Strange password request while browsing

[Gottfried]

While using a program or Firefox browsing, twice so far after installing Linux Mint 15 my screen goes black and appears a window like so

Welcome [left upper side of window] Linux Mint "Olivia" [right upper side of window]
[my username]
already logged in


[left lower side of window] Password: __________________ [right lower side of window]
[a flag] [a shutdown button]

I have to enter my password to return to what I was doing. It happens unexpectedly and

Another time I also had a timer above password: logging in 30 seconds, which counts down to 0 and then restarts.

This is different from the usual request for main password when I leave my computer idle for long and it logs off.

Should I re-install Mint? What is going on exactly? I only installed in package manager one additional program: calligra suite.

everything else is default installation.

Did I hit some button combination that triggers this?

[rokytnji]

Should I re-install Mint? What is going on exactly

Sounds almost like a automatic screen lock is kicking in for some reason.

Does it look something like this.

http://www.linuxmint.com/tmp/blog/2318/cinnamon-screensaver.png

[Gottfried]

No. that's the problem.

Automatic screen lock, which looks basically like that, kicks in after I leave my computer idle for a while. and that's fine

It's another kind of screen. that's why it's strange. It has the Welcome prominently in the left upper hand corner.

[rokytnji]

No clue since I run Mint 14 Mate 64bit. So not sure what is going on on your end.

[Gottfried]

I found it.

Here is the screen from this website.

http://linuxmint.com/pictures/screenshots/olivia/mdm.png

Problem is that this appears out of nowhere all of a sudden. I work then black screen and then this. And it won't let me continue doing what I was doing, say browsing firefox, until i enter my root password.

What should I do?

[rokytnji]

If you say that you show you primary user > you as logged in and a window like that pops up. That would at least make me see of ssh was turned on because something
or someone is trying to switch users it seems to me.

Code: Select all

whoami

might help glean something maybe though I am not sure since you are re-logging in with your root password but it won't hurt to check. I am just wondering if not
someone is remotely ssh-ing into your computer. I would go into preferences and turn off Desktop sharing and ssh keyring.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSH/OpenSSH/Keys

[Gottfried]

Desktop sharing was disabled.

whoami: "user"

I've uninstalled openSSH client in package manager and the problem hasn't happened again since.

How do I check SSH keyring. Or do I no longer have to do this.

Also, is there a firewall I have to enable just in case? I'm a newbie to linux mint, fleeing the Windows 8 menace that seems to be everywhere, but quickly learning. Plus, with crossover, everything windows just about runs on linux.

[drdavidk]

Are you running the XFCE edition of Mint 15? If so, it looks like you're getting the random logout that's a known bug in Mint 15. I believe they fixed it in the final Stable release, so if you just run Mint Update you should be fine. If that doesn't work, add this PPA (https://launchpad.net/~ricardo.teixas/+ ... e4-session) to your Software Sources, then run an update. Hope this helps.