My Thunar in Alpine does not see devices

abu · 18 September 2025 08:01

I’d rather say “wrong way”/“not allowed”.

EDIT: Maybe missing write access?

ihasama · 18 September 2025 09:16

Can you open privileged program from GUI? Like gparted? Do you have elogind? Or is it needed with Alpine? I haven’t played with Alpine.

nevj · 18 September 2025 10:37

I deleted xfce-polkit… that got rid of the ‘-’ message.
I installed gparted… it fails to run from the menu ( ie as nevj) , but it runs from CLI as root.
Both gnome-disks and Thunar refuse to mount… say I am unauthorised.
lsblk sees all the partitions, as do Thunar and gnome-disks and gparted.
It is a mount permissions issue.

I replaced xfce-polkit with polkit-gnome, because that is what MX has.
I did try installing elogind. It had no effect, so I removed it

All other distros can mount my partitions.
I can mount them in Alpine using mount at the CLI as root. It is only user-mounts that fail.

ihasama · 18 September 2025 10:42

You should get a password prompt when opening gparted. That’s what the polkit should do. Are on Xorg? I’m using Wayland now and it needs the polkit agent and elogind because I’m on OpenRC. Maybe it needs also the seatd? Sorry but I’m not familiar with Alpine.

nevj · 18 September 2025 11:05

Yes Xorg. I dont get a password prompt when I open gparted from the menu.

I can do this

~ $ udisksctl mount -b /dev/sdb10
==== AUTHENTICATING FOR org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount-system ====
Authentication is required to mount Samsung SSD 870 QVO 4TB (/dev/sdb10)
Authenticating as: Neville Jackson (nevj)
Password: 
==== AUTHENTICATION COMPLETE ====
Mounted /dev/sdb10 at /run/media/nevj/DebianHome
~ $

That is as nevj.
So I think authentication is working.
There is something wrong with the GUI apps … Thunar, Gnome-disks, gparted.
That means there is something wrong with Xfce
Here is how I did the Xfce install

apk update
setup-xorg-base
apk add xfce4 xfce4-terminal xfce4-screensaver lightdm-gtk-greeter
rc-service dbus start
rc-updateadd dbus
rc-update add lightdm
rc-service lightdm start

That setup-xorg-base is an alpine setup script.

I re-ran setup-xorg-base

~ $ su
Password: 
/home/nevj # setup-xorg-base
Updating repository indexes... done.
OK: 1335 MiB in 472 packages

No difference

WRONG MATERIAL REMOVED HERE

ihasama · 18 September 2025 11:08

Did you check the Alpine wiki? Polkit - Alpine Linux

Maybe try that?

nevj · 18 September 2025 11:17

Thunar works, but only for sdb10… because I mounted it at the CLI.
Gnome-disks and gparted still do not work

WRONG MATERIAL REMOVED HERE

Update:
I tried Polkit-Alpine Linux .
No difference.

ihasama · 18 September 2025 11:59

Well I checked Gentoo wiki polkit - Gentoo Wiki

Check if you have the rules as per that wiki link. Maybe you need to add your user to wheel/something else?

nevj · 18 September 2025 12:19

nevj is in wheel.
Need to look into rules, thanks.

If I can get polkit doing authentication at the CLI, but not at the GUI, does that mean there is nothing wrong with polkit, it just cant talk to GUI apps…?

Note I edited out that embarassing mistake.

ihasama · 18 September 2025 12:35

Is the polkit agent started? Do you boot to tty or use greeter? If you use greeter, log out to tty and login+startx. Does it work then?

ihasama · 18 September 2025 12:49

here are my polkit rules:

sudo cat /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/10-admin.rules
polkit.addAdminRule(function(action, subject) {
return [“unix-group:wheel”];
});

sudo cat /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/50-power-management.rules
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if (subject.isInGroup(“wheel”)) {
if (action.id == “org.freedesktop.login1.power-off” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.login1.reboot” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.login1.suspend”) {
return polkit.Result.YES;
}
}
});

sudo cat /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/55-allowing-actions.rules
polkit.addRule (function (action, subject)
{
if (action.id == “org.freedesktop.upower.hibernate” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.upower.suspend” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.consolekit.system.stop” ||
action.id == “org.freedesktop.consolekit.system.restart” &&
subject.isInGroup (“wheel”))
{
return polkit.Result.YES;
}
});

sudo cat /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/55-allowing-all-actions.rules
polkit.addRule (function (action, subject)#{

