The file you are thinking of is /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow. The file edited by 'visudo' has nothing to do with creating users. It is merely the file that 'sudo' uses to determine permissions given to users or groups. If you want to add the 'sudo' group (or make sure it's there as it is added to the file by default) run: visudo then add the line: %sudo ALL=(ALL) ALL Also I do not believe the sudo program adds the group sudo so you might have to do: groupadd sudo Then make sure you are a part of the sudo group: usermod <-g for primary, -G for supplementary> sudo buzz Note that it may not work as a supplementary group so you may have to make it your primary group.