Ok, I reckon the hang on startup happens if a dead gnome-session has a left-over socket in /tmp/.ICE-unix. I've just done a successful logon after cleaning that up, even with a left-over gconfd.
Since I was really reporting the hang on login, it would be worth renaming this bug and assigning it to gnome-session, IMHO. ** Summary changed: - gconfd not shutting down/not restarting after X server killed + hang on login after gnome-sessions has left a socket in /tmp/.ICE-unix ** Description changed: After I kill the X server using ctrl-alt backspace, logging back on usually hangs partway through the gnome setup progress with the centre splash still up, sometimes showing update-notifier. Launching gnome terminal just hangs - no window appears. firefox will start tho. - Manually killing gconfd from outside X can make things work again. + XXX Manually killing gconfd from outside X can make things work again. + XXX + + I now think that was a red herring. + + Things are hung trying to talk to a gnome-session that isn't replying. ** Summary changed: - hang on login after gnome-sessions has left a socket in /tmp/.ICE-unix + hang on login after gnome-session has left a socket in /tmp/.ICE-unix -- hang on login after gnome-session has left a socket in /tmp/.ICE-unix https://launchpad.net/bugs/45122 -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs