# NixOS installer: less privileged nixos user
**URL:** https://discourse.nixos.org/t/nixos-installer-less-privileged-nixos-user/5574
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [January 20, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/nixos-installer-less-privileged-nixos-user/5574 "2020-01-20T16:57:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ivanbrennan](https://discourse.nixos.org/u/ivanbrennan)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/nixos-installer-less-privileged-nixos-user/5574/1 "2020-01-20T16:57:02Z")
I’m installing NixOS 19.09, and after putting the minimal ISO on a USB and booting from it, I was prepared to set up my partitions. Referencing my notes from previous installs, I ran `fdisk -l` to list the current partitions, but got a bunch of “Permission denied” errors.
I see in the [19.09 release notes](https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/release-notes.html#sec-release-19.09):
> The installer now uses a less privileged `nixos` user whereas before we logged in as root. To gain root privileges use `sudo -i` without a password.
I could just run `sudo -i` and continue how I have in the past, but is this change is an indication that there’s a different approach that’s preferred?
Was the intent to encourage users to prepend `sudo` to the commands that need it, rather than logging in as `root`?
Or perhaps there’s a different use-case that motivated this change?
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### Author:  [@Melkor333](https://discourse.nixos.org/u/Melkor333)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2020, 12:04pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/nixos-installer-less-privileged-nixos-user/5574/2 "2020-01-21T12:04:48Z")
I think what it does is follow the best practice of never logging in with root.
I don’t know the exact reason but it‘s quite reasonable, as you should have to use `sudo` after the installation, too.
It also adds a security layer if somebody e.g. browses the web, connects to irc, etc. with the live boot - which might be a risk.
Especially if an old ISO with outdated software is used…
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### Author:  [@ElvishJerricco](https://discourse.nixos.org/u/ElvishJerricco)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/nixos-installer-less-privileged-nixos-user/5574/3 "2020-01-21T13:31:29Z")
> [@Melkor333](#):
>
> It also adds a security layer if somebody e.g. browses the web, connects to irc, etc. with the live boot - which might be a risk.
This is probably the real reason. People use live ISOs to troubleshoot their existing systems all the time, which can involve running all sorts of internet connected programs like a browser. So it’s much safer to have a permissions barrier between firefox/etc. and your real system’s data.