I know generally you can't execute commands that require input (root password) but I was wondering if there was any way to pull this off?

Please read FAQ
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Martin Prikryl

Thank you for the response. I still can't get it to work. I edited the /etc/sudoers and added in the user account as it suggested and now I can do an 'sudo su' and it switches me to root with no prompting for password. But I still can't get it to work within WinSCP. It just times out.

Can you try to login using PuTTY and specify "/bin/bash -c 'sudo su -'" as "Remote command" (on SSH tab)? Would it connect automatically without any prompt? Or post a log file.

Yes, I just did it again and Putty works fine and without prompting. I just can't do it in WinSCP.

Please post a log file.
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Martin Prikryl

Guess I'll pick it up where he left off:

same issue, read the faq, using WinSCP 3.82, here's my log:

. 2006-09-25 12:28:05.843 Startup conversation with host finished.
. 2006-09-25 12:28:17.000 Executing user defined command.
> 2006-09-25 12:28:17.000 sudo su ; echo "WinSCP: this is end-of-file:$?"
. 2006-09-25 12:28:32.001 Waiting for data timed out, asking user what to do.
. 2006-09-25 12:28:32.001 Asking user:
. 2006-09-25 12:28:32.001 Host has not answered for 15 seconds.
. 2006-09-25 12:28:32.001
. 2006-09-25 12:28:32.001 Wait for another 15 seconds? Pressing 'Abort' button will close session. ()
. 2006-09-25 12:28:38.361 Attempt to close connection due to fatal exception:
* 2006-09-25 12:28:38.361 Terminated by user.
. 2006-09-25 12:28:38.361 Closing connection.
* 2006-09-25 12:28:38.361 (ESshFatal) Terminated by user.

FWIW I'm on Ubuntu 6.06, my sudoers looks like so:

myusername ALL=NOPASSWD: ALL

I am not prompted for a password from the console/putty when I do a 'sudo su'.

Stumped.

You cannot use "sudo" from terminal. You need to specify it as "shell" for the session. Please read the FAQ again.
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Martin Prikryl

My apologies prikryl. That worked flawlessly. Thank you.
WinSCP is a great tool b/t/w, thanks for the generous contribution.

how do you specify it as a shell?

Please read the FAQ!
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Martin Prikryl

Simply put, the coder cant manage to get this working so we have to do a work around then get "READ THE FAQ!" anytime anyone asks about it. You're an arsehole.

There's nothing to "get working". The su is explicitly made not to be automatable for security reasons. As you are trying to break the security, you have to do it the hard way. There's no magical way.

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And the question is?

This thread is about the Terminal window (Ctrl + T).

Let's talk about the core function of WinSCP instead:

I also needed access to directories like /root and /var/lib/mysql. After some tinkering with the settings I figured out that for Debian and Ubunutu, I have to open the Login -> Advances window, navigate to the 'SFTP' tree item and type sudo /usr/lib/openssh/sftp-server in the SFTP server box. This allowed me to use my non-root credentials to gain root access.