Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

[randolf_ambrose]

i was using Synaptic Package Manager to download and install some 226 applications and plugins... in between my system lost battery power and got shut down...

now when i try to open Synaptic Package Manager, i'm getting the following error... what shall i do... please advice me...

Failed to run /usr/sbin/synaptic as user root.

Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

and when i try to check for updates using Update Manager, i get this error,

Failed to run /usr/sbin/synaptic '--hide-main-window' '--non-interactive' '--parent-window-id' '113246246' '--update-at-startup' as user root.

Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

would i have to reinstall ubuntu???

or can i resolve these problems permanently...

[shifty_powers]

have you tried opening a terminal and running

sudo dpkg --configure -a

?

[mahboop]

have you tried opening a terminal and running

sudo dpkg --configure -a

?

I've the same problem too
I've tried your solution but it didn't work

still i'm getting this error when I open Synaptic Manager

Failed to run /usr/sbin/synaptic as user root.

Unable to copy the user's Xauthorization file.

Please any solution??

[falconindy]

Sounds like your .Xauthority files are having permission problems. Post the output of:

ls -la $HOME\.*auth*

[mahboop]

here is the result:
username = mahboop

-rw------- 1 mahboop mahboop    16 2009-03-19 02:15 .esd_auth
-rw------- 1 mahboop mahboop 39379 2009-11-12 19:29 .ICEauthority
-rw------- 1 mahboop mahboop     0 2009-11-12 19:29 .Xauthority

Thanks

[falconindy]

Not a good sign that your .Xauth is empty. I'd say delete it and reboot. A new one will be created on login.

[mahboop]

I deleted the three files and restarted ubuntu but the results are the same.
The files haven't been created by the system.

mahboop@mahboop-laptop:~$ ls -la $HOME\.*auth*
ls: cannot access /home/mahboop.*auth*: No such file or directory
mahboop@mahboop-laptop:~$

[falconindy]

I deleted the three files and restarted ubuntu but the results are the same.
The files haven't been created by the system.

mahboop@mahboop-laptop:~$ ls -la $HOME\.*auth*
ls: cannot access /home/mahboop.*auth*: No such file or directory
mahboop@mahboop-laptop:~$

Strange. Well, they'll be created when they're needed. I just tested this on my VM. By chance, does your /tmp directory have permissions other than 1777 and/or is it not owned by root? Those permissions as "human readable" would look like 'drwxrwxrwt'.

[mahboop]

By chance, does your /tmp directory have permissions other than 1777 and/or is it not owned by root? Those permissions as "human readable" would look like 'drwxrwxrwt'.

drwxrwxrwt  21 root root   480 2009-11-13 11:20 tmp

[mahboop]

^^^^^^