Problem with /var/lib/gdm/ICEauthority file

piyush.popli · 03-16-2009, 12:53 AM

Hi,
Long story short... I basically changed the folder permissions on the /var folder with the the chmod command.... did "chmod -R piyush /var"
I did a system update.. it asked me to restart... Did that and now I'm not able to login... As soon as X starts, it gives me and error message.. something like "Could not update file /var/lib/gdm/ICEauthority"... so I googled it and found that it had something to do with setting the file permissions... I reverted back the permissions on the /var folder.. but even then I get the same message... (I am able to login with runlevel 3)..
Got really frustrated and deleted the /var/lib/gdm/ICEauthority file.. and I still get the same message... Is reinstalling the only way or is there still some chance for me to rescue this installation...

Thanks
Piyush

John VV · 03-16-2009, 02:48 AM

well you will not be doing that again . it might be a se error also
-- or --
are you sure it was " chmod" the command you gave looks more like it was " chown "
this in not correct
chmod -R piyush /var
this would be correct
chown -R piyush /var

----------
try

Code:

su -
chown -R root:root /var

piyush.popli · 03-16-2009, 07:30 AM

I'm sorry for the carelessness.. yes you're right I used chown... oh and one more thing... I used chgrp too on the same folder...
Ps: have tried your solution.. doesn't seem to work..

John VV · 03-16-2009, 12:08 PM

well if you used change owner & change group on /var then the " chown -R root:root /var" would have changed both the user and group back to root .
have you tryed this

Code:

su -
resotercon -v /var
-- or --
restorecon -v '/'

piyush.popli · 03-17-2009, 01:13 AM

@above
Thanks a lot buddy... but I just gave up... have reinstalled...

vinayakgit · 04-16-2010, 01:46 PM

sudo chown -R gdm: /var/lib/gdm

This fixed the issue for me. Hope this will help some one

cheers!

Pratap Ghanta · 09-19-2010, 06:08 AM

@above

First of all thanks to the members involved in above discussion.
I logged into my system in 'single' user mode and executed the code
chown -R gdm: /var/lib/gdm
But, that ended up with a problem not responding to my keyboard and
mouse ineractions.Moreover, no user account is displayed except
'other'.Can anyone of you help me solving ti further.

Thanks in advance,