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Re: User Can Not Log In

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Michael Milliman:
> On 02/23/2017 10:47 AM, Dan Norton wrote:
>> While playing around with Xfce, startx, and fvwm I've managed to
>> clobber something such that the user can't log in. All attempts result
>> in a fresh login box with my inputs removed. However, it is still
>> possible to log in as root.
>> fvwm was installed using Synaptic and run from an Xfce terminal
>> session. When it did not produce the expected result, I shut down and
>> rebooted. At this point it was no longer possible to log in as user -
>> only as root.
>>
>> Do I have to rename /home/<user>, delete <user>, then re-define it as
>> a new user and restore its home directory?
>> Or is there a better way?
> It should be possible to do some serious research and figure out exactly
> which package is croaking, and why, and then edit the configuration file
> for that package in /home/<user>.  But in my experience with similar
> situations, this takes much more time than it is worth.  I have found
> that usually just deleting the configuration files in /home/<user> will
> work.  This is probably easier than the solution that you propose, but
> your solution should work as well, as long as you don't copy back the
> configuration files when you do the restore.

Encouraged by the previous brave response, I have done similar hacks in
the past.

1  One thing I look at is date ordered of @home/ directory.  See what
was last edited and reconfigured, most probably is the culprit.  With
some packages renaming that directory in the home folder as something
else temporary (ie   home/gnubg --> home/gnubg.tmp may result into a
login and when you run gnubg it will act as started for first time --
not a good example I am afraid).  1.1  It may be more than one thing
gone bad.

2  Create a new user, copy config files that you don't suspect are
related to the problem and then go one at a time with the rest.

3  See if the file and directory rights are still in tact in your #home,
maybe you locked yourself out.  Root should always have the right to set
a new password for a user.

4  Are you switching between desktops, do you have an alternative
(openbox .. gnome .. mate ..etc).  Did you try a different desktop?  It
may relate to desktop settings or if you removed one you may have
affected an other in case you were crossing desktop specific packages.

5  Check your autostart folders for crap you can remove.

>> Thanks,
>>  - Dan
> 

-- 
 "The most violent element in society is ignorance" rEG

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Re: User Can Not Log In Michael Milliman <michael.e.milliman@gmail.com> - 2017-02-23 19:00 +0100
  Re: User Can Not Log In GiaThnYgeia <GiaThnYgeia@openmailbox.org> - 2017-02-23 23:20 +0100
    Re: User Can Not Log In Michael Milliman <michael.e.milliman@gmail.com> - 2017-02-24 02:50 +0100
      Re: User Can Not Log In Dan Norton <dnorton@mindspring.com> - 2017-02-25 02:30 +0100
        Re: User Can Not Log In Michael Milliman <michael.e.milliman@gmail.com> - 2017-02-25 02:50 +0100

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