Correct password fails to access Gnome from log-in splash screen

Bug #3671 reported by Derek Shields
12
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Ubuntu
Invalid
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Any attempt at trying to log-in to either my Gnome desktop or KDE desktop fails and I can only get into ICE or failsafe.

When logging in after either reboot or from cold my correct password doesn't get me in to either Gnome or KDE desktops. I'm using Breezy and have had no trouble since upgrading, until this. I can get in through ICE, but it is very short of programs etc.

More info: On attempting to get in to KDE I get the following erroe message: no write access to '/home/myusername/.ICEauthority KDE is unable to start

I then get a window saying "could not start ksmserver check your intsallation"

How do I fix, please? Derek S.

description: updated
summary: + Anty attempt at tryong to log-in to either my Gnome desktop or KDE
+ desktop fails and I can only get into ICE or failsafe.
description: updated
summary: - Anty attempt at tryong to log-in to either my Gnome desktop or KDE
+ Any attempt at trying to log-in to either my Gnome desktop or KDE
desktop fails and I can only get into ICE or failsafe.
Changed in apt-watch:
assignee: nobody → motu
Revision history for this message
Trent Lloyd (lathiat) wrote :

Could you run ls -la /home - sounds like a permission problem

Revision history for this message
A. Leek (marsdragon) wrote :

I've run into a similar problem twice now, where Kubuntu will randomly not take my root password anywhere. (I've only really noticed it at the splash page, but it's also happened with the Package Manager.) When I log in with another account to fix it, the password fields will be blank, though I'm not sure if it's supposed to be like this. All permissions are there when I try ls -la /home, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

Revision history for this message
J Beeforth (ubuntu-dawnmist) wrote :

This sounds like an issue I've had with KDE in the past.

What caused the issue then was running the KDE control centre using sudo on the command line (if I remember correctly). The ownership for the ~/.ICEauthority (and some .DCOP files) were changed from my user to be owned by root.

The next login then failed, as my user did not have permission to write to the root-owned files in the user's home directory.

If you can log in without using Gnome/KDE (e.g. ICE Window manager or simply the command line), in a terminal type
  ls -lad ~/*

This will show the ownership of all files/directories in your home directory (without recursing through the directories themselves) - make sure that files like ~/.ICEauthority are owned by yourself.

If they are not, you will need to change the ownership back to yourself to regain permission to write to them, and hence the ability to log into Gnome/KDE. This will need to be done by root, since by not owning them you are not permitted to alter their ownership:
   sudo chown <your_username> file1 file2 ....

If any directories have been altered, add the -R option to recurse through:
   sudo chown -R <your_username> file1 file2 dir1 ....

or if everything inside your home should be owned by you (I'm not sure whether any config files or mail files for other programs would expect to be owned by some system user....can anyone confirm this is ok?)
   sudo chown -R <your_username> /home/<your_username>

The last sets *everything* inside your home directory to be owned by yourself, which I would expect to be ok.

Revision history for this message
Derek Shields (derekshields) wrote : RE: [Bug 3671] Re: Correct password fails to access Gnome from log-insplash screen

Thanks a lot, I'll have a go. I've rather relegated Linux at the moment
because although I love it basically, I'm having so steep a learning
mountain to climb that I just don't have time. But, I'm determined to get
there. Thanks again for the help. Derek

-----Original Message-----
From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of
Janeene Webb
Sent: 16 May 2006 08:36
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: [Bug 3671] Re: Correct password fails to access Gnome from
log-insplash screen

This sounds like an issue I've had with KDE in the past.

What caused the issue then was running the KDE control centre using sudo
on the command line (if I remember correctly). The ownership for the
~/.ICEauthority (and some .DCOP files) were changed from my user to be
owned by root.

The next login then failed, as my user did not have permission to write
to the root-owned files in the user's home directory.

If you can log in without using Gnome/KDE (e.g. ICE Window manager or simply
the command line), in a terminal type
  ls -lad ~/*

This will show the ownership of all files/directories in your home
directory (without recursing through the directories themselves) - make
sure that files like ~/.ICEauthority are owned by yourself.

If they are not, you will need to change the ownership back to yourself to
regain permission to write to them, and hence the ability to log into
Gnome/KDE. This will need to be done by root, since by not owning them you
are not permitted to alter their ownership:
   sudo chown <your_username> file1 file2 ....

If any directories have been altered, add the -R option to recurse through:
   sudo chown -R <your_username> file1 file2 dir1 ....

or if everything inside your home should be owned by you (I'm not sure
whether any config files or mail files for other programs would expect to be
owned by some system user....can anyone confirm this is ok?)
   sudo chown -R <your_username> /home/<your_username>

The last sets *everything* inside your home directory to be owned by
yourself, which I would expect to be ok.

--
Correct password fails to access Gnome from log-in splash screen
https://launchpad.net/bugs/3671

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
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Revision history for this message
J Beeforth (ubuntu-dawnmist) wrote :

This sounds like an issue I've had with KDE in the past.

What caused the issue then was running the KDE control centre using sudo on the command line (if I remember correctly). The ownership for the ~/.ICEauthority (and some .DCOP files) were changed from my user to be owned by root.

The next login then failed, as my user did not have permission to write to the root-owned files in the user's home directory.

If you can log in without using Gnome/KDE (e.g. ICE Window manager or simply the command line), in a terminal type
  ls -lad ~/*

This will show the ownership of all files/directories in your home directory (without recursing through the directories themselves) - make sure that files like ~/.ICEauthority are owned by yourself.

If they are not, you will need to change the ownership back to yourself to regain permission to write to them, and hence the ability to log into Gnome/KDE. This will need to be done by root, since by not owning them you are not permitted to alter their ownership:
   sudo chown <your_username> file1 file2 ....

If any directories have been altered, add the -R option to recurse through:
   sudo chown -R <your_username> file1 file2 dir1 ....

or if everything inside your home should be owned by you (I'm not sure whether any config files or mail files for other programs would expect to be owned by some system user....can anyone confirm this is ok?)
   sudo chown -R <your_username> /home/<your_username>

The last sets *everything* inside your home directory to be owned by yourself, which I would expect to be ok.

Revision history for this message
KISS (ubuntu-fsife) wrote : Re: Correct password causes program to loop back to password screen

I have tried (many times) to install ubuntu 6.06. It installs but will not run, when the correct user and password is entered in the GUI screen it flicks to the command line (too fast to read) and then back to a blank input user screen.

From other comments here it seems this is normal.
Even microsoft doesn't have passwords during installation.

The solution is simple:
1.0 Allow the installation of ubuntu without a password, when it's working those that want passwords can presumably add them later. The idea of having a password during installation is ridiculous -you can't access anything without the password so can't fix it.
2.0 Find out who wanted to put a password in the installation process and get rid of him/her/them, they are obviously planted by the opposition to stop people using linux.

Revision history for this message
Aaron Toponce (atoponce-deactivatedaccount) wrote :

I confirm the problem, but I wouldn't call it a "bug". Seems to be user-error. I have had the same happen to me (not using Kubuntu, but other distros), and it was usually due to careless use of root.

Changed in apt-watch:
status: Unconfirmed → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
William Grant (wgrant) wrote :

This has nothing to do with apt-watch... Who knows why it was there in the first place.

Changed in apt-watch:
assignee: motu → nobody
status: Confirmed → Unconfirmed
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