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I have been using LMDE for a little while and am really pleased with the performance and the notion of rolling release. I installed the XFCE desktop as I find it faster and simpler than Gnome, but often when I need to authenticate for anything requiring root access everything just remains greyed out. Anyone any idea what could be causing this? If I log into Gnome it all works fine.

The only reason I can think this may happen is if you are logging in as a different user in Xfce. In that case the new user might not have access privileges. I've been running LMDE with Xfce for awhile, (since the 64 bit came out) and I've had no problems with it. I have only one user, though.

Thanks for the reply. I am the only user, but here might be a clue. Some authentications work, some don't.
The ones that don't include: time & date; services; network; printing and login screen.
The ones that do work include: update; synaptic package manager; gparted; log file viewer; software sources; backup tool; firewall

Any suggestions, anyone?

SleepyJohn wrote:Thanks for the reply. I am the only user, but here might be a clue. Some authentications work, some don't.
The ones that don't include: time & date; services; network; printing and login screen.
The ones that do work include: update; synaptic package manager; gparted; log file viewer; software sources; backup tool; firewall

Any suggestions, anyone?

As an example, time and date, you must check the "Click to make changes" to get it to work. Here is mine before and after after authentication:

Yes, I've done all that and nothing happens when I click the lock. I wonder if it could be something to do with the Gnome keyring thing which I have yet to understand?

SleepyJohn wrote:Yes, I've done all that and nothing happens when I click the lock. I wonder if it could be something to do with the Gnome keyring thing which I have yet to understand?

Sorry, I don't understand Gnome keyring either. A few things other people might need to know:
Have you changed anything other than adding Xfce, like your Kernel?
Name and make of your computer?
Still Testing or have you changed to Squeeze or Sid?

I have the same problem with xfce installed on top of Mint-9 Gnome. So it's not specific to LMDE.

Still trying to help. Did you either of you install Xfce Goodies and anything else like the power manager for xfce4? Many things have dependencies that help other packages.

SleepyJohn wrote:Thanks for the reply. I am the only user, but here might be a clue. Some authentications work, some don't.
The ones that don't include: time & date; services; network; printing and login screen.
The ones that do work include: update; synaptic package manager; gparted; log file viewer; software sources; backup tool; firewall
Any suggestions, anyone?

Sure..., compare the applications that work vs the ones that don't, check properties of the application and permissions (when properties has been selected)

The ones that don't work are system services (need root privilege)

The ones that do work are user access tools, although you should explain whether or not the synaptic package manager asks for a password when you use it

• The password it would be asking for is the root-like user (admin group) and the first user created by the installer process..

DrHu wrote:The ones that do work are user access tools, although you should explain whether or not the synaptic package manager asks for a password when you use it

• The password it would be asking for is the root-like user (admin group) and the first user created by the installer process..

Good point, are they logging in or have autologin?

Sorry I have not been responding - lost the internet for a couple of days. What Dr Hu says makes some sense. Those services show a padlock but they do nothing when I click them. The others pop up a request for a root password and work fine on being given it.
I installed xfce with the meta package and doubtless added others but cannot remember which. As I also had a problem with Gnome not showing any window decorations I decided to do a re-install the other night and make sure it is all clean. Still no window decorations but I finally fixed that by running metacity in a terminal then saving the session. When the net came back I updated everything and installed the xfce meta package again but the server did not seem to have xfdesktop so no working xfce. I am getting used to Gnome now, but would still be interested to try and get to the bottom of this authentication problem, so I can return to xfce should all the necessary files become available..

Some authentications work, some don't.
The ones that don't include: time & date; services; network; printing and login screen.

Not sure but, it may be a User / Group issue . . are you a member of those groups in Xfce ? it may even be the admin, or sudo group, so you may have to search through the groups to find the missing checkmark (menu->system->users & groups)
If you find a group that you think you need, and there's nothing there, add yourself, and be sure there is a check to show it is activated when you look a second time. . . . good luck.

Thanks for all your suggestions, folks. I finally got xfdesktop installed last night then found xfce would not logout! I've decided to give up on it for the moment - too many other things to do. Gnome is working fine, and quite quickly, so I will stick with that for the time being.

PS Thanks to the team at Linux Mint for producing this imaginative and well-thought-out version. I am now installing it on all my family's computers and teaching them how to maintain it themselves.