16.1. Visibility of /etc/lids

Sometimes /etc/lids is visible — it shouldn't be!

/etc/lids is visible in BOOT mode; it is not visible in POSTBOOTmode, so check you have switched (e.g., lidsadm -I). The directory is also visible in a LIDS-free session.

16.2. LIDS Password/Authentication Oddities

16.2.1. lidsadm -S... works the second time but not the first!

For example, with lidsadm -S -- -LIDS, it fails with "switching lids failed" the first time, but a second time it works fine with "no global capabilities changed". This is because you need to be in POSTBOOT mode — this is usually reached via lidsadm -I, but lidsadm -S..., even a non-authenticated failure, changes mode to POSTBOOT.

16.2.2. Sometimes the wrong password is accepted!

Change to POSTBOOT mode — use lidsadm -I.

16.2.3. It just doesn't work what ever I do!

Okay, you've installed lidstools without an apparent hitch, setting the password when prompted, but no matter what you do, lidsadm -S won't authenticate — you've even tried un-installing lidstools and re-installed, to no avail.

Check you have the extended attributes set in your kernel

    CONFIG_EXT3_FS=y              # ...and/or EXT2, depending on /etc/fstab
    CONFIG_EXT3_FS_XATTR=y
    CONFIG_EXT3_FS_POSIX_ACL=y
    CONFIG_EXT3_FS_SECURITY=y

    prompt> mount
    /dev/hda10 on / type ext3 (rw,acl,errors=remount-ro)
    proc on /proc type proc (rw)
    .
    .
    prompt>