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desktop user password issues. can't do squat in desktop. (discuss.tchncs.de)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de to c/steamdeck@sopuli.xyz
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I have the one default user "deck" in desktop mode. It looks like it's set to a standard account type.

I can't add a user or change this without a pop up asking "Authentication is required to change user data" and wanting "authenticating as root" password.

Leaving it blank fails. Putting in my sudo password that I have set and at this point double checked multiple times from within Konsole fails as well. I'll go in Konsole and type "passwd" then I'll type the current password and it will say "changing password for deck" and the change works fine. I'll close Konsole, but still have the same issue outside of konsole. Entering a password fails when trying to modify user or update anything.

I can't update anything on desktop now, and I can't figure out what the heck the issue with it is.

Does anyone have a clue? Thanks

Edit\update: Tried a million things. Couldn't get back root access. Made a steam OS boot image on a micro SD card and used it in the steam deck to re-install steam OS but keep my downloads\user files etc. This worked and got back "deck" as admin account as it should be. All better.

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[-] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 7 months ago

Check on Reddit, somebody posted a tutorial on how to reset the desktop user password on the Steam Deck.

[-] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 7 months ago

I've done that reset like 3 times now. If I open Konsole and check my password, it's correct and will also let me change it within there. But when I go to users or try to update things in the normal desktop GUI the password doesn't work. I'm not sure how to force updates or modify users just within Konsole.

[-] _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 7 months ago

well if you want to update the flatpaks, then you can use flatpak update --noninteractive. there's also a deckyloader plugin (I forget the name) that updates them from game mode automatically on whatever schedule you set.

if it's the system, then that updates outside of desktop mode from the setting page.

[-] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 7 months ago

Negative. Because deck (user) doesn't have admin privileges all of the update attempts failed.

this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2025
18 points (95.0% liked)

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