Installing software; asked to Authenticate; won't accept my password?

[MichaelValentino]

I've installed Linux Mint onto a laptop and am trying to install Skype. It pops up "To install or remove software, you need to authenticate." I type in the password I created when I did the initial installation but it keeps tell me that "Your authentication attempt was unsuccessful. Please try again."

What's up? Do I have to uninstall Mint and then reinstall it? What other authentication could it want if not the password created during installation?

 

[MatsuShimizu]

I've installed Linux Mint onto a laptop and am trying to install Skype. It pops up "To install or remove software, you need to authenticate." I type in the password I created when I did the initial installation but it keeps tell me that "Your authentication attempt was unsuccessful. Please try again."

What's up? Do I have to uninstall Mint and then reinstall it? What other authentication could it want if not the password created during installation?

It could be due to various reasons.
Try typing the password into a text editor first and make sure that you enter the right password. And then copy the password from the text editor and then paste it into the form/terminal when prompted.

 

[KGIII]

Of mild importance: Assuming a normal Mint install, you should only have a single password. (This is not true with some distros, where you'll have your user password and the root password.) So, if you can login with that password then that should be the same password you need to install software.

 

[Condobloke]

G'day Michael, Welcome to Linux.org

Check the little stuff first. Do you have caps lock on?....were there any capitals in your original password?

The suggestion from @MatsuShimizu above is a good one.

Is there any chance that caps lock was on when you typed your password in when it was first created?

Have you used your password before you tried to install Skype ?...Was it succesful?

We are just trying to nudge your memory here...

 

[Condobloke]

To test if the password you are using is correct....

Open the Terminal (ctrl+alt+T)

type in passwd (that is not a typo)

Press enter....it will then ask you for your old password.

Type it in.

If it is rejected, you will KNOW, that it is definitely incorrect

 

[Brickwizard]

As its a laptop, also check the number lock is off..

 

[BushyYate]

I also have this problem. Trying to install hw-probe via Mint Software Manager. I only have one password. It is asking for "Password for Root:". The same keyboard (no caps lock or num lock) I used to login with my password, now refuses to accept that password when trying to install anything using Software Manager. Did an update to Software Manager break something? Applying maintenance still works. I'm lost...

 

[Condobloke]

@BushyYate , please start a fresh topic.

This topic goes back to January 2022,