Kde authorization (polkit and dbus driving me insane)

Question

hi,
apologies if this is complete newbie territory, but it's been a long time since i last used linux as a desktop OS so polkit and dbus are all new to me.
the problem, basically, is that KDE won't let me do anything i would consider privileged. network manager applet won't let me change wifi connections, package manager doesn't work and usb disks won't mount.
let's start with usb disks. i added a polkit rule as per the wiki:
[root@mjollnir rules.d]# cat 10-enable-mount.rules
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if (action.id == "org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount-system" && subject.isInGroup("storage")) {
return polkit.Result.YES;
and i am in the storage group:
$ groups
wheel network audio storage power
but i get the following error when i try to open a newly inserted usb disk in dolphin:
Error checking authorization: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.PolicyKit1.Error.Failed: Action org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount is not registered (polkit-error-quark, 0)
and now for network manager -
running nm-applet from a terminal and trying to change wifi connection gives me this:
** (nm-applet:1369): WARNING **: Could not create object for /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/0: No session found for uid 1000 (unknown)
** (nm-applet:1369): WARNING **: Could not create object for /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Settings/3: No session found for uid 1000 (unknown)
** (nm-applet:1369): WARNING **: handle_property_changed: failed to update property 'available-connections' of object type NMDeviceWifi.
(nm-applet:1369): nm-applet-WARNING **: Error connecting to ModemManager: Error calling StartServiceByName for org.freedesktop.ModemManager1: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.systemd1.LoadFailed: Unit dbus-org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.service failed to load: No such file or directory.
(nm-applet:1369): nm-applet-WARNING **: Failed to register as an agent: (32) Session not found
(nm-applet:1369): nm-applet-WARNING **: Failed to register as an agent: (32) Session not found
(nm-applet:1369): nm-applet-WARNING **: Failed to add/activate connection: (32) No session found for uid 1000 (unknown)
finally, launching apper from the terminal:
QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave.
QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave.
i do have dbus processes running under my userid, so i think i have a session but i'm not really sure what i'm looking for, and learning the complete ins and outs of dbus is more than a little daunting for what should be a relatively simple task!
can anyone point me in the right direction to start figuring this out? i'm currently seriously considering a complete reinstall but i'm not sure i have the time for that, especially since i don't know if it would necessarily solve the problem
fwiw, i booted a mint livecd and all this stuff worked fine so it's not my hardware

Answer 1

Sorry for being vague - i understand it's not easy dealing with newbies i'll try to be clearer!
I was running kdm as root, then logging in as a regular user. I've now enabled the kdm systemctl service as per mariusmeyer's instructions, but it didn't change what happens when i insert a USB disk - same error as before.
command output below (username redacted)
$ loginctl show-session $XDG_SESSION_ID
Id=c2
Name=XXX
Timestamp=Mon 2014-04-14 20:06:49 BST
TimestampMonotonic=41104959
VTNr=7
Display=:0
Remote=no
Service=kde
Scope=session-c2.scope
Leader=434
Audit=0
Type=x11
Class=user
Active=yes
State=active
IdleHint=no
IdleSinceHint=0
IdleSinceHintMonotonic=0
and systemctl output
UNIT LOAD ACTIVE SUB DESCRIPTION
proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount loaded active waiting Arbitrary Executable File Formats File System Automount Point
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:02.0-backlight-acpi_video0.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/backlight/acpi_video0
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:02.0-drm-card1-card1\x2deDP\x2d1-intel_backlight.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-eDP-1/intel_backlight
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d1-1\x2d1:1.0-host3-target3:0:0-3:0:0:0-block-sdb-sdb1.device loaded active plugged micro_USB Linux_Mint_16_Cinnamon_64-bit
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d1-1\x2d1:1.0-host3-target3:0:0-3:0:0:0-block-sdb-sdb2.device loaded active plugged micro_USB Linux_Mint_16_Cinnamon_64-bit
