Just installed MX23_KDE. Synaptic wants my USER password, not my root password. Why? [Solved]

[sps7]

Early today I installed MX23_KDE (with liquorix) on my favored desktop tower computer (which had been running MX21.3 but due to this past weekend's problem with gufw vanishing in a split second, I knew I should upgrade to MX23). [I also have a rarely used laptop running only MX21.3_KDE, with liquorix.]

There are some elements in the installer that are new to me. I didn't quite know how to correctly fill out that installer page requiring that one fill out little boxes with ' / ', with ' home ', with ' data ', etc. We're now asked to decide if we want the partitions we've created open to anyone or only to root. Except for / (root) partition, I picked "open to anyone" for the other partitions. Now whenever I open certain apps, such as synaptic, I'm asked for my user password but in all my past installations of MX I was only asked for the root password for synaptic and for various other apps having some risk to the system if anyone could otherwise open them.

On an external HDD, I have all my data which I've not yet copied into my data partition in MX23. I'm waiting to see what MX users say about this matter of synaptic (and maybe some other apps) requiring me to furnish my username password.

Even though I know I entered the correct username and username password on the lines in the installer, and did the root section there with the correct root password, why am I asked to launch synaptic (and maybe some other apps) with my username password? Before I installed MX23_KDE, synaptic and various other apps only opened and ran if I entered the root password.

Is there an easy way to change this so that synaptic only opens with the root password (and the same inquiry for other apps that do this)?

Is the installer simply switching root password for the username password?


My desktop tower QSI:

Code: Select all

[CODE]System:
  Kernel: 6.5.5-2-liquorix-amd64 [6.5-6~mx23+1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable hpet=disable rcupdate.rcu_expedited=1
    BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.5.5-2-liquorix-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.1_KDE_x64 Libretto
    July 31 2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: LENOVO product: 10B00013US v: ThinkCentre M73 serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 3 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: N/A v: SDK0E50510 WIN serial: <superuser required> BIOS: LENOVO
    v: FCKT72AUS date: 08/04/2015
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-4590 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3
    note: check built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3C (60) stepping: 3
    microcode: 0x28
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB
    L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2010 high: 2061 min/max: 800/3301 boost: enabled scaling:
    driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: ondemand cores: 1: 1996 2: 2061 3: 1996 4: 1989 bogomips: 26339
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines, IBPB: conditional, IBRS_FW, STIBP: disabled, RSB
    filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
    vendor: Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm
    built: 2013 ports: active: VGA-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x1024 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 338x270mm (13.31x10.63") s-diag: 433mm (17.03")
  Monitor-1: VGA-1 model: Dell 1905FP serial: <filter> built: 2005 res: 1280x1024 hz: 60 dpi: 86
    gamma: 1.2 size: 376x301mm (14.8x11.85") diag: 490mm (19.3") ratio: 5:4 modes: max: 1280x1024
    min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 23.1.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio vendor: Lenovo
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0c0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo 8
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8c20 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.5.5-2-liquorix-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 0.3.65 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Lenovo ThinkCentre E73
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 11.92 GiB (2.6%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Toshiba model: DT01ACA050 size: 465.76 GiB block-size:
    physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: A7C0
    scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 23.23 GiB size: 22.69 GiB (97.71%) used: 11.53 GiB (50.8%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-2: /home raw-size: 7.67 GiB size: 7.46 GiB (97.17%) used: 399.2 MiB (5.2%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 10 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/sda5
    maj-min: 8:5
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2547 libs: 1378 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/megasync.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/meganz-archive-keyring.gpg] https://mega.nz/linux/repo/Debian_12/ ./
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera-stable.list
    1: deb https://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vivaldi.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main
Info:
  Processes: 231 Uptime: 2h 38m wakeups: 2 Memory: 7.68 GiB used: 3.5 GiB (45.6%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

[/code]

[dolphin_oracle]

we've defaulted to user (so-called sudo) password for gui authentication since mx21. you can change to root account authentication in mx-tweak -> other if you created a root account at installation

[sps7]

Thanks dolphin_oracle for your help.

By writing "if you created a root account", you mean a root partition. Yes? [I did create a root partition but I'll reboot now and see if the change in the area you told me about restores root password requirement for synaptic launching and other apps.]

[MXRobo]

No, I believe he means creating a root account when you installed the device, and I don't think that creating a separate / partition affects the root password. This is probably shown in one of the MX installation videos on Invidious or YeveilTube.

IIRC, that - - here is a link to an annotated image of my installation process for others.
https://ibb.co/ggzfn8N

HTH

[sps7]

MXRobo, I figure I did do that. I know that in the installer, I entered in some space a username and a username password and I created a root password. I think I did check the box for autologin but I'm the sole user of my desktop tower computer.

Thanks MXRobo for that swell image from your MX system!

[swarfendor437]

we've defaulted to user (so-called sudo) password for gui authentication since mx21. you can change to root account authentication in mx-tweak -> other if you created a root account at installation

Thanks for this information, much appreciated.