Help Configure lightdm-gtk-greeter [Solved]

[operadude]

A VERY minor issue, but I would like to solve it:

In my MX-Minimal 23.6 install, I cannot modify/edit the lightdm-gtk-greeter.

When I try to add a background and/or user image, I get the following error:

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LightDM does not have permissions to read path: /home/opera-dude

Here's my QSI:

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Snapshot created on: 20250606_1551
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 [6.1.140-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-37-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel, plank wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.6_minimal_x64 Libretto Jan 12  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux
    12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Gigabyte product: H270-HD3 v: N/A serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Gigabyte model: H270-HD3-CF v: x.x serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends
    v: F5 date: 04/24/2017
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse PID:0080 serial: N/A
    charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i3-7100 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Kaby Lake gen: core 7 level: v3
    note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x9E (158) stepping: 9
    microcode: 0xF8
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB
    desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/3900 scaling: driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave
    cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 bogomips: 31199
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling mitigation: Microcode
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: IBRS
  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: IBRS; IBPB: conditional; STIBP: conditional; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Oland PRO [Radeon R7 240/340 / Radeon 520] vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: radeon
    v: kernel alternate: amdgpu arch: GCN-1 code: Southern Islands process: TSMC 28nm built: 2011-20
    pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 8 ports: active: HDMI-A-1 empty: DVI-D-1,VGA-1
    bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:6613 class-ID: 0300 temp: 40.0 C
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X: loaded: radeon
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: radeon display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 509x286mm (20.04x11.26") s-diag: 584mm (22.99")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-0 model: Samsung built: 2007 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 305
    gamma: 1.2 size: 160x90mm (6.3x3.54") diag: 184mm (7.2") ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 1920x1080
    min: 640x480
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: OLAND ( LLVM 15.0.6 DRM 2.50 6.1.0-37-amd64)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 200 Series PCH HD Audio vendor: Gigabyte driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a2f0 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Oland/Hainan/Cape Verde/Pitcairn HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7000 Series]
    vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 8
    bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:aab0 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: N/A
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 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: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: Gigabyte driver: e1000e v: kernel port: N/A
    bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15b8 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 7.27 TiB used: 7.15 GiB (0.1%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 970 EVO 250GB size: 232.89 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: 1B2QEXE7 temp: 32.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 model: SATA SSD size: 111.79 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 61.3 scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Kingston model: SA400S37120G size: 111.79 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 61K1 scheme: MBR
  ID-4: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 vendor: Seagate model: ST4000DM004-2CV104 size: 3.64 TiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 5425 serial: <filter>
    rev: 0001 scheme: GPT
  ID-5: /dev/sdd maj-min: 8:48 vendor: Western Digital model: WD5000AADS-00S9B0 size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s type: N/A serial: <filter> rev: 0A01
    scheme: GPT
  ID-6: /dev/sde maj-min: 8:64 vendor: Seagate model: ST3000DM001-1ER166 size: 2.73 TiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter>
    rev: CC25 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 25 GiB size: 24.44 GiB (97.76%) used: 7.15 GiB (29.2%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p9 maj-min: 259:9
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 256 MiB size: 252 MiB (98.46%) used: 1.8 MiB (0.7%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 40.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2059 libs: 932 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude 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/mx.list
    1: deb https://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscodium.list
    1: deb [ signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/vscodium-archive-keyring.gpg ] https://paulcarroty.gitlab.io/vscodium-deb-rpm-repo/debs vscodium main
Info:
  Processes: 219 Uptime: 29m wakeups: 3 Memory: 31.3 GiB used: 2.14 GiB (6.8%) 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: UEFI

Here is the output from the "lightdm/seat0-greeter.log:

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** Message: 15:39:38.099: Starting lightdm-gtk-greeter 2.0.8 (Aug 16 2021, 03:07:33)
** Message: 15:39:38.101: [Configuration] Reading file: /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf.d/01_debian.conf
** Message: 15:39:38.101: [Configuration] Reading file: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf
Excess arguments.

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): WARNING **: 15:39:38.340: Failed to load default user image: Failed to open file “/home/opera-dude/Pictures/top-10-most-beautiful-waterfalls-in-iceland-10.jpg”: Permission denied

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:38.622: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:39.493: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:40.487: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:41.496: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:42.497: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:43.497: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:44.499: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:45.488: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:46.493: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:47.501: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:48.501: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:49.490: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:50.495: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:51.496: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:52.497: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:53.498: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:54.498: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:55.500: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:56.502: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:57.503: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:58.499: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:39:59.500: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:00.503: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:01.504: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:02.516: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:03.516: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:04.521: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): Gtk-WARNING **: 15:40:05.056: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): WARNING **: 15:40:05.188: [PIDs] Failed to terminate process #2313: No such process

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2270): WARNING **: 15:40:05.188: [PIDs] Failed to terminate process #2311: No such process
** Message: 19:54:44.193: Starting lightdm-gtk-greeter 2.0.8 (Aug 16 2021, 03:07:33)
** Message: 19:54:44.194: [Configuration] Reading file: /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf.d/01_debian.conf
** Message: 19:54:44.194: [Configuration] Reading file: /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf
Excess arguments.

