not sure this helps, but...
when starting hamsterfiler from X Terminal as root i get a window with Hamsterfile (root) title
(i do use root in X Terminal to become root and i keep using mc as my root filemanager... GUIs are cute, but nothing beats cli, right?
thus Hamsterfiler is in "default" mode...)

tried sudo hamsterfile and got indeed passwd prompt which i simply CR.ed away as i never set a passwd (that i am aware of)
prompt reappears without Hamsterfiler showing up and without error message.