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d1-1\x2d1:1.0-host3-target3:0:0-3:0:0:0-block-sdb-sdb3.device loaded active plugged micro_USB Linux_Mint_16_Cinnamon_64-bit
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d1-1\x2d1:1.0-host3-target3:0:0-3:0:0:0-block-sdb.device loaded active plugged micro_USB Linux_Mint_16_Cinnamon_64-bit
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d7-1\x2d7:1.0-bluetooth-hci0-rfkill2.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-7/1-7:1.0/bluetooth/hci0/rfkill2
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:14.0-usb1-1\x2d7-1\x2d7:1.0-bluetooth-hci0.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-7/1-7:1.0/bluetooth/hci0
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:16.3-tty-ttyS0.device loaded active plugged Lynx Point-LP HECI KT
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:19.0-net-enp0s25.device loaded active plugged Ethernet Connection I218-LM
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1b.0-sound-card0.device loaded active plugged Lynx Point-LP HD Audio Controller
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1c.1-0000:03:00.0-ieee80211-phy0-rfkill1.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:03:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill1
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1c.1-0000:03:00.0-net-wlp3s0.device loaded active plugged Dual Band Wireless-N 7260
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1c.4-0000:04:00.0-backlight-acpi_video1.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.4/0000:04:00.0/backlight/acpi_video1
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1f.2-ata1-host0-target0:0:0-0:0:0:0-block-sda-sda1.device loaded active plugged Crucial_CT480M500SSD1 1
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1f.2-ata1-host0-target0:0:0-0:0:0:0-block-sda-sda2.device loaded active plugged Crucial_CT480M500SSD1 2
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1f.2-ata1-host0-target0:0:0-0:0:0:0-block-sda-sda3.device loaded active plugged Crucial_CT480M500SSD1 3
sys-devices-pci0000:00-0000:00:1f.2-ata1-host0-target0:0:0-0:0:0:0-block-sda.device loaded active plugged Crucial_CT480M500SSD1
sys-devices-platform-serial8250-tty-ttyS1.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/platform/serial8250/tty/ttyS1
sys-devices-platform-serial8250-tty-ttyS2.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/platform/serial8250/tty/ttyS2
sys-devices-platform-serial8250-tty-ttyS3.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/platform/serial8250/tty/ttyS3
sys-devices-platform-thinkpad_acpi-rfkill-rfkill0.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/platform/thinkpad_acpi/rfkill/rfkill0
sys-devices-platform-thinkpad_acpi-sound-card1.device loaded active plugged /sys/devices/platform/thinkpad_acpi/sound/card1
sys-module-configfs.device loaded active plugged /sys/module/configfs
sys-module-fuse.device loaded active plugged /sys/module/fuse
sys-subsystem-bluetooth-devices-hci0.device loaded active plugged /sys/subsystem/bluetooth/devices/hci0
sys-subsystem-net-devices-enp0s25.device loaded active plugged Ethernet Connection I218-LM
sys-subsystem-net-devices-wlp3s0.device loaded active plugged Dual Band Wireless-N 7260
-.mount loaded active mounted /
boot-efi.mount loaded active mounted /boot/efi
dev-hugepages.mount loaded active mounted Huge Pages File System
dev-mqueue.mount loaded active mounted POSIX Message Queue File System
run-user-0.mount loaded active mounted /run/user/0
run-user-1000-gvfs.mount loaded active mounted /run/user/1000/gvfs
run-user-1000.mount loaded active mounted /run/user/1000
sys-fs-fuse-connections.mount loaded active mounted FUSE Control File System
sys-kernel-config.mount loaded active mounted Configuration File System
sys-kernel-debug.mount loaded active mounted Debug File System
tmp.mount loaded active mounted Temporary Directory
systemd-ask-password-console.path loaded active waiting Dispatch Password Requests to Console Directory Watch
systemd-ask-password-wall.path loaded active waiting Forward Password Requests to Wall Directory Watch
session-c1.scope loaded active running Session c1 of user root
session-c2.scope loaded active running Session c2 of user mcgoldrickm
bluetooth.service loaded active running Bluetooth service
dbus.service loaded active running D-Bus System Message Bus
[email protected] loaded active running Getty on tty1
kdm.service loaded active running K Display Manager
kmod-static-nodes.service loaded active exited Create list of required static device nodes for the current kernel
NetworkManager.service loaded active running Network Manager