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): WARNING **: 19:54:44.414: Failed to load default user image: Failed to open file “/home/opera-dude/Pictures/top-10-most-beautiful-waterfalls-in-iceland-10.jpg”: Permission denied

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:44.700: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:45.554: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:46.554: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:47.563: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:48.556: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:49.561: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

(lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): Gtk-WARNING **: 19:54:50.205: Drawing a gadget with negative dimensions. Did you forget to allocate a size? (node menubar owner GreeterMenuBar)

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): WARNING **: 19:54:50.261: [PIDs] Failed to terminate process #2311: No such process

** (lightdm-gtk-greeter:2278): WARNING **: 19:54:50.261: [PIDs] Failed to terminate process #2309: No such process

Not sure why it thinks it's Aug. 16, 2021...? Whatever...

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[fehlix]

A VERY minor issue, but I would like to solve it:

In my MX-Minimal 23.6 install, I cannot modify/edit the lightdm-gtk-greeter.

When I try to add a background and/or user image, I get the following error:

Code: Select all

LightDM does not have permissions to read path: /home/opera-dude

Without doing any other changes, maybe just this:
Give lightdm read permission of user's home folder with:

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setfacl --modify=group:$(id -g lightdm):r-x ~

What it does: It set's an addtional acl "Acccess Control List" property
which grants the special user "lightdm" read access of the user's home directory.
Check/verifiy with:

Code: Select all

getfacl ~

may show something like:

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getfacl ~
# file: home/opera-dude
# owner: opera-dude
# group: opera-dude
user::rwx
group::---
group:lightdm:r-x
mask::r-x
other::---

[operadude]

@fehlix Thank You for Replying

However, when I try both of the above, bash complains:

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opera-dude@GA-H270-HD3:~
$ setfacl --modify=group:$(id -g lightdm):r-x ~
bash: setfacl: command not found

and...

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opera-dude@GA-H270-HD3:~
$ getfacl ~
bash: getfacl: command not found

I did try this before I read your post:

MX-Tools -> User Manager -> Group Membrship (Tab) -> Check/Select "LightDM"

(By default, it was NOT checked).

Rebooted...

--> NO CHANGE!

[fehlix]

$ setfacl --modify=group:$(id -g lightdm):r-x ~
bash: setfacl: command not found
[/code]

Maybe your "respin" is missing an "important" package, which got normally installed with MX Linux.
and both are available at /usr/bin/setfacl and /usr/bin/getfacl
Perhaps, this

Code: Select all

sudo apt install acl

may help.

[operadude]

@fehlix Excellent

Installed "acl".

Now, I have these results:

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opera-dude@GA-H270-HD3:~
$ setfacl --modify=group:$(id -g lightdm):r-x ~

opera-dude@GA-H270-HD3:~
$ getfacl ~
getfacl: Removing leading '/' from absolute path names
# file: home/opera-dude
# owner: opera-dude
# group: opera-dude
user::rwx
group::---
group:lightdm:r-x
mask::r-x
other::---

I'm assuming that I will have to reboot for changes...

Trying without reboot...NOPE...

Will Reboot Now...

[operadude]

Kinda Works...

When I get the login screen, I Now have the picture (User Avatar) I want that is next to the user name.

However, when trying to edit the lightdm-gtk-greeter settings, I cannot modify neither the background, nor the user, image...???

An additional (related?) issue:

when I click-on to edit my "mugshot" (user avatar) in the "Application Menu", I get this error:

Code: Select all

Failed to execute child process "mugshot" (No such file or directory)

I want the same picture for my "mugshot" that I am using for the picture on the login screen, but the system is reporting that there is no "mugshot".

[operadude]

We Have a Winner:

@fehlix

Strangely, it took 2 reboots, but now when I log-in, at the Greeter Screen, I have both the Background image that I chose, and the User image that I chose in the LightDM settings.

I still have the 2 problems of:

1. Not being able to edit the LightDM GTK+ Greeter settings, and

2. Not being able to edit the "Mugshot"

But, I consider those separate issues, and will mark this one as SOLVED.

[operadude]

#2 Above SOLVED:

"mugshot" was NOT installed.

Now installed, and now can easily click-on the picture in the Whisker/Application Menu, and make any changes I want.

Oh, and most importantly:

I came to the solution via the Forum-- just searched for "mugshot", and found some posts with the same issue: inability to edit "mugshot", because it wasn't installed !!!

Once again, the Forum to the rescue

[JmaCWQ]

I noticed the same with MX 23.6 a week or two ago when wanting to change the default background in lightdm-gtk-greeter to a different one.
I ended up just copying the image to a folder lightdm-gtk-greeter had permissions to use, in this case /usr/share/lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings.

[operadude]

@JmaCWQ Thanks for that !!!

Will look into it.