOS system) or the Esc key (for UEFI systems) until you see the GRUB menu.

      2. Select Recovery Mode

      In the GRUB menu, you should see a list of options. Select the one that says something like “Ubuntu, with Linux xxx (recovery mode)” and press Enter.

      3. Drop to Root Shell

      In the Recovery Menu, use the arrow keys to scroll down to “Root – Drop to root shell prompt” and select it. This gives you command-line access as the root user.

      4. Remount File System

      By default, the file system will be in read-only mode. To change that, type:

      mount -o remount,rw /

      5. Add Your User to the Sudo Group

      Now you can add your user to the sudo group. Type the following command, replacing your_username with your actual username:

      usermod -aG sudo your_username

      6. Exit and Reboot

      Once that’s done, type exit to leave the root shell, then select the “Resume” option in the Recovery Menu to boot normally. Alternatively, you can reboot with:

      reboot

      7. Test Sudo Access

      After rebooting, log in with your user account. Open a terminal and type:

      sudo whoami

      If it returns “root,” congratulations! You now have sudo privileges.

      Final Thoughts

      Don’t stress about messing things up; this process won’t affect your settings or files. Just take it step by step, and soon you’ll be diving into Ubuntu like a pro!

      Now you can start tinkering away and enjoy learning Linux without those pesky roadblocks!


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