Question regarding linux shutdown

[Stormcr0w]

I would have to agree with dAggressor's post:

StormCr0w true sbin isn't in the normal user's path, but I actually tried to run it today to check that and it still wouldn't let me run it even though I "World" had read-execute permissions on it. Go figure. Anyway, the command the the login screen menu runs is called /sbin/poweroff (which is a link to /sbin/halt) and /sbin/reboot.

All of these only let you run them if you are root. But......since mingetty (login manager or window manager, something like that) runs as root, I am assuming that the command is executed as root.

That is the best explanation I can give according to my understanding (guess work). BTW I don't know this for fact, it is just my opinion. This post intrigued my interest so I decided to look into it. But if anyone else has a better explanation I would certainly welcome it.

I was also able to find the following qoute, which is taken from the Red Hat Linux 7.2: The Official Red Hat Linux Customization Guide, which basically backs up what dAggressor said :

...every user who logs in at the console will be allowed to run programs that accomplish tasks
normally restricted to the root user. If X is running, these actions can be included as menu items in
a graphical user interface. As shipped, the console-accessible programs include halt, poweroff,
and reboot.

[Quad]

type: ' halt ' - at the command line without the quotes.

[rcgreen]

I've noticed the same thing in red hat 7.2
In command line mode, it acts normal, refusing to allow
ordinary users to shutdown, but when running X, you suddenly have privilege
to shutdown or reboot, both from the menu and from an xterm.

I guess they were sloppy when they put the distro together.
I haven't bothered to find how to tighten it up, I actually don't
mind since I'm the only user, but if you have other users,
you may not want them to have that right.

[IKnowNot]

Don't know abot 7.2 ( don't use a Gui on that those )

In R.H. 8.0, when I boot to the command line, then start the GUI using "startx", I don't get the choice to shut down, just log off the GUI.

The choices ( in KDE ) to alter who can shut down can be found in the start applications, Preferences/system/Login Manager, the sessions tab. (logged in as root )

it seems to change the settings in /etc/X11/xdm/kdmrc

Hope this helps.

If you want to know how to change the loggon method ( from X to command line )

see Changing Login from Console to X at Startup