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Re: User Can Not Log In

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On 02/24/2017 07:29 PM, Dan Norton wrote:
>
>
> On 02/23/2017 08:40 PM, Michael Milliman wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 02/23/2017 04:16 PM, GiaThnYgeia wrote:
>>> 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.
>> All very good suggestions...but I usually just get fed up looking 
>> before I find the problem, and just go for broke.  It seems much 
>> easier to just re-apply my preferences than to continue digging. But 
>> it is a little like using a shot-gun rather than a scalpel.
> The user has been deleted after making a copy of his home directory. A 
> user of the same name has been added back, with a different password 
> and can be logged in. I'm restoring things a little at the time from 
> the backup. Firefox, Icedove, Smalltalk, and GitHub are working as 
> before. Documents directory is restored. Now I'm wondering what all 
> that other stuff is good for
>
> Are the config files in one place or are they scattered?
>
> When the backup was made, only root could be logged in. The backup was 
> made with "cp -r " which changed all owners and groups to root. The 
> backup would have been better made with "cp -ra " I think.
Yeah, I always use cp --archive for such things.
>
> Thanks, Michael and GiaThnYgeia.
>
>  - Dan
>
>

-- 
73's de Mike, WB5VQX

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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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