GIMP Version: 2.6.11
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: windows 7 (64-bit) and Ubuntu 11.10 on separate HD-500GB
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

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I get this message when I try to boot into Ubuntu
"Could not update ICEauthority file/home/test/.ICEauthority"

I looked up the message and it said something about the permissions should be changed but I can't get there to do that.

This is what it said to do somewhere

"sudo chown test:test/home/test/.ICEauthor"

Does anyone know what all this means? OR what I should do? thanks.

I'm fairly sure you can delete these files, but to change the permissions
open your file browser, (click on the home folder icon)
go to the "test" folder,
enable hidden files (ctrl-H)
*right click* on the file and select properties at the bottom of the dialogue.
change all the properties to "read and write"

composite screenshot.

Rich, that looks like it should work but I can't open Ubuntu. I can't get past that ice message.

Does it boot to a command prompt Molly? I recall that I fixed a client's Ubuntu using a command prompt command similar to chkdsk a few years back (don't ask; lots of research to find it) and he was lucky that I got his Ubuntu to boot back. I told him he needs to start backing his DATA (as I recalled, he had a rogue Windows Serial number and Microsoft told him such and he knew it. I recommended Ubuntu at the time and he excepted that and then he actually enjoyed it quite well). He, of course, was very happy that I recovered his OS. Still, best to keep your data backed up.

Yes it does Lyle. The top one is ubuntu which opens when I boot up, below that is a test or something ubuntu that I tried and I did the options it had in it and the bottom one is windows. I can't send any screen shots cuz I can't get to anything while that screen is showing.

Again, I can't remember nor am I an Ubuntu guru, but some folk here have to be. There is a command prompt command that can fix your Ubuntu partition and I bet, once run, it will boot. I did try doing a quick check (Ubuntu equivalent to Chkdsk search), but I hessitate to share the results with you since I didn't recognize some of what these folks were showing. Maybe an Ubuntu guru here knows the exact command prompt fix.

Thanks Lyle, I am sure there are a lot of Guru's but they are still in bed or at work, lol
At least I am not stuck, I can use Windows until this problem gets fixed.

don't like this distro.

Guessing that you will prefer something gui rather than an enigmatic terminal. (well almost)

Start up your *LIVE* ubuntu CD/usb and go for the 'Run Off CD' option.

That gets you to the live CD Ubuntu desktop with your computer drives including your installed ubuntu just shown as 'another' partition(s).

Now use the top icon (forget its name) enter terminal into the search box and click on the terminal icon.



Now in the terminal at the prompt enter sudo -i
This will get you 'root' administrator status. You need to be careful in this mode so be warned.

Now at the prompt enter nautilus

This will get you the file browser in 'root' mode. Ignore any error messages that might pop up. It does not like running off a CD(usb).



Next part is up to you. You have to find the troublesome .ICEauthority file named in the error message. You will have to dig through the drives (partitions) until you find the installed /home/test/.ICEauthority (have you really called your home 'test'???)

Now you can disable the file by renaming it. When you start up Ubuntu again hopefully all will be well, a new working .ICEauthority file will be created and you can safely delete the old one.

Ok, thanks, I will print all that so I won't lose it when I try it. BTW, I was making some screen shots of the steps I was trying and I had to use my camera. Excuse the flash's but you can still see the text.
These are what they are below.

More questions than answers I fear.

ls (ell-ess) is the equivalent to windows 'dir'

type ls at the prompt and is one of the names 'home' ?

If it is (much the same as MS) type

cd home

now another ls and is your home folder 'test' there. If it is then again

cd test

your prompt should now end in ...test#

Next do a full listing to include all the hidden files
ls -a

There should be the problem .ICEauthority there (pause for phone call LOL)

now you can rename that with the command

mv .ICEauthority xICEauthority

type

exit

to quit and close down

I put in the Ubuntu live disk, ran the CD option, got right to the place where the xICEauthority is, I renamed it to xICEauthority(old), then closed it, tried again to boot into ubuntu and still get the same message,
I could not find the installed/home/test/.ICEauthority file.

I will look again when I calm down. (Rich - PM sent)

I may be misconstruing things but based on what is stated in this post, it sounds as though you are choosing the second menu option, "Rescue Mode". If so, don't do this; use the first menu option to boot into Ubuntu.

That is what I have been doing Saul. That is when I get that ICEauthority message. So then I started booting into the second one to see if I could fix it. So far, I can't. I thought when I got to that Dos screen I could type a command in there but then everything I tried didn't work. I need to get to the permissions place but I can't get there.

I have had a trawl through ubuntu forums and most solutions are renaming/deleting as already tried. Seems you are not alone.

there is this one

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1841457&page=3

try post #28

some of the earlier replies are really not for a beginner.

you will have to use your own user name in the appropriate spots.

I did have the same problem a couple of years ago on a Linux4One (ubuntu 8.04 remix) and it was easily solved by deleting the file, but who knows with Ubuntu11.

dam, I thought for sure that would work but it didn't.

Molly, I would recommend visiting the Ubuntu channel "Ubuntu beginners" on freenode. I have gotten good help there. They suggested the following, even though it was a couple years old: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1021106

Nix thank you. I did try that over and over and over and still doesn't work. I did it exactly the way it showed. I just can't get into Ubuntu. I have to idea what to try next.

Sorry to hear you are having problems right out of the gate.

From what i can tell by reading some of the posts from others who have had this problem (never had this problem myself), it seems .ICEauthority is no longer owned by you the user. From the screenshots, it appears your user name is "molly" right?

The chown command changes ownership of a file from one user to another. Issuing the "chown" from terminal using a Live CD will attempt to change ownership of .ICEauthority on the (ramdisk image) of the live CD, not on your hard drive, so don't bother trying that.

Using the last option on your startup screen to get to the root prompt, I would recommend you issue the chrown command from there. Since you are "root" at that point, you don't need the "sudo" (super user do) part of any command you issue from there.

One thing that seems odd is the error message states: /home/test/.ICEauthority. I would think the error message would reference /home/molly/.ICEauthority. In Linux, each user has their own /home/user folder, where user would be the user name. In this case, it's test (and I assume there is a molly as well). Perhaps you installed something that created a "test" user.

Anyway, all of this is just some background info that you might find useful.

Can you drop to the root command prompt (last option on menu) and issue this command exactly as written..
ls -la /home/molly | grep .ICEauthority

Then take a pic or write down the output..

Next issue this command
ls -la /home/test | grep .ICEauthority

Then take a pic or write down the output..

This will give us a starting point and tell us whether or not you have both users "test" & "molly".

From there we can go about finding and changing ownership to the correct user.

I have a problem with my keyboard. I don't have that character with the straight line ls -la /home/test | grep .ICEauthority
It is there but it is a separated character and it works in a straight line if I try it in notepad or Gimp. But when I use it in the root command it shows the same as on the keyboard and it comes out as an error when I click enter.

It's the key just above the enter key. It's shift-\ which produces this | and it does show up as a broken line on the keyboard but it's the right one.

Those are "els" l not "eyes" i so maybe that's the problem.

Try..

ls -la /home/test

ls -la /home/molly

to see if those folders exist. We can change into them and go from there without using the pipe | symbol.