Ubuntu Graphic Login Fails and Returns to Login Screen

from http://nlpdotnet.com/Blog/2012/8/10.aspx

August 10, 2012

Symptoms

• After provided with the correct password, within a few seconds, the login screen comes back
• You can login using text mode via Ctrl+Alt+F1.

This usually occurs after the system installed some updates.

One of the solutions:

1. Log in using text mode via Ctrl+Alt+F1
2. List your home directory files: ls -lha
3. Locate .Xauthority and check its user and group names. If it is root:root,
4. Back it up and change its ownership to your own. If your user name and group name is bob:
   • sudo cp .Xauthority .Xauthority.bak
   • sudo chown bob:bob .Xauthority
5. Restart the computer(or reLogin)