ntpd.service loaded active running Network Time Service
pdnsd.service loaded active running proxy name server
polkit.service loaded active running Authorization Manager
rtkit-daemon.service loaded active running RealtimeKit Scheduling Policy Service
systemd-backlight@backlight:acpi_video0.service loaded active exited Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:acpi_video0
systemd-backlight@backlight:acpi_video1.service loaded active exited Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:acpi_video1
systemd-backlight@backlight:intel_backlight.service loaded active exited Load/Save Screen Backlight Brightness of backlight:intel_backlight
systemd-hostnamed.service loaded active running Hostname Service
systemd-journald.service loaded active running Journal Service
systemd-logind.service loaded active running Login Service
systemd-random-seed.service loaded active exited Load/Save Random Seed
systemd-remount-fs.service loaded active exited Remount Root and Kernel File Systems
[email protected] loaded active exited Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill0
[email protected] loaded active exited Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill1
[email protected] loaded active exited Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status of rfkill2
systemd-sysctl.service loaded active exited Apply Kernel Variables
systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service loaded active exited Create Static Device Nodes in /dev
systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service loaded active exited Create Volatile Files and Directories
systemd-udev-trigger.service loaded active exited udev Coldplug all Devices
systemd-udevd.service loaded active running udev Kernel Device Manager
systemd-update-utmp.service loaded active exited Update UTMP about System Boot/Shutdown
systemd-user-sessions.service loaded active exited Permit User Sessions
systemd-vconsole-setup.service loaded active exited Setup Virtual Console
udisks2.service loaded active running Disk Manager
upower.service loaded active running Daemon for power management
[email protected] loaded active running User Manager for UID 0
[email protected] loaded active running User Manager for UID 1000
wpa_supplicant.service loaded active running WPA supplicant
-.slice loaded active active Root Slice
system-getty.slice loaded active active system-getty.slice
system-systemd\x2dbacklight.slice loaded active active system-systemd\x2dbacklight.slice
system-systemd\x2drfkill.slice loaded active active system-systemd\x2drfkill.slice
system.slice loaded active active System Slice
user-0.slice loaded active active user-0.slice
user-1000.slice loaded active active user-1000.slice
user.slice loaded active active User and Session Slice
dbus.socket loaded active running D-Bus System Message Bus Socket
dmeventd.socket loaded active listening Device-mapper event daemon FIFOs
lvmetad.socket loaded active listening LVM2 metadata daemon socket
systemd-initctl.socket loaded active listening /dev/initctl Compatibility Named Pipe
systemd-journald.socket loaded active running Journal Socket
systemd-shutdownd.socket loaded active listening Delayed Shutdown Socket
systemd-udevd-control.socket loaded active running udev Control Socket
systemd-udevd-kernel.socket loaded active running udev Kernel Socket
dev-sda3.swap loaded active active /dev/sda3
basic.target loaded active active Basic System
bluetooth.target loaded active active Bluetooth
cryptsetup.target loaded active active Encrypted Volumes
getty.target loaded active active Login Prompts
graphical.target loaded active active Graphical Interface
local-fs-pre.target loaded active active Local File Systems (Pre)
local-fs.target loaded active active Local File Systems
multi-user.target loaded active active Multi-User System
network.target loaded active active Network
paths.target loaded active active Paths
remote-fs.target loaded active active Remote File Systems
slices.target loaded active active Slices
sockets.target loaded active active Sockets
sound.target loaded active active Sound Card
swap.target loaded active active Swap
sysinit.target loaded active active System Initialization
timers.target loaded active active Timers
systemd-tmpfiles-clean.timer loaded active waiting Daily Cleanup of Temporary Directories
LOAD = Reflects whether the unit definition was properly loaded.
ACTIVE = The high-level unit activation state, i.e. generalization of SUB.
SUB = The low-level unit activation state, values depend on unit type.
113 loaded units listed. Pass --all to see loaded but inactive units, too.
To show all installed unit files use 'systemctl list-unit-files'.