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This just happened when I wanted to install some new software. I'm running 16.04 LTS on a HP.

I don't know if this is relevant, but I was recently trying to enable the fingerprint reader on the machine using this guide but I didn't finish it as some of the packages refused to build. I didn't do any authentication modifications inside the common-auth file.

The last line is repeated continuously and I have to kill the terminal every time I try using sudo.

chris@chris:~$ sudo -s
sudo: unable to resolve host
[sudo] password for chris: sh: 1: cannot create /tmp/vcsSemKey_ServiceId: Permission denied

sh: 1: cannot create /tmp/vcsSemKey_ServiceId: Permission denied
sh: 1: cannot create /tmp/vcsSemKey_ServiceId: Permission denied

terminal

bigzoo
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2 Answers2

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I had the same problem, I fixed it by uninstalling the packages relating to Fingerprint Scanner using Synaptic Package manager, now my terminal works fine. Idk if I'm being naive here :/ I'm new to the Linux.

Sahil Rana
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  • Thanks alot. I guess I'm stupid for not having tried that. I've just installed synaptic, completely removed the packages and that did the trick. – bigzoo Oct 21 '17 at 18:55
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It looks like you changed your hostname at some point after installation.

First, check the following exists in /etc/hosts:

127.0.1.1 chris

If it doesn't, add it.

Then make sure /etc/hostname contains:

chris
Vanessa Deagan
  • 1,131
  • Thanks for this. I had recently changed my username and my hosts file wasn't changed. I think this fix will work but only after I get my sudo working first. – bigzoo Sep 23 '17 at 11:04
  • You can boot in to recovery mode if sudo doesn't work. – Vanessa Deagan Sep 23 '17 at 11:24
  • I've been trying that but I get stuck. I try to run apt-get install --reinstall sudo but it won't work because of internet connection. When I try to connect to wifi network using ifconfig and iwconfig and rerun the command again it still doesn't work – bigzoo Oct 04 '17 at 13:58
  • Just adding that I have tried reinstalling sudo, fixing packages, and also manually changing the permissions of the file specified in the error all while in recovery mode but I still have the same error. I might sadly have to reinstall my os. – bigzoo Oct 11 '17 at 18:50