[Settings] restricted folder access

[bwallx]

With Kubuntu and other distros, I always have difficulties with restricted access to certain folders and also to USB memory stick folders. I installed Kubuntu to an SSD and have Admin status.

Not only do I myself have restrictions, but software also has restrictions, even for folders I myself can access.

As a Windows user, I find this incredibly awkward! I appreciate Linux can be anal as regards security etc but it often throws the baby out with the bath water!

So my query is how, as user Administrator, can i access these folders please?

An example, my Tor browser won't allow me to set the default download folder to the system Download folder nor to any folder on my USB stick. Instead it insists on a folder buried in layers beneath its own folder structure. Why I don't like this behaviour is irrelevant. I want to have the same freedom of choice i am used to.

Thank you.

[claydoh]

Your Tor browser is probably a Flatpak or Snap, which by design are sandboxed and will often have limited access to your file system by default, particularly external devices. This can be changed or overridden, if the packager for the app for some reason chose not to include access by default. Which is not at all unreasonable, considering that the project is highly privacy and security-focused.
The method to enable this depends on which type of packaging system, if it is a Snap of Flatpack.
Can you tell us which version of this program you have, and where who installed it from? You should be able to tell if it was a Snap of a Flatpack from Discover's information about it, assuming you used this to do so.


Also, write permissions to a location can depend on the file system format used. Is the USB using something other than a FAT or NTFS file system? If you have formatted the stick with a Linux file system, those permissions will need to be set, usually from the command line.
If not, you would need sudo access to be able to write to them, etc.
I will assume that your USB is not using ext4 or anything, and is using a normal Microsoft file system?

I want to have the same freedom of choice i am used to.

You still do, though you often need to look at multiple options to get there. Your Tor browser likely has multiple different potential installation methods and packaging systems.