Arch Linux

S3t1

Member

Registered: 2020-05-08

Posts: 3

Automatic login with systemd-homed

Hello.
New installation, LVM on LUKS and systemd-homed with no encryption (--storage=directory).

Since I have to enter the password to unlock the encrypted volume, I would like to enable automatic login for my user but I couldn't do it.

I tried both LightDM (to load Xfce) and getty as described in the wiki.

I also tried to enable autologin for my user via homectl with the option --auto-login=true without success: the system always asks me to enter the user password.

Is it possible to activate the autologin without having to enter the password with systemd-homed?

twelveeighty

Member

Registered: 2011-09-04

Posts: 1,456

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

I'm not following what you are trying to do. Do you want encryption or not? It makes no sense to have encryption but no password/phrase, unless you're looking to use an USB stick as the key? Is that what you're trying to do?

tim3dman

Member

From: Melbourne, Australia

Registered: 2018-02-15

Posts: 21

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

Do you mean that after unlocking the encrypted volume you don't want to have to also login to the user?

If so, I think you have to specify which user gets to autologin in lightdm.conf. Like this "autologin-user=username".

S3t1

Member

Registered: 2020-05-08

Posts: 3

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

I'm not following what you are trying to do. Do you want encryption or not? It makes no sense to have encryption but no password/phrase, unless you're looking to use an USB stick as the key? Is that what you're trying to do?

Sorry, my bad.  I'll try to be more clear: since i have full disk encryption, once unlocked the Luks encrypted container with password, I would like my user to be logged in, without having to enter another password.

Do you mean that after unlocking the encrypted volume you don't want to have to also login to the user?

Yes, that's right!!

If so, I think you have to specify which user gets to autologin in lightdm.conf. Like this "autologin-user=username".

I tried but it doesn't work the way I want: specifying "autologin-user=username" my user is preset but I still have to enter the password.  Even if I enter my user in the autologin group (as written in the wiki) I still have to enter the password.  I think it's probably because with systemd-homed the user is not present in /etc/passwd and in /etc/group...

Last edited by S3t1 (2020-05-09 07:02:51)

freed00m

Member

From: Czechia

Registered: 2015-11-25

Posts: 5

Website

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

I am also having troubles autologin + homed but I am not using graphical login manager.

I am using getty on tty1 and this wiki approach.

systemd-homed: Activation failed: Required key not available

GaKu999

Member

From: US/Eastern

Registered: 2020-06-21

Posts: 696

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

EDIT: done research, got results...

Homed asks for auth, and most apps (lockers, agetty, DM) will not properly unlock your homed.

The homed autologin probably works when an actual normal login attempt is made but I can’t say for sure if that’s the proper usage...

So if you wish to have a proper autologin you need to use a normal user, that until most of the things that have issues with homed add some form of compat workaround.

Your homed is a directory without encryption, and if your home lives within a lvm inside a luks then you have no reason to use homed...

Last edited by GaKu999 (2020-08-10 01:39:12)

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My repos • Some snippets

Heisenberg might have been here.

freed00m

Member

From: Czechia

Registered: 2015-11-25

Posts: 5

Website

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

So if you wish to have a proper autologin you need to use a normal user, that until most of the things that have issues with homed add some form of compat workaround.

Thx, I will ask at systemd issue tracker if they can provide some agetty workarounds, they made workaround for Swaylock for Systemd v246 so they might consider doing it for agetty and possibly other login managers.

Your homed is a directory without encryption, and if your home lives within a lvm inside a luks then you have no reason to use homed...

You're probably right, I have no reason to use it. I just wanted to future proof my install.

EDIT: So got response, this will not be possible with disk encryption.

Last edited by freed00m (2020-08-10 13:43:11)

GaKu999

Member

From: US/Eastern

Registered: 2020-06-21

Posts: 696

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

No @freed00m I was referring to OP’s system, or your system is equal?

Use cases for homed are mainly for having out of system homes/users, like a portable user/home in a usb.

Or auto managing encrypted homes, still it’s quite better just to use a manually made alternative if you know what to do...

If you indeed have encryption and your home is a luks the you need to use homed but autologin will not work...also screen lockers will break a lot and you’ll need to be careful with session hanging on logout, like some derped executable that got stuck in a deadlock...

---

My repos • Some snippets

Heisenberg might have been here.

freed00m

Member

From: Czechia

Registered: 2015-11-25

Posts: 5

Website

Re: Automatic login with systemd-homed

No @freed00m I was referring to OP’s system, or your system is equal?

Yes my system is also very similar LVM + LUKS and had the same problem so I chimed in

If you indeed have encryption and your home is a luks the you need to use homed but autologin will not work...also screen lockers will break a lot and you’ll need to be careful with session hanging on logout, like some derped executable that got stuck in a deadlock...

Yeah I figured, I use only simple tools and my locker works with systemd homed now and I will have to get used to loging in.

Last edited by freed00m (2020-08-10 20:32:43)