After installing 'Synaptic Package Manager' -- I suddenly get a password prompt for every action, including file transfers from external drives, installing software in Terminal, demands for keys in Terminal, and, well.. Anything and Everything.
Why on earth am I suddenly besieged by these authorisation requests, , and (more importantly) how can I turn the bloody pest off?
[ insert sourface smiley here ]
I always install Synaptic and I simply have never experienced the effect of it making everything require authorization. The only time Synaptic gives a password prompt is if you are trying to install to root.
Synaptic is a Package Manager, not an User Authorization Manager.
Many of the things you list here do indeed require authorization - they always have.
You always needed to type your password in terminal to install software.
You always needed to authorize keys.
I really think some detailed clarification with clear and unusual examples will be needed in order to pursue if something has changed on your computer.
You also, I believe, added the Xtradeb repository in a different thread.... that may have changed some of your package formats...
Not sure really, I may have done. Mind you I haven't a clue what an Xtradeb repository actually is, and.. admittedly, It could be that Synaptic is not the cause.
Is there some way to disable password requests 'Globally'?
I honestly don't want or need this type of hyper-security nanny system,
I simply want a system which does what I ask it to do -- without it whinging.
Please tell me there is a way [ purgatoryesque desperation smiley ]
Yes, I checked and...
Here:
There really is not a way to disable password requests globally.
It may be that a recent change has caused a situation on your system, perhaps using Flatpak or Snap packages that is causing Application Launches to verify.
Most of the time, you should not need to enter your password to launch your daily use software. Only when you seek to change how software is run would you need a password, or install to root, would you need to enter your password... Because these involve changing essential system files in root.
While you might be annoyed having to authorize activity at times, you would be far, far more annoyed if unauthorized changes destroyed your build and you lost data or needed to reinstall.
Or if an unauthorized party seized control over critical system files.
That is why these security measures are in place.
Instead, I recommend we examine if a recent change increased your need to authorize packages, such as simple App Launching. Then, correct that change.
It actually started yesterday after installing Font Manager through Synaptic.
Then I transfered all files from my external (windows) SSD, which took hours with over 200000 files, and had to babysit the laptop all night - punching in the password every few minutes -- until the transfer completed.
Previously I had also tried to install Photoshop and Illustrator using Bottles,
but got a 'damaged installer' error. Strange since both installers work perfectly in Windows.
Today I installed Chromium browser, and Google Earth, which are both working perfectly.
It's anyone's guess which operation has caused the password prompt to go into 'aspy' mode, but I would very much like to find a way to revert it back to default mode.
I think this is the reason. When you enter your password for some operation that needs authorization, there's a timeout period where you'll be able to run additional commands without having to enter the password again. If you don't run any more commands after that period, the authorization locks down and you'll be prompted for the password once again.
Whatever the reason it took that long, is likely to have messed with this process.
Ominous
Is there some way to roll back any accidental system changes?
There is a program that you can install, Timeshift, that will allow you to take snapshots of your system settings and rollback as needed. But, you would've had to make the snapshot already for this to work now.
You might start a thread on this as its own issue.
In the meantime here, let's do some testing.
What actions, specifically, give the popup asking for authorization?
Well well.. it's good to know for next time.
I will do (and soon)
The first time it became obvious came during the massive file transfer
from the external SSD.
Then today when I tried to install Google Earth through Terminal.
I ended up intalling it (successfully) through the App Centre.
This is normal. Any installation of software to root will require you to authorize adding or making changes to Root Files.
Also, each and everytime I try to open Synaptic Package Manager
I get a password authorisation prompt.
Synaptic is a Package Manager, which must access and write to Root in order to install and modify System files. It will always have the password prompt.
That's understandable then.
I think the unfamiliarity of the Linux working environment just takes time to adjust to. Eventually it will all congeal in my head.
I haven't been tormented by authentication prompts for some time,
so I may have overreacted.
Overall I'm quite pleased and comfortable working in Linux.
Everyday it looks and feels more and more like my familiar laptop.