KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

[buntu-user]

Hi all,

I have been having a problem with KackageKit in Kubuntu the past couple of weeks. Since an update,
The software no longer prompts me for my password when trying to do updates. I would like for the system to prompt me each time, and not do any updates automatically.

Because the lack of a password prompt makes me nervous, I have been using apt-get as sudo through a terminal without issues. Is anyone else experiencing this, and if so, how do I fix it?
My system is set up to not remember any sessions when I log out.

Updates are fine in Ubuntu and Xubuntu, it is only Kubuntu that is giving me problems.

On a somewhat related password topic, how can I adjust my settings so that I am prompted for my password EVERY time I work as sudo in terminal, instead of the system remembering the password for my entire KDE session?Even if I reset my terminal then exit, when I open a new terminal, the password is retained and I am not prompted again for the rest of the session. I do not like this behavior and would like to change it to prompt me every time. I really should know this by now (User Since ver 6.04), but...

Thank you in advance for your replies.

[Snowhog]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

See Reset sudo timeout

[buntu-user]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction for at least part of my problem.

By typing:
sudo visudo
then changing the defaults line to read:
Defaults env_reset,timestamp_timeout=0

I did indeed get the behavior I wanted in terminal.
That is, it prompts me for password EVERY time.

Yet I am still not sure I am getting the correct behavior in KPackageKit.
I am going into KPackageKit and clicking, on Software Updates, then waiting for it to load.
Formerly, when I clicked "Refresh", it would prompt for the root password at that point.
Now it (still) seems to be fetching the updates/repository lists without any password prompt whatsoever.

Possibly this is because I am up to date and there are currently no updates available.
Dunno. I will try it for a day or three and keep checking back to this forum.
But at this time KPackageKit still appears to not work correctly for me.

UPDATE:

Update Manager in my Ubuntu box is fine, but I am getting the same unusual behavior with Update Manager in Xubuntu as I am with KPackageKit in Kubuntu. All 3 boxes are Lucid Lynx, but all were dist-upgraded from version 9.10.

The plot thickens.
No one else is seeing this behavior?
Anyone?

[Snowhog]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

The behavior of KPackageKit is, well, it's behavior. IT doesn't prompt for your password when fetching updates - I just tried it here. As I have stated, at least in other threads, KPackageKit sucks. Don't use it. Install Synaptic and use it (and/or the CLI) for all your package management needs. You'll be much happier.

[buntu-user]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

I can certainly try synaptic under KDE to see if it works correctly.
Some things strike me as odd about this situation, though.

KPackageKit worked fine until a couple of weeks ago, after an update..
By checking through my KPackagekit history, it would seem as though the following update, done on May 21, 2010 would likely be responsible:
Updated Packages Updated apt, apt-utils, apt-transport-https, libpangomm-1.4-1, apt-utils, apt-transport-https, libpangomm-1.4-1
Note that 3 of the 4 packages (excluding apt) were listed TWICE
Since that time, every package updated using kpackagekit was listed twice in the history.
What is apt-transport-https? Might this package be responsible?
It seems as though apt works fine by itself, yet this update may have borked KPackageKit somehow.

Oh yeah, in the same Kubuntu box, Adept works correctly. It prompts for password right away.

Update Manager under Xubuntu is exhibiting this same odd behavior.
Until recently, both Update-Manager in Xubuntu and KPackageKit in Kubuntu worked fine.
I'd kind of like to research this further to try and figure this out. Was hoping someone here could help, has experienced the same, or could duplicate this behavior.

As I said, my Ubuntu box works fine.

Can't find any history for update-manager in either Ubuntu or Xubuntu.
The logs in /var/log/apt/history.log look fine in all 3 boxes, including the Kubuntu one. That is to say, there is no repetition of any file names. But this log only seems to hold the latest download transaction. The histories don't go back far enough.


Question. What is the exact relationship between Synaptic and Update Manager?
They are separate packages, correct?

When you say install synaptic in Kubuntu, do you mean Update Manager as well?

I know I am way over-complicating this. I gave up long ago trying to change this behavior.
Which sucks for the person on the other end.
Thank you nevertheless, for your help.

[abalone]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

On my system KPackagekit can also fetch repo information and install upgrades without asking for authorization.

There used to be a System Settings module for fine-grained Policykit-based authorization. Using this module, one could easily change when/how often/whom the system would ask for authorization, and for what. But that module seems to be gone now.

Odd, that.

[buntu-user]

Re: KPackageKit Not Prompting for Password.

The problem I was having with Update Manager on Xubuntu not prompting for password seems to have automagically fixed itself. The only changes that I have made are:

Did an apt-get upgrade to Upgrade from 2.6.32-22-generic #33
to 2.6.32-22-generic #36
(missed the Upgrade to 2.6.32-22-generic #35)

Did a sudo visudo in terminal but then a <Ctrl> X without changing anything.
First line already read:
Defaults env_reset,timestamp_timeout=0

Rebooted.
Now Update Manager properly prompts for password EVERY time on my Xubuntu box.

Dont know what actually fixed it.

So that just leaves the Kubuntu box.