CUPS constantly asking for authorisation

[rpi]

Hi

For a couple of years, my CUPS interface was working on Manjaro perfectly. Then after an update earlier this year, it constantly asks for username/password when attempting to add/modify a printer.

It never accepts either my user name/pass pair or the root/password pair.

To enter the “Administration” tab, I have to enter my username/pw pair - it DOES accept these and I can see the contents of the ‘Administration’ GUI.

But when I attepmt to “Add new printer” or “Find new printers” it asks for, but then rejects a username/password. I CAN click “Manage printers” and that allows me to click on the printer name. But then just about most of the options under “Maintanance” or “Administration” take me straight to an error page:

" Unauthorized

Enter your username and password or the root username and password to access this page. If you are using Kerberos authentication, make sure you have a valid Kerberos ticket."

WHAT I HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO FIX THIS:

1. Uninstall and reinstall CUPS

2. Make sure that my username is in the CUPS config file ( as per this post: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/551372/stop-asking-for-admin-sudo-password-in-print-settings-dialog )

If I enter: sudo grep -i System /etc/cups/cups-files.conf

It shows my username in that group.

3. Also from that post ( https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/551372/stop-asking-for-admin-sudo-password-in-print-settings-dialog ) I have modified all references to auth-admin etc to “yes”. Then rebooted. It made no difference at all.

I am at a brick wall. I cannot modify/delete/add printer. This happened since an official Manjaro update (sadly cannot remember which one).

Any ideas how to fix this?

(BTW the 'CUPS FAQ is completely useless in this instance: Frequently Asked Questions - CUPS.org )

Ideas anyone?

Thanks

[rpi]

OK I guess no-one has replied. I add this post for the sake of others who are having the same hassles with CUPS.

After trying a few more internet suggestions, I decided to just stop using CUPS for these tasks. It may be that it is a superior GUI etc for printer management, but life is short, and I am simply not able to spend hours unpicking the effects of the latest rolling update…

FYI I have three machines all using Manjaro, and each of them now displays ‘eccentricities’ as a result of the update… it is not a machine specific problem IMHO.

I installed “system-config-printer” - it just works. You can add printers, change the default printer, examine printer queues etc.

It’s in the official repositories and installs easily.

Set up a launcher on the desktop for this app and you’re good to go…

Good luck!

[bedna]

Thank you for providing this information.

I think the reason nobody answered is because nobody knew. xD

[linux-aarhus]

Check your group memshiip lp group is the printer group.

groups

[soundofthunder]

I’ll drop this; Changes to default password hashing algorithm and unmask settings; here, in case it’s related. This was featured in the recent Stable Update 2023-10-04 announcement.

[rpi]

That was one of the earlier things I did.

Yes, I am in the lp group…

[Nachlese]

The Arch wiki says here:

CUPS - ArchWiki

User groups with printer administration privileges are defined in SystemGroup in the /etc/cups/cups-files.conf. The sys and root and wheel groups are used by default.

I’m not on Arch/Manjaro at the moment - using Mint currently.
This is likely to be different in Arch/Manjaro.

In that file, the group “lpadmin” is listed as the SystemGroup - and the “groups” command returns me as part of this “lpadmin” group.
If this is commented, the defaults (sys, wheel …) would apply.

Perhaps also take note of the Note in the box below:

Note: Prior to cups 2.2.6-2, the lp group was used instead. After the upgrade, the files in /etc/cups should be owned by the cups group and User 209 and Group 209 set in /etc/cups/cups-files.conf.

[rpi]

Thank you