I plan to help verify the MATE to Xfce transition tool, but in order to do that, I need to install MATE. I was maintaining a Solus 4.4 MATE VM well into the 4.5 era, but lost it when I recently needed to reinstall its host computer.

I have no 4.4 .ISO, but I plan to install from a 4.3 .ISO and update it to 4.4. Problem is, I can't find a way to get past the password that's required to launch the "live" session and installer. I've tried everything I can think of, and none of my ideas work. Why would we make it so hard to install Solus? That doesn't make any sense at all.

Does anyone remember what the top-secret incantation was?

    WetGeek I did a forum search You had several threads you posted on this issue
    and how you fixed it. ( in 2022)
    The first time. Something about the iso I never had Mate ask for password.
    Might ring a bell.

      your'e going to get lost in there and not come back
      🙂

        Besides, many of us do our little part in testing various things in unstable to help make Solus better for everyone.

        Ya its all good just gotta go with the flow.

        WetGeek You're welcome. Curious how your testing goes on this. I'm waiting to start testing Plasma 6 next week after Reilly gets back.

            codewizard1975 Curious how your testing goes on this.

            I'm curious as well. I think I'm well prepared this time. Besides my MATE VM, I made two clones of it, with the intention of testing MATE to Budgie with one, and MATE to Xfce with the other. If the worst happens to one of those, I can simply clone the original again to make a replacement.

              The secret password was an empty password btw

                Staudey The secret password was an empty password btw

                Actually, that was the first thing I attempted. It failed, just like everything else I tried.

                    elfprince 4.3 MATE Live ISO doesn't work in VM

                    Well, that solves one mystery. But I can't remember how I got a MATE version in my collection of Solus 4.3 VMs. I must have found a workaround at the time, but I no longer know - or care - how I might have done it.

                      WetGeek Actually, that was the first thing I attempted. It failed, just like everything else I tried.

                      It fails in a different way though, because it is the right password 😀

                      (as @elfprince mentioned that MATE ISO had some serious VM issues)

                          Staudey It fails in a different way though, because it is the right password

                          That is quite likely true. But this has now taken on far more importance than it's worth (to me).

                          I just created this VM using the 4.3 .ISO. This is the sixth time I've entered just <Enter> for a password, and the sixth time I was returned to the login screen. Every other password I tried did the same thing, although everything else also displayed a "bad password" error message. I was looking for a password that would work, and never found one. The "right" password didn't work, either.

                              WetGeek Yeah, as I've said, it fails in a different way. That's why you don't get the "Bad password" message.

                              Either way, best to just go with the 4.4 ISO as you already did. Not sure what would be necessary to launch the 4.3 MATE ISO in a VM (maybe some old thread in the forum or on reddit has an answer, I certainly don't remember)