# if (action.id == “reboot” &&

# subject.inInGroup(“wheel”)) {

# return polkit.Result:YES;

# }

#});

Daniel_Phillips · 18 September 2025 14:32

So, after using Alpine Linux, does it qualify for a daily driver!!!

abu · 18 September 2025 15:20

I’d say no. I know Alpine only from its use in Docker containers.

nevj · 18 September 2025 22:37

Not if you start with the standard base .iso. like I did here. Too many problems getting a DE setup. Difficult to install in a multi-boot setup. Ideal for containers ( as @abu says) or a tiny embedded Linux or a tiny VM. For any application that needs CLI only, the standard base iso is perfect and is only 5MB. You tested it on old hardware and it was fine there.

After I debug this present effort, I will start again with the desktop .iso. That may be a different story.

What I did get out of this current effort was learning about how to do a safe multiboot install, and how polkit works, and what udisks2 does. If you are looking for a challenge trying what I did here might be appropriate.

4dandl4 · 18 September 2025 23:24

Alpine, works well enough as a VM, on one of my laptops!!! Maybe if one needed a very lean install on some low spec machines, it might come in handy!!! But for every day use, I have my doubts!!!

nevj · 18 September 2025 23:54

Do you have a DE?
Which .iso did you install it from…standard or desktop?
Yes Alpine works… I am just having issues configuring Xfce … the rest of it is fine… apk is a good package system .
Are you going to try and compile apk in LFS?

It would probably suit someone like you or me, but not someone looking for a dropin complete system.

Daniel_Phillips · 19 September 2025 01:01

Mate DE!!!

I used the virt iso!!!

I doubt it, to much of a headache!!!

Will post a screenshot, when I get back on the laptop!!!

Daniel_Phillips · 19 September 2025 01:04

Does just fine, using as a sandbox for W11!!!

nevj · 19 September 2025 02:54

So maybe my issue is an Xfce problem?

That is different to me too.
Why did you use the virt iso for a hard install?

nevj · 19 September 2025 10:30

Disable lightdm
Reboot and login
startx

Same result… Thunar can not mount partitions

I have no rules in /etc/polkit-1/rules.d
I added 10-admin.rules and 10-udisks.rules from the Gentoo Wiki
nevj is in wheel
Reboot
Same result … Thunar can not mount partitions

Have not tried that… the Gentoo ones should be enough.

~ $ ps ax | grep polkit
 4447 ?        S      0:00 supervise-daemon polkit --start --respawn-delay 2 --respawn-max 5 --respawn-period 1800 /usr/lib/polkit-1/polkitd -- --no-debug
 4448 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/lib/polkit-1/polkitd --no-debug
 4710 ?        Sl     0:00 xfce4-terminal --geometry=80x24 --display :0.0 --role=xfce4-terminal-1758168163-2494388004 --workspace 0 --show-menubar --show-borders --hide-toolbar --active-tab --working-directory /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d --sm-client-id 29691307a-0dc3-49a0-8696-aaf628d3f767

I think you mean polkitd… yes it is running.
Also gvfsd is running.

I can do this

~ $ udisksctl mount -b /dev/sdb10
==== AUTHENTICATING FOR org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount-system ====
Authentication is required to mount Samsung SSD 870 QVO 4TB (/dev/sdb10)
Authenticating as: Neville Jackson (nevj)
Password: 
==== AUTHENTICATION COMPLETE ====
Mounted /dev/sdb10 at /run/media/nevj/DebianHome
~ $

That is as nevj.

That suggests to me that polkit is working… at least for CLI commands

@Daniel_Phillips tells me he has no such trouble with the Mate DE in Alpine

Therefore I think it is an Xfce problem or an ssue with communication between Xfce and polkit.

Thunar can see and work with mounted partitons… but it cant mount an unmounted partiton.

Thanks for suggestions and links. I am still looking.