Password Trouble

Nerone · 2023-10-20 00:24

Just installed Q4OS on my old Compaq Presario laptop, everything almost OK but...
During installation I have been asked only for setting a password, (not a user name) which I did.
The clock is showing wrong time and I'll like to correct it, it ask me for the password in order to do that, I type the password and doesn't work.
While I try to figure out why the laptop has been blocked (inactivity) and ask for the password....again I type the password and doesn't work.
If I start a new session the password works but it doesn't if I try to reset the clock or free the block (and likely for any thing else).
Never asked me for a user name, for a new session the user name is "Admin Q4OS" (it was already there, I didn't see any option in order to change it), for resetting the clock or free the block it seems to be "adminq default : (numbers changing with each session)".
I suppose I should try my password with the user name "Admin Q4OS" instead of what it shows ("adminq") but I can't figure out how to do that, I mean changing the user name.
I am the only one using the laptop, actually I don't want to have to type a password every time I start or when the session is suspended, I simply don't need it, I understand I have to type my password when I do make changes and that is OK...but why it changes the user name and doesn't recognize my password?
Thank in advance for any help (please idiot proof instructions)

Nerone · 2023-10-20 05:18

I did play a bit around it...
In short my password, the one it asked me to set during installation, works only at starting the system and at starting a new session, everywhere else doesn't work, when this windows opens there is nothing I can do:
TdeSudo
tdecmshell needs administrative privileges.
Please enter your password for verification.

hchiper · 2023-10-20 07:36

Can you type the following commands in a terminal:

$ cat /etc/passwd | grep /home

What is its result?
Do you recognize your username in the list? Which one is it?

Then, for each <username> (first entry in each line), enter the following command and post the result:

$ groups <username>

[Edit]

Notes
- to enter into a terminal, look for "terminal " or "console" in the application launcher ("start menu" in another OS)
- don't type the '$', its is just the prompt indicating you can type a command;
- terminate each command by hitting the Enter key.

Last edited by hchiper (2023-10-20 07:57)

q4osteam · 2023-10-20 08:18

In addition to @hchiper suggestions, what keyboard layout are you using ?

Nerone · 2023-10-20 19:08

The keyboard is an Italian layout, actually I don't remember having been asked for the layout during installation (Linux Mint does), only my preferred language, but I may not remember correctly.

adminq@q4os-desktop:~$ cat /etc/passwd | grep /home
adminq:x:1000:1000:Admin Q4OS,,,:/home/adminq:/bin/bash
adminq@q4os-desktop:~$ groups adminq
adminq : adminq adm cdrom floppy sudo audio dip video plugdev users systemd-journal lpadmin bluetooth netdev scanner vboxsf

When I start the computer or a new session it shows me a window with user name (adminq) and the space for the password (and it works), in all other instances it shows me the TdeSudo window which has only the space for the password (there is no user name or space for it) and doesn't work.

q4osteam · 2023-10-20 19:46

Does your password contain some non-latin characters ?

Nerone · 2023-10-20 20:08

It contains @ and 1, other characters are all latin

Nerone · 2023-10-20 20:11

There is also a 0, therefore 2 numbers (1 and 0) and @

q4osteam · 2023-10-20 21:04

Well, run command in terminal:
$ passwd
change password to contain latin letters only. Numbers are allowed too, but omit "@". Post back the result.

Nerone · 2023-10-20 21:36

OK, I run the command, it tells me (it speaks Italian therefore I am translating for you, maybe not the exact words you are used to):
change password for adminq
actual password:

But I can't write anything..., I mean the terminal just doesn't type

q4osteam · 2023-10-20 21:39

Nerone wrote:

But I can't write anything..., I mean the terminal just doesn't type

When you type your password, terminal doesn't echo back, but it receives letters you type.

