Install firmware-iwlwifi

[Hewjr100]

Trying to install wifi on Debian 10. I get the following message:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi
[sudo] password for henry:             
Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease
Hit:2 http://security.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates InRelease                        
Ign:4 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease                       
Hit:5 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable Release                 
Hit:6 http://cdn-fastly.deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease
Reading package lists... Done
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied)
E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), are you root?

So how do I become root?

Henry

[GarryRicketson]

This is really getting old, there are several threads about using su and sudo correctly, yet nobody reads them, the most recent, and still in "active topics".:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=142559

So how do I become root?

Some body that does not know how to become root, has no business doing anything as root, to start with. Try:

Code: Select all

sudo -i "thisorthatcommand"

Or try

Code: Select all

su -

, better yet try reading

Code: Select all

man su

and

Code: Select all

man sudo

===== edited ====
Note, in the thread I linked to, there was one person that suggested "sudo su",
ignore that, it is ridicules, and not correct, ....don't do that.

[Hewjr100]

Sorry, but I did try some options:

Code: Select all

su -i apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi
su: invalid option -- 'i'
Try 'su --help' for more information.
henry@wyatt:~$ sudo -i apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi
[sudo] password for henry:             
Ign:1 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease
Hit:2 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease                        
Hit:3 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable Release                 
Hit:5 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates InRelease
Hit:4 http://cdn-fastly.deb.debian.org/debian buster InRelease
Hit:6 http://security.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates InRelease
Reading package lists... Done
E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied)
E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend), are you root?
henry@wyatt:~$ sudo - apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi
sudo: -: command not found
henry@wyatt:~$ su -
Password: 
su: Authentication failure

[4D696B65]

is synaptic open?

[GarryRicketson]

Are you using the right password for root ?

Code: Select all

Password:
su: Authentication failure 

This indicates it is not the correct password. It should be the password you set for root,
NOT the password that the normal user uses.

Code: Select all

su -i apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi
su: invalid option -- 'i'
Try 'su --help' for more information. 

Would be expected, there is no -i option for su, did you try what it says ?"Try 'su --help' for more information."

Code: Select all

E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied) 

Also, as mentioned, if synaptic is open, or apt is running on another terminal, can cause this error.
======
It is also possible , some how you have locked the "root" account,
Try some search foo: use key words:

Code: Select all

 How to unlock my root account on Debian 

I have some chores to do, and if you still have not figured it out , will go into more details later.

[sunrat]

sudo will only change permissions for one command and in your first post you are trying to run two. This should work:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi

Code: Select all

henry@wyatt:~$ su -
Password:
su: Authentication failure

Here you have to enter your root password, not user password. If you haven't set a root password when you installed, you can do it if you have sudo set up:

Code: Select all

sudo passwd root

The proper way to do it is:

Code: Select all

su -
<enter root password>
apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi

Code: Select all

su: invalid option -- 'i'

su doesn't have a -i option which you would have found by running su --help as it advised.

Learn more about the commands you run by reading the man pages:

Code: Select all

man su
man sudo

Snap @Garry! You posted while I was writing.

[Hewjr100]

Got it working, thanks. It has been along time since using su. I have been using Ubuntu for some 3-4 years, never had to use su. Did use it in fedora 10-14. I apologize, I should have known better.

Henry

[GarryRicketson]

Snap @Garry! You posted while I was writing

Well, I really do think you explain it a little better then me, I was in a hurry.

Post by Hewjr100 » 2019-07-08 19:59
Got it working, thanks.

That is good, I kind of figured you would figure it out faster then I could do my chores,
thanks for telling us. No need for more details.

[theblueplll]

This is really getting old, there are several threads about using su and sudo correctly, yet nobody reads them, the most recent, and still in "active topics".:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=142559
===== edited ====
Note, in the thread I linked to, there was one person that suggested "sudo su",
ignore that, it is ridicules, and not correct, ....don't do that.

And that person now uses

Code: Select all

sudo -i

and thanked the posters for their correction