PCManFM user mount ‘not authorized’

Posted by Dale on Sunday, August 14, 2011
Posted in: Linux. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 6 comments

If you are like me and like to run a custom install of Debian with a lightweight setup with Fluxbox, SLiM, PCManFM, etc and you have problems with mounting USB devices such as flash drives etc and get the “Not Authorized” message in PCManFM under Debian, here is a workaround that should still work after upgrade, rather than editing ‘
/usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.freedesktop.udisks.policy‘ itself, which does not last after software upgrade of udisks if I am not mistaken, but I sure someone will correct me if I am wrong ;-)

As root create:

# /etc/polkit-1/localauthority/50-local.d/55-storage.pkla

and add the following:

[Storage Permissions]
Identity=unix-group:plugdev
Action=org.freedesktop.udisks.filesystem-mount;org.freedesktop.udisks.drive-eject;org.freedesktop.udisks.drive-detach;org.freedesktop.udisks.luks-unlock;org.freedesktop.udisks.inhibit-polling;org.freedesktop.udisks.drive-set-spindown
ResultAny=yes
ResultActive=yes
ResultInactive=no

Polkit will automatically recognize the newly added file.

To make sure you have the ability to mount the USB devices, be sure to add yourself to the plugdev group

# usermod -a -G plugdev YOUR-LOGIN

Now logout and log back in for above to take effect if you just added yourself to the plugdev

Reference:
PCManFM – ArchWiki

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6 comments on “PCManFM user mount ‘not authorized’”

  1. NIce work Dale,
    You probably should report this as a usability bug or somesuch.
    Surely if the user is in plug-dev that means the admin means for them to use the usb sticks.
    Policy Kit should not overide the admin ever.
    (or should bitch loudly if it needs to)

    (shrug)

    Reply

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