after 2.6.32.131.17 update, can't log in to gnome

[guid0]

Hi.

I'm running SL 6.1 32bit in a VirtualBox VM on a windows guest. VBox version is 4.1.4

Since the latest kernel update, I get thrown back to the login screen everytime I log in to a gnome session.

I can login to iceWM fortunately so I can continue to work.

Anyone else having this problem?

[zxq9]

Are you able to boot to one of the two previous kernels listed on your grub boot menu and still log in?

Just trying to narrow this down to a kernel problem or not (like maybe GDM or one of its friends is kajiggered, not the kernel).

[guid0]

No.

That's what's weird about it. It looks like gnome is toast. It just started happening after the kernel update as I rebooted the machine yesterday and it logged me into gnome allright.

[zxq9]

Then its not the kernel.
If you can use GDM to log in to IceWM then its likely also not GDM.
Might be gnome itself (possibly an unrecognized screen setting or whatever -- are you using ATI/AMD or nVidia drivers by chance?)

Try this:
1- Boot
2- Log in as root on a text terminal
3- Switch to runlevel 3 (hint: man telinit)
4- Log in as a normal user
5- Try startx and see if you can get into gnome that way
6- Let us know the results

[guid0]

Finally, I created a new user and am able to log in to gnome with that one. The issue had something to do with my user profile.

I'm back in business.

Thanks for your help.

[zxq9]

It could be interesting to try renaming some Gnome2 dotfile directories in the original user's home directory.

Login as root, and do:
mv /home/theolduser/.gnome2 /home/theolduser/.gnome2original
and see if you can then log in as that user again.
If you can't log in as the original user still, then switch the name back, and try renaming the following ones in the same way, one by one in roughly this order (switching the previous renamed one back each time to pinpoint the problem):
.gconf
.gconfd
.themes
.gnome2_private
.config
.dbus
.fontconfig
.pulse
.cache
.local

I'd even try ones like .kde (if present) or .thumbnails if the others weren't doing anything for me. Doing this you will likely find the exact place you had a problem (and then probably realize whatever was causing the problem wasn't something you really wanted).

Anyway, glad you can log back in now! Those sort of problems can be really frustrating.

[guid0]

Dang.

I already backed up my files and destroyed the old user profile. I would have liked to see the results after renaming those files. I'll keep that in mind if ever something like this happens again.

Thanks again for your help.