I cannot log into my user account in an X window system. I can log into root in X Window just fine. Suse 10.0x86_64. When I try to log in it acts like it's going to, then returns to the log in screen, or to the root window if I try switching users. This happened previously and I deleted the user account and added a new one. It may have something to do with shadow passwords, but I don't know how to turn them off.

Did it fix the problem when you added the new user? If so, it's likely that you're somehow mangling the ownership/permissions of the user-specific X configuration files. Take a look at the X logs in /var/log and see if there are any informative messages, especially about perms or unable to open file.

adding a new account only worked briefly, it has the same problem also now, cannot log in. I didn't see anything that meants anything to me in the logs.

See if you have a 'nologin' file in the /etc directory. If it is there, then ordinary users will be debarred from logging in to the machine. So delete the file /etc/nologin and you will be able to log in to the user account.

Is anything in the users home directory not owned by that user (including all the "dot" files)? Also try temporarily moving .Xauthority and the .kde directory to a different location (like backup_Xauthority) and see if that helps.

Also did you happen to be adjusting any of the system settings when this started, especially the login, user, or X-related settings?

This might sound very silly...but is probably the issue...whenever you create a new user you need to set passwords for them else the account is locked until a password is assigned to them

So for eg. If I create a new user arvind
Immediately after creating a user I should set a password for arvind
passwd arvind:
Enter again:

Password changed!!!

cat /etc/shadow | grep arvind

arvind:$1$aK5vR5we$t0zhmpb375GLCGWAmN9UZ0:13119:0:99999:7:::

Now I acn login as arvind..else I will not be bale to login..Root though will always be able to login...

Give this a shot and come back if its still a problem..

Cheers
Arvind

I am not sure if this will help but trying to...

use a copy instead of move to move the user files after creating a new user, if you do so.

My X wouldn't startup because I was out of disk space, I know this is different but...

hth,
-Prasad

Just to clarify the above, make sure to copy files from a *new* user that can login. If you simply copy them from a regular user, then the orginal corrupted versions will still exist and remain intact. If you're following the directions I gave you in my post, then do not use copy, move them instead (you don't want the corrupt originals to exist that way the Xserver will recreate them).

Can you log into your account from console (from bash,sh...)or by pressing Ctrl+F1 for example?If You can't ,the problem is maybe with /etc/shadow file.If You can log ,try to start system from init 3 (without X) then log in & try startx command to see the output.
Init 3:When lilo is shown up,press Escape then type the name of session followed by init 3, for example (in my case):
linux init 3

I said Ctrl+F1,but it is Ctrl+Alt+F1.Returning back to X Session is Ctrl+Alt+F7(on my system).If you can't return to X then you can reboot system with command:reboot,or shutdown with command : halt

Hello,
Try to login to the console as the new user & if X is not running issue the startx command to start the X Server. I guess this will solve the probs. If u can't enter your account it's self then check for your password of if there is any nologin file in /etc/ of check for expirary of account.
Hope it will solve the probs...
Happy Computing. :-)

see also that the home partition is not full, if you have that.