Restore accidentally with rm'ed pam.conf?

Question

I have accidently removed the files /etc/pam.conf and /etc/security/pam_env.confusing rm. Now I get this error message when I try to use sudo:

sudo: unable to initialize PAM: No such file or directory

How can I fix that?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 18 '13 at 11:46

3

I just copied the files '/etc/pam.conf' and '/etc/security/pam_env.conf' and the folder 'pam.d' from the Ubuntu Installation Disk.

answered Nov 18 '13 at 11:46

user203053

494

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:25

1

Reinstall libpam-runtime:

sudo apt-get --reinstall install libpam-runtime libpam-modules

If you can't use sudo, use root shell in the recovery mode. You must use wired connection and type:

apt-get --reinstall install libpam-runtime libpam-modules

You can use the root shell and copy the same file saved somewhere else copied from another system or purge the package and install it.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:25

Community

1

answered Nov 17 '13 at 16:41

Braiam

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That seems to be a good idea. However, I cannot use sudo. – user203053 Nov 17 '13 at 16:43
I will try that. – user203053 Nov 17 '13 at 16:46
pam-auth-update can help him for sure – Raja G Nov 17 '13 at 16:49
I have reinstalled libpam-runtime, but it did not help. Then when I rebooted, as I suspected, I could not log in any more. Now I am using the LiveCD. I will try to copy the /etc/pam.conf from there. – user203053 Nov 18 '13 at 11:16
1

@user203053 remember /etc/security/pam_env.conf – Braiam Nov 18 '13 at 11:47

Sukupa91 · Answer 3 · 2013-11-17T16:51:27.980

0

i think you are looking for: extundelete - utility to recover deleted files from ext3/ext4 partition

To find such a package, you can try:

apt-cache search undelete

To use the utility install it with:

sudo apt-get install extundelete

After installation click here and read it carefully

For getting back sudo privileges create a file

pkexec gedit /etc/pam.d/common-session-noninteractive

and then just copy and paste these lines

session        [default=1]                     pam_permit.so
session        requisite                       pam_deny.so
session        required                        pam_permit.so
session        required                        pam_unix.so

Save and exit , hope it works..

edited Nov 17 '13 at 16:51

answered Nov 17 '13 at 16:44

Sukupa91

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he said he can not use sudo – Raja G Nov 17 '13 at 16:45
Thanks Sushantp606. But I got the problem: Error executing command as another user: Not authorized. I will try again in recovery mode. – user203053 Nov 17 '13 at 17:01

Restore accidentally with rm'ed pam.conf?

3 Answers3