[CentOS] GDM could not write to you authorization file ... Please contact your system adminstrator

[Stephen Harris]

On Wed, Oct 06, 2010 at 04:46:44PM -0600, drew einhorn wrote:

> After some more googling I found the solution and it wasn't obvious:
> 
>     sudo chmod 1777 /tmp

This is the default value for /tmp.  If your permissions were not set
to this then somehow you managed to change them.

> (cd src; tar cf - --xattrs .) | (cd dest; tar xf -)

A beginner SA mistake is to untar stuff into /tmp as root.  This can change
permissions on /tmp and break your system.  Don't do it.  It's not obvious
and an easy to make mistake.

-- 

rgds
Stephen