this post was submitted on 06 Jan 2026
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/41309316

Hi,

I need to run Tor Browser as another user..

So here what I'm doing under, MX Linux ( Debian, SysVinit, xfce)

#as root, in a terminal under xfce

useradd --create-home --system --shell /usr/sbin/nologin TorUser
# btw --system or not ?

tar -xf tor-browser-linux...tar -C /opt --totals
chown -R TorUser:TorUser /opt/tor-browser

runuser -u TorUser -- /opt/tor-browser/start-tor-browser.desktop

return

Launching './Browser/start-tor-browser --detach'...

But nothing happen, and I don't see any process for TorUser

any ideas ?

Posted on the offical Tor-browser in June, but no reactions so far... :/

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[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

btw is that .desktop file an actual executable? I'm used to them being text files that contain the actual command. If so, maybe launch that instead.

Also, consider using strace to observe the I/O of the program. This often gives clues about what it tried last, before it stopped.

[–] Gordon_F@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

@lurch@sh.itjust.works the last entry the gave strace was

exit_group(0) = ?

I don't know if this help ?

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago

no, interesting entries would be further up

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

So you started with a terminal window and ran

sudo -i

or

sudo -s

in it?

[–] dewomser@social.tchncs.de 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I see. In that case, can you check if you can run a more simple application instead of the browser, eg. another terminal or so? If not, check your env vars for X or wayland. Does your su or PAM filter them out?

Also maybe check your kernel messages for segfault etc..

[–] Gordon_F@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 months ago

Thank you, this is a good idea !

I've did

#as root
runuser -u TorUser -- python3 -V

and that succeed

[–] Gordon_F@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 months ago

I do not use sudo I open a virtual terminal and did su then the commands I posted.