Nerone · 2023-10-20 21:42

I don't know the difference between Konsole and Shell, they both look the same to me as a Terminal...anyway I tried both and both don't type

Nerone · 2023-10-20 21:46

OK, done, it tells me:
psswd: error manipulating authentication token (my translation)
psswd: password unchanged

q4osteam · 2023-10-20 22:51

Unfortunately, we are not able to reproduce this issue, so we cannot effectively investigate. It could be even a failing hardware - bad blocks on harddisk and thus data inconsistency, as described here https://www.tutorialspoint.com/how-to-f … r-in-linux

Nerone · 2023-10-20 23:45

Thanks for your help!

INow that I know the issue is the @ character in the password and since I do have another mind breaking issue in the Kicker panel I tampered with (a few icons have disappeared and minimized windows don't show anymore, impossible to retrieve them, process are still alive but disappeared from sight) the best thing to do is a new installation of the OS, it is anyway a fresh installation therefore not much in it that is worth saving.

At least I have gained a bit more confidence with the OS which is quite different from Mint ...playing around and messing up things is always instructive.

I am glad to acknowledge here I can find fast and top notch support, apart from the issue the lap top seems to work fast and well with this OS and I am very happy being able to use it again in despite of its age, therefore I give Q4OS a thumb up, proceed with a new installation and report here how it goes (touching wood with a new password everything should be just fine).

q4osteam · 2023-10-21 10:56

Nerone wrote:

OK, done, it tells me:
psswd: error manipulating authentication token (my translation)
psswd: password unchanged

Did anyone else notice this issue ?

@Nerone
Anyway thanks for reporting.

hchiper · 2023-10-21 12:40

I tried

sudo passwd <some_user>

and I aborted the command with Ctrl+D. I got

Le changement de mot de passe a été annulé.
passwd: Erreur de manipulation du jeton d’authentification
passwd: password unchanged

@ Nerone:
Before reinstalling, it could be interesting to know if the following works to change the password:

$ sudo passwd adminq

Does sudo work (needs old password)? Then is a new password set successfully?

Edit

And if the problem comes from the desktop environment, maybe you could switch to a pure command line:
- hit Alt+Ctrl+F2
- enter your login (adminq)
- enter your old password
- once you are logged in, change your password: $ passwd
- once it has been changed, logout by typing $ exit
- go back to the desktop environment: Alt+Ctrl+F7
- terminate your session reopen a session with your new password

Last edited by hchiper (2023-10-21 12:54)

Nerone · 2023-10-22 05:25

Thanks Hchiper but I have already made a new installation from the same DVD, it was still on the desk near the laptop...temptation has been too strong, now, with a new password that doesn't contain the @ character anymore I have no issues whatsoever, definitely the problem was the @ character in the password.

It would have been interesting to find a way around in order to change the password without having to reinstall the OS and very likely it is possible with the help of you guys, but in this case it has been just so much easier as I did...at least now we know.

Thanks again for the great help guys!

Q4OS Forum

#1 2023-10-20 00:24

Password Trouble

#2 2023-10-20 05:18

Re: Password Trouble

#3 2023-10-20 07:36

Re: Password Trouble

#4 2023-10-20 08:18

Re: Password Trouble

#5 2023-10-20 19:08

Re: Password Trouble

#6 2023-10-20 19:46

Re: Password Trouble

#7 2023-10-20 20:08

Re: Password Trouble

#8 2023-10-20 20:11

Re: Password Trouble

#9 2023-10-20 21:04

Re: Password Trouble

#10 2023-10-20 21:36

Re: Password Trouble

#11 2023-10-20 21:39

Re: Password Trouble

#12 2023-10-20 21:42

Re: Password Trouble

#13 2023-10-20 21:46

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#14 2023-10-20 22:51

Re: Password Trouble

#15 2023-10-20 23:45

Re: Password Trouble

#16 2023-10-21 10:56

Re: Password Trouble

#17 2023-10-21 12:40

Re: Password Trouble

#18 2023-10-22 05:25

Re: Password Trouble

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