In KDE desktop this morning I noticed a notification that I have 92 updates. So I pressed the review and started the update. Once I accepted the Adobe License I see a window that reads “Waiting for authentication - Apper” in the title bar and “Waiting for other tasks” above sort of a progress bar. This has been the state for 40+ minutes now.
Is Apper waiting for me to furnish “authentication”?
I know enough from bitter experience to search around for a password dialog that has been presented in a position where it is eclipsed by other objects but I have not found it.
Yes, it is safe to Close the Window, It will continue to run and complete the update.
I saw this same issue today - 22 new updates, one of which was the commercial app/non-oss (Flash) which requires License agreement.
Also not logged in as ROOT
Using Opensuse 13.2 and KDE Desktop
Scenario A - When there is a package update that requires a License Agreement:
-> The Tray Notifications showed one Notification
Apper popped up, stating “22 new updates”
-> I Clicked Review
The License Agreement popped up
-> I Clicked Accept
The Title Bar for Apper said Waiting For Authentication
-> I searched all over, there was no Authentication prompt - normally is used for root password
-> Then I just closed the larger 'Review Apper screen by clicking the Window Close widget (X)
-> I noticed then a 2nd Notification
-> I clicked on the Notification and saw it stating it was making progress by changing the textual display , such as “Updating Xyz” , although the bandwidth graph was NOT updating
-> I keep a System Monitor open, and on the System Load tab, saw the bandwidth jump up to max during the downloads- that was expected behavior
-> I saw that it completed successfully
Scenario B - When there are packages and none require a License Agreement:
(this is what has been happening to the best of my memory)
-> The Tray Notifications show a Notification
Apper pops up, stating “NN new updates”
-> I Click Review
Apper display progress of the package downloads and installation
-> I am never prompted for any Authentication / root password
-> It completes and I close it by clicking the Window Close widget (X)
-> I then notice a 2nd Notification
-> I clicked on the Notification and see that Updates are Finished
The Apper, Package Update, No Authentication sequence still seems to be a bit of a mystery to me…
It is “safe” to close the window, yes. Apper is just a KDE frontend to PackageKit which runs in the background and does the actual work.
But it will not continue to install the updates on its own, it will just hang endlessly until you interact somehow with packagekitd, e.g. by checking for new updates (or by the automatic update check).
Or kill packagekitd and use YaST or zypper to install the updates (flash-player at least).
The Apper, Package Update, No Authentication sequence still seems to be a bit of a mystery to me…
For installing updates, no password is needed. That’s how it is configured in the default polkit settings (you can change that though if you want to).
You do need the root password for installing new packages though.