[SOLVED] How to configure GDM to hide individual user

[weitjong]

This sounds like an old topic. I have an active user account in my system that I don't want it to be listed in GDM greeter. In the past (prior to Gnome 3), it can be achieved by configuring the "Exclude" option of the "greeter" section in the Custom.conf or by creating the user account with UID smaller than MinimalUID. But it seems the same old trick does not work for me in Gnome 3. I have tried the "Exclude" option with no effect at all. Using the UID approach only solves my problem partially, as it only exclude it in the GDM greeter during "switch user" but it still being shown in the list in the initial greeter after a cold boot.

Anyone know how to do this in Gnome 3?

[Miikka]

I can confirm that Exclude in /etc/gdm/custom.conf doesn't seem to be working with Gnome 3.

[Cmelik]

I'm not sure if it works in case of F15 (I didn't try it) and if it fulfil your requirements but if I want to exclude user(s) from login to Gnome (and not being visible in GDM Login as well), I edit /etc/passwd file with "nologin" shell:

sudo usermod -s /sbin/nologin users_name

All of the following programs are prevented from accessing the user account:

• telnet/login
• gdm/kdm/xdm (graphical login to XWindows)
• su
• ssh/scp/sftp etc

The following programs will be not affected:

• FTP clients
• mail clients
• sudo

If you want to keep the access for the user to Gnome and just to exclude it from the GDM Login window, this will not be the solution for you.

[weitjong]

@Miika, thank you for your post to confirm the problem.

@Cmelik, no that does not meet my requirement. I need an active user account as I stated in OP. This is supposed to be secret account that I login to do any online banking stuff. Call me a paranoid.

[weitjong]

I think this is a regression issue. The greeter/exclude option works in F13. To solve the problem, I reuse again the old workaround that I invented prior to F13 time. See http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?p=1361417.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but the old dog remembers the old tricks well. Actually It surprises me a little bit.