[CentOS] Login problem on CentOS 4.4 GDM

[Mark Hull-Richter]

New scenario, same problem.

Installed 4.4.  Logged in through gdm on console as root.  Created 3
non-root users.  Ran yum update (578 packages - worked fine).
Rebooted.

Checked permissions on all three users' directories - everything looks fine.

Logged out.  Tried to log in as each non-root user - same <10 second
error / login failure.

Figured, hmm, maybe I should just delete and recreate the users.
Fired up the gdm users & groups applet.  Deleted last user.  Fine.
Deleted next user.  Fine.  Deleted main/first non-root user.  Still
circling (five minutes now).  Something is definitely awry here.

Aborted the applet.  Checked /home - all three directories are now
gone.  Checked /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow - all three users gone.
Recreated second user.  Paths and passwd/shadow look fine.  Logged
out.  Attempted login with that user - failed again.

Took Jim's advice and ran rpm -Va | grep -v '\.\.\.\.\.\.\.T' and got
a whole long list of discrepancies, but nothing that looks too
suspicious except /etc/sysconfig/system-config-users has ..5....T.

WTF?

-- 
Mark Hull-Richter
DATAllegro (www.datallegro.com)
85 Enterprise, Second Floor, Aliso Viejo, CA  92656
949-680-3082 - Office     949-680-3001 - fax