Ubuntu 14.04 Permission denied when trying to get OpenVPN

Question

System info:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu | Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS | Release: 14.04 | Codename: trusty

Problem:

I am having trouble. I am trying to get openVPN and I am following this guide here: Link to guide.

I have successfully done the first two commands, but when I do this code:

gunzip -c /usr/share/doc/openvpn/examples/sample-config-files/server.conf.gz > /etc/openvpn/server.conf

I get an error: `bash: /etc/openvpn/server.conf: Permission Denied.

Can anybody help? Feel free to ask for additional information.

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 10 '20 at 23:16

0

Try running

sudo -i

After that, try

gunzip -c

again.

edited Jan 10 '20 at 23:16

guntbert

13,134

answered Jan 10 '20 at 22:30

user1033066

1

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 19 '17 at 08:09

0

You can't write into the /etc/ directory without using sudo. The guide omits this little fact in many cases. Notice the first command apt-get update which also won't work without sudo. I think the guide assumes you are logged in as root.

Modify the command as follows:

gunzip -c /usr/share/doc/openvpn/examples/sample-config-files/server.conf.gz | sudo tee /etc/openvpn/server.conf

edited Jun 19 '17 at 08:09

b_laoshi

4,660
4
25
46

answered Jun 19 '17 at 00:55

Organic Marble

23,641
15
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122

I did instead of gunzip, I did sudo sh and still got the same error but I haven't done it with gunzip. Thanks, i'll try it. – Caleb H Jun 19 '17 at 00:57
1

See When using sudo with redirection, I get 'permission denied' – steeldriver Jun 19 '17 at 01:00
The redirection (>/etc/openvpn/server.conf) is done while parsing the sudo ..., and is owned by the non-root user. gunzip -c /usr/share/doc/openvpn/examples/sample-config-files/server.conf.gz | sudo tee /etc/openvpn/server.conf >/dev/null – waltinator Jun 19 '17 at 01:33

Ubuntu 14.04 Permission denied when trying to get OpenVPN

2 Answers2