User manager crashes

[Rick Stevens]

Rick DeBay wrote:
> I was installing an rpm for Firebird 1.5.1 and have ended up in install
> hell.
> Since the first install of Firebird 1.5.0 ended up leaving a lock file
> so that new users couldn't be created, I looked for one but couldn't
> find any.

Firebird was renamed long ago to Firefox.  The latest Firefox version
is Firefox V0.9.2.  The companion mail client is Thunderbird (currently
V0.7.2)

The lock file will probably be in the user's home directory's .firebird
or .mozilla directory:

	~(user)/.firebird/(profile name)/xxxxxxxx.slt/lock
	~(user)/.mozilla/(profile name)/xxxxxxxx.slt/lock

I can't recall if Firebird/Firefox shares Mozilla's settings or not, so
check both directories (if they exist).  Remember that you must include
the "-a" option to "ls" to see files that begin with ".".

> What I have noticed is that when I try to open the user manager, it
> immediately closes.

I assume you actually mean the "profile manager", not the "user
manager".

> What should I do at this point to debug this?  I figure if I can get the
> user manager to work again, Firebird installation will probably work
> again.

Stray lock files will do that as will stalled Mozilla/Firebird/Firefox
sessions.  Don't forget to "ps ax" to see if you have any old processes
laying about after you delete the lock files.  If so, kill them before
trying to bring up the profile manager.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-            "You think that's tough?  Try herding cats!"            -
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